Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: JonnyScaramanga on March 25, 2007, 11:53:08 AM

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: JonnyScaramanga on March 25, 2007, 11:53:08 AM

I know that many Les Paul classics are fitted with 300k pots as standard, but is it all of them?

I took the back off the guitar, hoping the pots would be usefully labelled, but no such luck. It's a Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus bought new in London in April 2000.

I'm fitting Mules, so I suppose I'll need 500k pots with those for best results.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Twinfan on March 25, 2007, 12:21:26 PM

I think Gibson fit whatever they have in stock at the time.  I'd fit top spec 500k pots if I were you.  That's what I'll be fitting to my LP with Mules and what I have in my SG with Riff Raffs.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: HTH AMPS on March 25, 2007, 12:27:58 PM

pretty sure that my classic+ had 300k pots.  defo put some 500k pots in there, 300k is too low and muddy (unless the pickups are VERY bright)

 :twisted:

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: JonnyScaramanga on March 25, 2007, 03:36:47 PM

Is there an easy way I can find out what's in there? I don't want to waste £32 on new long-shaft pots if the ones in there will do. I've always found the existing controls on the guitar work really well.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Twinfan on March 25, 2007, 03:43:32 PM

They should say on them somewhere - maybe under the solder?

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Philly Q on March 25, 2007, 09:27:16 PM

Quote from: JonnyScaramanga

I've always found the existing controls on the guitar work really well.

Keep 'em then.  Just my opinion, but I don't see the point changing things just for the sake of it.  You can always replace them later if the Mules sound muddy.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Twinfan on March 25, 2007, 09:54:12 PM

+1 to what Phil said  :D

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: HTH AMPS on March 25, 2007, 11:34:07 PM

get a DMM (multimeter) and measure the resistence of the pots if you want to be sure.

 :twisted:

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: JonnyScaramanga on March 26, 2007, 10:16:41 AM

I've had an email from Gibson which says that it has 300k volumes and 500k tones.

I'm a bit in two minds about it really... The current pots do work perfectly with the 500T and 496R, but those pickups couldn't really be more different from the Mules. I guess I'll whack 'em in there and see how they sound.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Philly Q on March 26, 2007, 11:09:09 AM

Theories about pot values seem to vary a lot, but I've read in some places that 500K pots are more "necessary" with higher-output pickups than lower-output ones.

On that basis, if the 300Ks work OK with the powerful 500T/496R combo, they should be OK with much more vintage-output Mules.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: hunter on March 26, 2007, 01:20:57 PM

My understanding was that 250K pots in strats are used to compensate for overly bright single coils, but to keep treble content in HB guitars, it's better to use 500K pots.

I mean that's just what I heard, it doesn't mean that I actually understand why, so someone more capable should comment.

If that was true however, I would be wondering whether the mules might lose some of their clarity/crispness when used with 300K pots.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: gingataff on March 26, 2007, 02:02:20 PM

I've read that Allan Holdsworth used (not sure if he still does) 250k pots with humbuckers, but I think his tone is mostly about midrange with less emphasis on bass and treble.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Philly Q on March 26, 2007, 02:29:53 PM

And I think it used to say on the Duncan website that Seymour's personal preference was 250K with humbuckers or single-coils.  

I can't find it now though.  It's probably somewhere in his 17 million FAQs.

Title: What pots are in my LP classic?
Post by: Alex on March 30, 2007, 05:44:22 PM

I've read a couple of times, that 250Kohm can smoothen out the top end if desired. So it's probably a matter of taste. Imagine a trebly humbucker in a bolt-on superstrat. Maybe people would like to tame the top end.