liv_rong
Knows very little
why should you change the pots on guitar when you are changing out pick ups??
T
timthetortoise
MADE OF SANDALWOOD
It's not a necessity. I never changed the pots on my Gibson when I changed my pickups, because they are decent pots. Usually it's to replace cheap/scratchy pots.
starbuck26
New member
I've been reading a bit about inserting a resistor into the guitar pots to make them a bit more responsive over the general sweep of the 1-10 range. Been trying to convince my retarded-guitar player to wire it up for me, but he seems reluctant.
Anyone done this?
Anyone done this?
liv_rong
Knows very little
well, im getting new p/u's for my epiphone dot studio, seymour duncan pearly gates. the pots seem fine to me, so i guess i wont change them.
but what about the bridge??
should i just go all out and get new bridge, tuners, and pots???
or would just p/u's suffice?
i had another thread but it died, im dropping this thing off this weekend to get upgraded, so my time is limited.
but what about the bridge??
should i just go all out and get new bridge, tuners, and pots???
or would just p/u's suffice?
i had another thread but it died, im dropping this thing off this weekend to get upgraded, so my time is limited.
W
Will_R
Bass player, apparently
New pickups alone should be fine.
Tho you could get some push/pull pots and add some more interesting wiring options
Tho you could get some push/pull pots and add some more interesting wiring options
punkin
Univalve & Avatar Speaks
Just out getting out of the box and thinking like an EE. It's a complicated question with legitimate technical reasoning and resolves with the bottom line,...how does it sound.
What ya got, what ya want and how much do you have?
I know I'm coming off like an ass but it's true. IF the total series resistance is high, you won't hit the amp as hard. If the total series resistance is low, then you stand to hit the amp much harder (thats what the volume pot does). If the new pups have a lower out put or higher output, your resistive dynamic range has been altered assuming no changes in the "pots".
Try it...if you don't like it, put in some pots with a lower min and max range.
What ya got, what ya want and how much do you have?
I know I'm coming off like an ass but it's true. IF the total series resistance is high, you won't hit the amp as hard. If the total series resistance is low, then you stand to hit the amp much harder (thats what the volume pot does). If the new pups have a lower out put or higher output, your resistive dynamic range has been altered assuming no changes in the "pots".
Try it...if you don't like it, put in some pots with a lower min and max range.
rayc
retroreprobate
What Punkin says.
Lots of folk buy gear & gut it "because" OR since they're changing one thing & the guitar's unstrung etc they "make it worth the effort".
You've obviously decided you need the new p/ups. When they're in you'll kow if all is as you want it.
I'm old fashioned enough to believe in a guitar being a whole package & that changes have to be a balance between retaining what you bought it for and achieveing what you need.
I've not been able to understand the Frankenstein Guitar/ HotModRodding psychology.
I still have the 1st real stereo I bought back in 1978 as well as the 1st records I bought in the 60's so I seem to like keeping things in near pristine condition.
Lots of folk buy gear & gut it "because" OR since they're changing one thing & the guitar's unstrung etc they "make it worth the effort".
You've obviously decided you need the new p/ups. When they're in you'll kow if all is as you want it.
I'm old fashioned enough to believe in a guitar being a whole package & that changes have to be a balance between retaining what you bought it for and achieveing what you need.
I've not been able to understand the Frankenstein Guitar/ HotModRodding psychology.
I still have the 1st real stereo I bought back in 1978 as well as the 1st records I bought in the 60's so I seem to like keeping things in near pristine condition.
dragonworks
Banned
when the pots I been smokin don't do the trick anymore I change pots.
famous beagle
Well-known member
You don't use just a resistor; you use a capacitor, wired from the live terminal of the volume pot (the one wired to the selector switch) to the center terminal. Most people usually use a value between 600pf and 2000pf, and it's usually ceramic disk or mylar film.
However, some people don't like doing just this because it can actually become too treblely as you turn the volume down.
So, you can put a resistor in between the cap and the volume terminal in series to counter this.
