300k or 500k volume pots for 496R / 500T

[C_Becker]

I'm looking to swap out the EMGs in my Epiphone 58 Goth Explorer with a 496R/500T set.
Figured Gibson has a reason to put those in all their Explorers, right ?
I'm one of the few persons to like the 490R/498T set, but I need a little more oomph, and those seem the way to go.

Anyway, all of my Les Pauls have linear 300k volume pots in them, and all of the are plenty bright for me. Especially the 498T in the Studio / Custom is cornering on harsh, but it sits in a mix quite well.

But all the Explorers come with 500k pots, at least according to Gibsons website.

So, the big question is, what volume pots do I use in the Explorer ? Keep in mind that it is a naturally dark guitar, which is the reason I'm changing out the EMG Hetfields that are in there now. I need something more bright and cutting.

Thanks !

 

[Laro]

I put a 50s wiring harness in my GO and the pots were well over 500k. I had also put paf type pickups in it that tend to be rather bright and no matter the adjustments the bridge seemed too bright. I put a 350k bridge volume pot and it works great. Still plenty bright but more controllable.

 

[Kris Ford]

500K with a 500T was never over BRIGHT, just fuller range..if that makes any sense.

I'd try 'em first!

 

[Guitaraxe]

My 06' spec'd with 300K's vol / 500K tone. I went 500K across with an orange drop. Much better now.

 

[C_Becker]

Pickups arrived today, I couldn't get 500k pots from my usual supplier so I went with 300k first.
The guitar sounds nice, but still a bit darker than my Les Pauls, but then again thats probably the nature of an Explorer compared to a Les Paul ( and possibly the Epiphone vs Gibson thing).

Anyway, I'll try to get some 500k pots and try those out as well.

 

[C_Becker]

500k pots are on the way and should hopefully arrive tomorrow

I was thinking, how would putting another 22nf cap affect things ?
Or does going below 22nf not really have an effect ?

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

500K. Much more articulate and more cut. Never a fan of 300K and hums... except in rare instances.

 

[Scotheath]

my 06 came w/ 300 + or - pots all around and 496/500, stock bridge volume pot shit the bed over time, way loose and scratchy, I switched to 500 pots all around, like said above just seems like more range all around

 

[Scotheath]

And replaced disk cap with an orange drop 22, but I should say that I cant say its better or worse w/ the 500k pots and orange drop cap, the thing was a beast with the stock Gibson pots and cap and is still with the 500k pots and orange drop cap

 

[Kris Ford]

500k pots are on the way and should hopefully arrive tomorrow

I was thinking, how would putting another 22nf cap affect things ?
Or does going below 22nf not really have an effect ?

That's not how it works..because you can use any value..they'll just roll off more or less treble to ground.
Also, .022uf..it's microfarads..not nanofarads.

 

[C_Becker]

And 0.022µF converts to how many nanofarads ?
Putting another 22nF in series with the one that is already in ther would give me 11nF, but in the end I have decided to try out the 490R / 498T set and then see which one I like better in this guitar.

 

[C_Becker]

So, while waiting for the 490r/498T to arrive I've decided to try out 500k pots (which didn't make a huge difference tbh) and an 11nF tone cap (which did make a huge difference).

I'll have to experiment with tone caps further, now I'm questioning if I should even take the pickups out to try the other ones. What a rabbit hole have I gotten myself into ?

 

[Elmore]

My advice is 500K audio taper pots all around and Jensen paper in oil caps.

 

[Kris Ford]

And 0.022µF converts to how many nanofarads ?
Putting another 22nF in series with the one that is already in ther would give me 11nF, but in the end I have decided to try out the 490R / 498T set and then see which one I like better in this guitar.

Well aware..just an odd conversion..

 

[CheopisIV]

500k pots should always be the first upgrade. Whenever anyone gets in touch about pickups, it's the first thing I ask. Even crappy sounding pickups will sound better with 500k pots; not usually great but a definite improvement and worth the time/money regardless.

Pots are like headers on an engine; they let the pickups breathe easier and increase torque! Caps are the flavour and are more like mufflers. Also worth the change over.

 

[Classicplayer]

I have two Lesters; one being '10 Studio Deluxe 496R /BB Pro. The other is a 2000 Classic with Seths. I contemplated going with 500K on the Classic, but since I don't play out any longer, I kept the stock Gibby pots. I get my desired roll-off with tones and volumes, so why mess with known quantity and wonderful tone; I asked myself.

The Studio Deluxe has 500K throughout with those Gibson ceramic disk caps. My useful range goes from 8.5 to 10 on the volumes and rolling off has little room to operate the volumes. Still, the tones are what I want and since I'm not playing in a band environment, I don't need to roll off volume too much range to drop out a band "mix" when required.

One thing that I've learned is that each guitar's volume and tone controls are different, so, I've learned to work
very well with what I have......sort of finding the control(s) "sweet spots" in a sense. If I dial in my amps properly to accommodate my guitar's volume/tone controls' range, I have no problem getting my sound. I guess over time, I've had to work and practice this technique; whereas if I'd gone the 500K pots/caps and harness change, I might have got there faster.


Classicplayer

 

[C_Becker]

So, in the end, after lots and lots of trying, I ended up with 1 Meg volume and 500k tone pots and a 15nF tone cap. I may change the 15nF back to 22nF, but the 1 Meg pots are there to stay
Normally 1 Meg would be very bright, but on this quite dark sounding guitar it seems to work really well.

Well aware..just an odd conversion..

Is it ? Well, different sides of the big pond I guess, this is the way its taught over here

 

[Kris Ford]

So, in the end, after lots and lots of trying, I ended up with 1 Meg volume and 500k tone pots and a 15nF tone cap. I may change the 15nF back to 22nF, but the 1 Meg pots are there to stay
Normally 1 Meg would be very bright, but on this quite dark sounding guitar it seems to work really well.


Is it ? Well, different sides of the big pond I guess, this is the way its taught over here

Ahh..makes total sense then..