Taper on Les Paul Studio Volume Pots. Is This Normal?

[TU BE]

I was playing the new studio today and noticed the taper on the volume pots..well, it kinda sucks. I play in a cover band and use the volume knobs on quite a few parts in songs that require a bit softer sound and/or lower volume. It seems these pots are pretty much all or nothing. I don't notice a discernible difference until I got down to around 1 or 2 on the knobs.

My '74 custom I can hear a difference pretty much all the way up or down. Is this the pickups or the pots? The Studio has the stock pickups in it, whereas my LPC is equipped with Bareknuckle Painkillers.

I have already bought a pair of Duncan JB/Jazz to put in the studio so if it is more the pickup rather than the pots, problem may be solved soon.

Oh, Studio is a 2008 if that makes a difference.

 

[ctkarslake]

Try and find out if the pots are "audio taper" pots. I think Gibson recently switched over to these, Custom Shop at least, so I'm not sure what the USA factory is installing. But yes, your experience is very common which is why many players switch them out with a finer pot.

 

[TU BE]

I will be buying new volume pots today. I have a choice been 500k or 300k. I will be installing a duncan jb in the bridge and jazz in the neck. Which should I go with? The 300 k will have less high end correct? My two main amps are an orange rv50 and a 5153 which are both a bit darker amps so I'm thinking 500k.

 

[inertia1969]

From what I understand is that the volume pots have been linear pots and the tone pots are non-linear (or logarithmic) pots. With the linear pots you have a constant rise or fall of volume, with the non-linear the rise and fall is more pronounced.

I'm thinking you have a log pot for your volume.
Also, if you go up to 500k it's gonna get "brighter" sounding.
I'm by no means an expert so YMMV.

 

[TU BE]

Took the studio to practice yesterday. The taper is a bit better at practice/gig volumes. I will eventually take out the PCB and hardwire everything but for now, it will be alright. I do kinda like how easy pickup changes are gonna be with the quick connectors though.

 

[Armitage]

Gibson has used 300k linear for volume and 500k audio (log) for tone for ages... backwards to what most people expect... or hear on the Internetz.