Upgrading my LP Sudio. Pots???!!!

[Jegs]

Hi this is my first post on MLP so please don't shout at me if this question has been asked a hundred times already.
I recently bought some Sprague capacitors for my 1998 LP Studio and thought while I'm at it I might upgrade the volume and tone pots to some more linear responsive ones. I understand there's different pot shaft lengths and resistance values. Can anyone tell me what I need to be ordering in terms of pot values/shaft lengths? Also I'm in the uk so i'm not sure where i can order these parts from over here.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jegs]

Anyone? I can source the parts over here if anyone can help me out with what I need

 

[AS90]

Home I have ordered loads from GFS this year, they are very reliable and deal in quality stuff.

 

[Jegs]

Cheers dude looks good. This may be a stupid question but are volume and tone pots 'mechanically' the same thing? What values should they be? I've heard 500K bandied around for the volume pots, so what about the tone pots?

 

[Bluesjam]

Check out:
www.rsguitarworks.com

 

[Big_dawg]

Cheers dude looks good. This may be a stupid question but are volume and tone pots 'mechanically' the same thing? What values should they be? I've heard 500K bandied around for the volume pots, so what about the tone pots?

in answer to this yes they the same, but the capacitors attached to the pots define whether they are volume or tone, and obviously what wires are attached to them.

500k is the standard, but stock pots are likely to show a lower figure which is why there is such a market for confirmed 500k, and of course you can go up to 1k if you want.

re supplies I use us sellers via ebay or axesrus in yorkshire I think - free postage and normally next day delivery.

Regards to pot length yes they are different, I think due to the thickness of the top of the guitar. Most gibsons are long shafted for this reason while an epi has a thinner top and therefore would need a medium (or short??) shafted pot. Ive also come across mini pots that have arent as big (or wide I found out when I went to swap them!!).

Im new to electronics too, the above is what Ive learnt prior to doing a pot and pup swap, so if any of its wrong please step in and correct me...

 

[Jegs]

Cheers Big Dawg, so is it OK for both pots to be 500k?

 

[Big_dawg]

as far as i am aware all 4 pots have to have the same value (ie 500, 1k etc...), although not to the last deci point (the four im putting in range from 509 to 525)

It looks a pretty easy job, the way im gonna do it is to take one out and put the new one in then I wont mess up the current wiring, oh and a good soldering iron is essential, mines 50w (adjustable), from what ive learnt its best to have 45w and above or you wont generate sufficient heat.

 

[lp59aholicDon]

Big Dawg. Pots do not have to be of the same value for most wiring , but if you want to do the Greeny Mod, Yes they would along with caps At least the two volume pots would have to be the same for the out of phase

 

[Big_dawg]

oh ok, but would that not result in different sounds ie a 250k and 500k tone pot, or are you just talking about the volume and tone pots not having to be the same values??

 

[Jegs]

Big Dawg. Pots do not have to be of the same value for most wiring , but if you want to do the Greeny Mod, Yes they would along with caps At least the two volume pots would have to be the same for the out of phase

Eh? What's the Greeny Mod? I'm really just looking to upgrade my electronics to get a better sound from my LP Studio.

 

[lp59aholicDon]

Eh? What's the Greeny Mod? I'm really just looking to upgrade my electronics to get a better sound from my LP Studio.

Several ways to achieve it , but Peter Greens Les Paul that he sold to Gary Moore had the front pickup modified and flipped , so in the middle position with both volume pots being at the same level the guitar aquired an out of phase nasal sound
Here is Gary with the Green Les Paul and B.B. King

YouTube - BB King / Gary Moore - The Thrill is Gone

 

[Jegs]

That's smashing but I can't stand Fleetwood Mac so that's not what I'm after. So, anyways can anyone PLEASE suggest some pot values that they may have tried that may have worked that may have made their LP sound a bit better. Thank you.

 

[Jegs]

Also, do CTS have a nice linear response?
Thanks.

 

[Jegs]

Or are Alpha pots better? Anyone compared CTS and Alpha pots?

 

[greentrumpet]

I'm in the UK too, have an LP Studio as well. I ordered a pre-wired vintage upgrade kit from RS. The kit works well and they were very helpful when I had a query re the earth plate on the studio. The delivery was fast and the price very reasonable even taking p+p into account. Good luck, they're great guitars but as you will find can be made better still.

 

[lp59aholicDon]

Also, do CTS have a nice linear response?
Thanks.

Get CTS Audio Taper Pots , Their linear response is pretty much the industry standard