What is the difference in these electronics.

[Red Planet]

On the Historic Les Pauls see electronic description.

Gibson | 1958 Les Paul Standard Reissue

<p><em>Gibson Custom Shop is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates Gibson's legacy through accuracy, authenticity and attention to detail.</em></p>The 1958 Les Paul Standard Reissue features all the painstaking historic construction methods of...

www.gibson.com

Controls
CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
Pickup Selector
3-Way Switchcraft
Output Jack
Switchcraft

and on Les Paul Standard 50s the electronics are CTS and Switchcraft switch and jack but aren't mentioned in the description and appear to be cheap made products. Are these Chinese made CTS and Switchcraft?

Also the caps are different but I'm not really asking about that.

Gibson | Les Paul Standard '50s

The new Les Paul Standard returns to the classic design that made it relevant, played and loved -- shaping sound across generations and genres of music. It pays tribute to Gibson's Golden Era of innovation and brings authenticity back to life. The Les Paul Standard 50's has a solid mahogany body...

www.gibson.com

Controls
2 Volumes, 2 Tones & Toggle Switch (Hand-wired with Orange Drop Capacitors)

 

[ARandall]

CTS and switchcraft are quality items, but even within CTS there are different levels (not sure about switchcraft). Within CTS your money spent will assure a higher likelihood that the K rating is closer to the nominal spec. A base level pot could vary 20% possibly either side. Also the mechanical function will be smoother and possibly the longevity longer as you go up.

I think all product levels are made in the same place, but if you think about the notion that the Asian area is the forefront of aerospace technology, then with the right QC they outstrip the rest of the world for cutting edge construction. China and Taiwan typically get a bad rep due to the fact that stuff can be made cheaply there....and there is a lot of it coming out. But equally the top-end also is made in the same place with stricter QC.

 

[Red Planet]

So I purchased some identical CTS pots that was in my Les Paul. They were packaged by WD Music and they were much better quality than what came in it. Higher quality can come out of Asian manufacfuring but that is not always the goal for USA sourcers. Most time poor quality is a side effect of cheap pricing targets. I have dealt with this mentality for most of my profesional life in hi tech phurchasing and sales.

The Bournes pots that in the pre soldered kit I got are way better than either set of CTS.

 

[Red Planet]

I chose the www.tonemanguitar.com because of the frank talk about the reality of quality in these types of products and the reasonable pricing.

 

[Red Planet]

It appears no one really knows the difference in these.

 

[CB91710]

Main difference is the PIO caps vs orange drops.

They did that to be historically correct... you aren't going to hear a difference, and the orange drops are going to last longer.

The '58 *may* be wired with the original 50s wiring, while the Standard 50s uses modern wiring. Easy enough to change.