SOLD: CreamTone Wiring Harness for Gibson USA Les Paul with Drifted PIO Bumblebee's

[Sp8ctre]

Another left over from a project that never got off the ground.

Brand new and never used CreamTone Wiring Harness 1957-1959 Type.

This is built with authentic Bumblebee's from the 50's.CTS Long Shaft Pots. Switchcraft Nickel 3 Way Switch.

Sorry but I've misplaced the output jack...

Here is a link to this harness on the CreamTone Web Site

https://www.creamtone.com/collectio...for-gibson-usa-les-paul?variant=2147851894808

This sells on the CreamTone Web Site for $230.

 

[Misty Mountain Hop]

I put that same setup in my 1991 LP Classic. Love it! Anybody who wants real bumblebees will not be disappointed. GLWS.

 

[Sp8ctre]

BUMP!

 

[Sp8ctre]

BUMP!

 

[Jer]

I’ve got the same one in my 2014 Trad. Completely transformed it into vintage LP tone. Great harness.

 

[Duane_the_tub]

Those caps look so cool.

 

[Duane_the_tub]

I should know this, what do the different colored lines on the caps mean? @cooljuk , do you know?

 

[jstarr]

I should know this, what do the different colored lines on the caps mean? @cooljuk , do you know?

 

[jstarr]

That harness has 0.0082 and 0.010 600V bees in it.

 

[Sp8ctre]

That harness has 0.0082 and 0.010 600V bees in it.

HERE'S WHERE THE DRIFT COMES IN.
We wanted to offer a harness with caps at a similar price point the others were selling their Luxe-equipped harnesses for—but we wanted the sweep! The only way to get that was to use vintage capacitors. So we bought a lot of old caps and started testing them. Check out this photo.

This little beauty was originally rated at .015 over fifty years ago. But look at what she reads now! .024 is dead on in spec for a .022 cap at +/-20% (which means .018–.026 passed in 1959). Considering that the construction techniques were the same on all of Sprague's caps, it's fair to conclude that this one is going to sound exactly like any other cap from the '50s that reads similarly. So I put a set in my guitar and the result was clear: their tone and sweep is identical to any other vintage Sprague capacitor from the era, regardless of the color of the stripes. And since they're not being sought by collectors to restore an old Burst, they're much more affordable. The harnesses we build with these babies sell for about the same price as what others are offering with new caps, which makes them ideal for your Traditional, Classic, Standard, or Studio.

 

[ReWind James]

So, not all Bumblees have drifted. Most of the ones circulating on the market, especially as singles, have. But not all of them. Most in original Gibsons still read in the original spec.

Ask yourself why do these caps drift?

Because they have failed mechanically. Whether internally, or externally, they are damaged. They have become resistors (varistors, really). If you test them on some equipment that does some better analysis than a low voltage multimeter with a capacitance setting, you'll see how failed they are.

So, one problem is they will continue to drift. A .01uF Bumblebee that reads at .022uF today will certainly read 1MFD in the future. Likely, it also reads quite different capacitance values as temperature changes a little.

Another problem is that you're not putting a capacitor in your tone circuit. You're putting a capacitor and resistor in your tone circuit, now.

I wouldn't recommend using drifted Bumblebees, as they are unreliable, can sound inconsistent from day to day and are not really the equivalent of putting a cap in good condition in the circuit.

Personally, I'd suggest using any other cap of your choice in good working order. It's hard to find a cap that's "worse" than a Bumblebee or Black Beauty by technical electrical standards, other than a dried up wax paper cap. If you want a cap widely considered to have great sound, use a PIO in good working order. If you want that sound and also something more stable and reliable, use one of the NOS military spec glass sealed and shielded PIOs of your choice. If you want the look, but don't want to shell out for an original, buy a Luxe. If you simply must have it all for your replica or vintage restoration,I totally get that, just don't cheat yourself and pay the dollars for a vintage Bumblebee that has not drifted. Chances are, if it's not drifted after 60 years, and you are just using it in a guitar, and not anything with voltage across it, it'll probably last quite a while longer.

 

[Sp8ctre]

SOLD!

 

[ReWind James]

SOLD!

I’m so sorry I posted that in a “for sale” thread. When Duane tagged me, I just read the posts regarding that and after and replied, not realizing this conversation was taking place in a classifieds section post.

I’m glad you sold it, I’d have felt like a jerk (and I still do).
I do stand by the facts and opinions in my post, I just thought I was sharing them in a more appropriate place.

Please accept my apologies!

 

[Duane_the_tub]

I’m so sorry I posted that in a “for sale” thread. When Duane tagged me, I just read the posts regarding that and after and replied, not realizing this conversation was taking place in a classifieds section post.

I’m glad you sold it, I’d have felt like a jerk (and I still do).
I do stand by the facts and opinions in my post, I just thought I was sharing them in a more appropriate place.

Please accept my apologies!

Sorry, I also didn't mean to derail a FS thread. I was honestly just curious and know that James is a wellspring of knowledge. I'm glad my aside apparently didn't affect the intention of the post.

@Sp8ctre , congrats on the sale.

 

[Sp8ctre]

Sorry, I also didn't mean to derail a FS thread. I was honestly just curious and know that James is a wellspring of knowledge. I'm glad my aside apparently didn't affect the intention of the post.

@Sp8ctre , congrats on the sale.

Not a big deal, I did wonder why so many comments were being made in a for sale thread, but honest mistakes happen. It's a great harness and I have one in my #1 LP. Many people use and like them and some have other opinions. No harm done.