I did this, and the results were very nice. I think I used a .001uf cap (1000pf) and a 100K resistor. It's pretty much the same tone across the spectrum. It gets a tiny bit treblely when the volume is almost completely off (around 1 or 2), but I never play with the volume that low.
Here's a link that talks about the mod:
http://www.bothner.co.za/articles/volumepot2.shtml
Hope this helps
punkin
Univalve & Avatar Speaks
Good additional info there Beagle.
To the non-tech types, fundamentally (in most simplistic terms), resistors/pots effect level or drive to or from a device while the caps and coils will effect frequency response or tone.
There are reasons to consider modifying both but you should have an intent when doing so. Randomly selecting components and stabbing them into your guitar will be a hit or miss affair and could end up needlessly botching up the electronics and wiring.
I'd suggest putting the pups in, play and have a listen then think about the sound...what don't you like and then take it from there.
To the non-tech types, fundamentally (in most simplistic terms), resistors/pots effect level or drive to or from a device while the caps and coils will effect frequency response or tone.
There are reasons to consider modifying both but you should have an intent when doing so. Randomly selecting components and stabbing them into your guitar will be a hit or miss affair and could end up needlessly botching up the electronics and wiring.
I'd suggest putting the pups in, play and have a listen then think about the sound...what don't you like and then take it from there.
oDD
Problem to your solution
I have an Epi Dot that I upgraded recently.
I put in a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge.
I left the bridge and tail piece - but changes out the tuners to grovers (it came w/ grovers but they were shit), I changed out the toggle switch, the Jack, and also the Pots & wiring. The thing sounds amazing now.
I would definitely recommend changing out the Toggle and Jack - these are notoriously bad in Epi's.
I put in a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge.
I left the bridge and tail piece - but changes out the tuners to grovers (it came w/ grovers but they were shit), I changed out the toggle switch, the Jack, and also the Pots & wiring. The thing sounds amazing now.
I would definitely recommend changing out the Toggle and Jack - these are notoriously bad in Epi's.
liv_rong
Knows very little
thanks for the input guys!
im going to do p/u's, the toggle and the jack for now, and see what that gets me.
im putting in pearly gates in both bridge and neck, im pretty excited.
i think ill get new tuners the next time i change my strings, because i dont like the ones on it now either.
im going to do p/u's, the toggle and the jack for now, and see what that gets me.
im putting in pearly gates in both bridge and neck, im pretty excited.
i think ill get new tuners the next time i change my strings, because i dont like the ones on it now either.
gvarko
New member
Even my Washburn Idol had those small cheasy Korean pots. The guitar comes stock with real Duncans and then goes cheasy on the wiring. I paid $50 and bought a pre-wired set from some guy on ebay. They were the best quality CST pots w/ excellent caps and super wiring. Needless to say the soldering was way better than anything I could have done.
I would recommend a pre-wired harness to anyone that wants a serious harness built w/ quality components. The seller I worked with was excellent, even sent a wiring diagram and made sure the wire lengths were correct for my Washburn.
I would recommend a pre-wired harness to anyone that wants a serious harness built w/ quality components. The seller I worked with was excellent, even sent a wiring diagram and made sure the wire lengths were correct for my Washburn.
Gear_Junky
New member
Hey, everyone!
Getting a standard wiring harness for a Les Paul or pickguard assembly for a Strat is fairly easy.
What about something like mine:
a Les Paul copy, but with 3 knobs (vol/vol/tone) and switch next to them, all in 1 cavity, a-la PRS (I think). Do they have those wiring harnesses?
I can see that not having a separate cavity for the switch makes production easier - less routing/drilling, easier wiring. The guitar is heavier too, heavier than Epi LP's in the store.
Getting a standard wiring harness for a Les Paul or pickguard assembly for a Strat is fairly easy.
What about something like mine:
a Les Paul copy, but with 3 knobs (vol/vol/tone) and switch next to them, all in 1 cavity, a-la PRS (I think). Do they have those wiring harnesses?
I can see that not having a separate cavity for the switch makes production easier - less routing/drilling, easier wiring. The guitar is heavier too, heavier than Epi LP's in the store.