300k pots insteadof 500k on a LP?

[imc_1121]

My LP is extremely bright. I have to run all of my amps on zero treble and roll the tone on the guitar to 3 or 2 to get rid of the highs. I even tried a warmer sounding set of pickups to no avail. I was thinking about changing the volume pots. They are currently 500k. I would swap them for 300k. Is this a good idea?

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

What kind of amps do you have, your problem seems extreme...

 

[Shogun]

What gmg said & Do you play with headphones?

 

[imc_1121]

What kind of amps do you have, your problem seems extreme...

A Fender SuperChamp XD, a Small Vox solid state and a Mesa TA-15. I've tried it with other amps too. The problem seems to be in the guitar.

 

[Lipinhu]

Have your guitar checked out by someone who could pin test every connection on your circuitry. Its not the guitar nor the pickups.

 

[imc_1121]

Have your guitar checked out by someone who could pin test every connection on your circuitry. Its not the guitar nor the pickups.

What do you mean, how can I check this?

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Take it to a tech..

 

[SteveC]

What year & model is your guitar?

Post a pix of your control cavity and a close up of the backs of the pots and caps.

If you know how to read cap values - what are your bridge & neck values?

 

[Ginger Beer]

I bought a Traditional Pro that was so bright it could break glass. A pickup change didn't help. It was like there was some weird, harsh resonant peak that could only be cured by rolling the treble off to a point where the tone was unflatteringly dull. Eventually, I returned it within the window. It looked fantastic and it played fine. Oh, but that ping....

My advice...sell it and buy one you like. Seriously, there are millions of good sounding, good playing Les Pauls out there. Don't get hung up on one that ain't cutting it.
People put way too much emphasis on cosmetics or the fact that it's their "first" when the reality is...at the end of the day, a guitar is a tool and if it's not functioning properly as that, it's a disappointment. A Les Paul should be a joy to play, not a drag.

You can build on greatness but you can't polish a turd.

The internet fantasy world is one thing but in my real life experiences, the most beautiful Les Pauls have always been the ones that just sounded fantastic. Some were grainy with sharp teeth, some were pure muscle and some were smooth as silk but all excelled at having a great tone and a pure voice of their own.

 

[LPSPP]

I just played a Mesa TA-30 tonight.
That amp was not bright in the least.

I've also never played a Les Paul that was piercing bright like you describe.

I'd have the guitar checked out.
Did you buy it used? Maybe someone put some 1 meg pots in it..................

I have one LP with 300k and one with 500k.
There is a little increase in brightness going up in value, but a lot of the improvement is in the clarity, so I don't think that will help you a whole lot.

 

[imc_1121]

I bought a Traditional Pro that was so bright it could break glass. A pickup change didn't help. It was like there was some weird, harsh resonant peak that could only be cured by rolling the treble off to a point where the tone was unflatteringly dull. Eventually, I returned it within the window. It looked fantastic and it played fine. Oh, but that ping....

My advice...sell it and buy one you like. Seriously, there are millions of good sounding, good playing Les Pauls out there. Don't get hung up on one that ain't cutting it.
People put way too much emphasis on cosmetics or the fact that it's their "first" when the reality is...at the end of the day, a guitar is a tool and if it's not functioning properly as that, it's a disappointment. A Les Paul should be a joy to play, not a drag.

You can build on greatness but you can't polish a turd.

The internet fantasy world is one thing but in my real life experiences, the most beautiful Les Pauls have always been the ones that just sounded fantastic. Some were grainy with sharp teeth, some were pure muscle and some were smooth as silk but all excelled at having a great tone and a pure voice of their own.

Interesting, my bright Les Paul is also a Traditional Pro.

 

[crazytrain513]

My guess would be it's a chambered Standard/Studio with Burstbucker Pros or a Custom Classic?...they're all VERY bright IMHO.

I don't think pots will help you too much to be perfectly honest. I'd say adjusting the pickup height, changing the strings, and possibly a few other amps might be your best best. Don't waste time and money on pots/caps/wiring etc until you know the guitar itself is the problem!

I had a Studio which was the exact same way. Needless to say, the tone knobs never quite passed 4 or 5. Sometimes if it IS the guitar then it's just better to flip it and get something you know you'll be happy with. I loved the guitar but it just never sounded the way I wanted.

 

[axepilot]

My guess would be it's a chambered Standard/Studio with Burstbucker Pros or a Custom Classic?...they're all VERY bright IMHO.

I own a chambered Standard with BB Pros. It can be bright, but nowhere even remotely near the point that I have to roll my amp's treble to zero and the tone to 2 or 3.

At those settings even an ice picky Strat would be buried in mud.

I think that there is more to the OP's problem.

 

[jcsk8]

You can try 250K pots, at least on the bridge position. A brighter neck pup is usually good, as they are normally fat souding.

 

[NashvilleCat]

Just a suggestion before you go messing with it's electronics...
How is your action set? If it's set low but just on edge of having noticable string buzz, raise it just a minimal amount. Sometimes if the action is right on the edge, you won't get string buzz, but you will get an annoying little after-ping that is shrill as hell. It happened with one of my LPs and was annoying as hell until I figured it out.
Good luck.

 

[crazytrain513]

I think that there is more to the OP's problem.

To each his own! I think I prefer darker tones for the most part haha.

But in all honesty, I think this may just be an issue of pickup height and/or bridge height.

 

[splatter]

My LP is extremely bright. I have to run all of my amps on zero treble and roll the tone on the guitar to 3 or 2 to get rid of the highs. I even tried a warmer sounding set of pickups to no avail. I was thinking about changing the volume pots. They are currently 500k. I would swap them for 300k. Is this a good idea?

Does it have a baked maple fretboard ? There are lots of things that make a guitar bright . Mostly the wood the guitar is made of . There are lots of people here that will argue that point . Any way that may or may not be your problem . I doubt if its string or pickup height as that only makes a slight difference in most cases .
Sounds to me from your description that its not shrill its just brighter than you like . The 300k pots are worth a try , they are cheap and easy to install if you can solder .If you still don't like it you can easily return it to normal. I know they make my "V" sound much better than the 500k . Its not a world of difference but that combined with the darker pups may do the trick .

I feel your pain I had a Classic Custom that was to bright for my taste . I loved the way it played but couldn't get along with the tone so after trying different pups I sold it, and it came with 300k in it .
Good luck with it .

 

[imc_1121]

Just a suggestion before you go messing with it's electronics...
How is your action set? If it's set low but just on edge of having noticable string buzz, raise it just a minimal amount. Sometimes if the action is right on the edge, you won't get string buzz, but you will get an annoying little after-ping that is shrill as hell. It happened with one of my LPs and was annoying as hell until I figured it out.
Good luck.

I'd say the action is medium low. I don't hear the ping you describe, just an overall brightness.

 

[p90fool]

Do you have any other guitars? Give us a datum here. Do you have to roll all your amp treble off when using a Strat or a Tele?
If it's brighter than a vintage-style Fender then you have wiring fault. Dual humbucker Les Pauls just don't get that bright, whatever the individual setup or fretboard material.

 

[TColumbia37]

May be a long shot, but here's a suggestion: Are they 4-5 conductor pickups? I've had an issue with a pickup which was made ready for split coil wiring, in that it was permanently stuck in 'single coil mode'. I contacted the manufacturer, who told me it was most likely a manufacturing issue within the pickup and suggested I send it back for their review.