59 wiring for les paul

[paulster]

If it is better than average, then you must know what the average sweep of a wide variety of pots is. Which manufacturer's pots have you measured and taken the average from? That would be good data so that we all know which pots behave the best. I can tell you that Allparts and the RS Superpot are the same.

Do me a favour and save the passive aggressive bullshit for someone that is interested.

I've put them in half a dozen different guitars which have originally had pots from Gibson, CTS, Alpha and others, and in each case I've had a more usable range at the bottom end of the travel which is the key area for clean tone when using a Wreck-style amp, even compared to the Gibson pots from my R9 that actually managed to reach 500K (which most OEM pots won't).

So, in my opinion, they're better than the average of the samples I've compared them to, which covers more than one manufacturer.

And whilst I realise it doesn't anywhere near qualify as a statistical sample (as I'm sure your sample wouldn't either), it's enough to make a worthwhile upgrade for my requirements in my guitars, which is what matters.

[vibratoking]

Do me a favour and save the passive aggressive bullshit for someone that is interested.

Hey, there is no aggression intended by me. Sorry if you feel that way, but that's your problem.

Here's the facts. I measured two parts of each type and the data shows no difference. I am looking for an alternative solution that provides a measurable solution. I reported the information so that other potential buyers don't have the same negative experience I had. I spent $29+shipping for two pots that did NOTHING to solve the problem. I mentioned that I believe this fits into the conclusion that Glen K posted about in at least one other thread on this site. Here is the post: https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... 0e9c3d8cdd

Glad you like and enjoy them.

[billyz]

If you want the best taper and best feeling pot then the Alessandro pots are the best. They sound the best and do have the correct vintage smooth predictable taper. I went through at least 6 different pots on my tele to get it right and the Alessandros are it. Now flame on about the cost.

[ForcedFire]

Whether the RS superpots have a "better" taper I couldn't really say. I did measure several Gibson, CTS, Bourns, Alpha pots from different sources. I take about 20 passive readings and plot the impedance between lugs 1 and 2 vs dial setting from 1 to 10. This a good and easy way to see what you paid for. The RS pots had noticeably different tapers from the CTS pots I got elsewhere. The regular cheap ones are piecewise linear approximations to an audio curve.

Here is some crude data:

[IMG467]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll31 ... TAPERS.jpg[/img]

You can see the pots are NOT all the same. Whether you like them or not is another thing.

They are tight, maybe too tight. I have mine wired for independent volumes. I'm going to switch to regular 50s wiring in that guitar. I have it in another guitar and prefer it.

[overtone]

this is an interesting discussion, I never really considered the role of pot taper before or where the tone pot was taken from. Thank you. Certainly my homemade tele does not clean up when rolled back, I will have to take a look.

I have a question or two that may be wandering off topic a little, but on a '56 Gibson ES-295 one CTS pot had a drop out between 7-8, so I fitted an alpha to see me through. I cannot justify a vintage CTS '56 pot and it has been OK so far. Has anybody experience of the 2W PECs in this role? I have a few left over.
Has anybody ever done a pot track transplant?

[Reeltarded]

Rebuild a CTS? Yeah, about one every two years. That pot is good.. I bet. Take it apart, and clean the track with a mild abrasive on a q-tip.

I just like the pots to turn very quickly with a smooth taper.

I like it to do that without a bootique garbage name. I hate this branding age we are living in. I would never buy a super anything from anyone, or a collector's edition anything from anywhere.

I'm in a bad mood. It's funny that everyone cares to discuss these bits beyond what works.

[Cliff Schecht]

When it comes to something like this you have to consider the value of old Gibsons. They are big money and so are the associated parts. I don't care for all of the boutique branding so much but I do likes me some NOS vintage parts!

[overtone]

When it comes to something like this you have to consider the value of old Gibsons. They are big money and so are the associated parts. I don't care for all of the boutique branding so much but I do likes me some NOS vintage parts!

I know, I respect and enjoy the vintage idea but still regard them primarily as a tool and I don't think of selling them on. My thinking is: we don't own any of this gear right? It owns us!
I just think of myself as being a custodian.

If I have to replace any old parts, I place the original ones in the case. The closest I have ever got to a '56 CTS was outbid me at $78 on flea bay - then you still don't know if you are just getting another dud! Mostly the pulled pots go for a couple of hundred.

[overtone]

Rebuild a CTS? Yeah, about one every two years. That pot is good.. I bet. Take it apart, and clean the track with a mild abrasive on a q-tip.

I just like the pots to turn very quickly with a smooth taper.

I like it to do that without a bootique garbage name. I hate this branding age we are living in. I would never buy a super anything from anyone, or a collector's edition anything from anywhere.

I'm in a bad mood. It's funny that everyone cares to discuss these bits beyond what works.

may not help your mood - but I'm going to give it a go, with some Deoxit first. It could just be mouse poo in there, people really complain about the smell when I get this old box out of the case!

[Reeltarded]

No! I am in a great mood now, all your fault! I have taken the volume pots in one of my guitars apart at least 10 times without breaking off the tabs.. just in case you end up going there.

I feel bad. I was moody, and people can't help that Gibson sucks raw donkey meat, with their flat frets, the 1/8th inch nut action, and the very overbuilt electronics that perform worse than '60's Taiwanese stuff.

You buy a multi-thousand dollar guitar, and then you put $1k in it to make it work. Welp.. Gibson needs a haircut, I know that much. Fender? Yeah, them too.

Franklin Mint wannabees.

I return you to your regularly scheduled thread.. sorry, I hate the punks punking us. Seems like they would have noticed that their shit stinks.

(and their pickups sound like helen keller with a sock in her mouth)

[billyz]

I would be very careful using Dexoit on pots. It can work but sometimes it does damage the carbon track. Better to use Caig Faderlube.

As for PEC , Try their 1w model, smaller diameter body and CE distribution has them in solid and splined shaft , 500kA and 250KA.
The Alessandro pots are made for george by PEC.

One down side to the 2w PEC is the body is stainless steel and hard to solder to. I have read that the 1W are brass, but have not tried them to know.

The New Gibson Historic pots are made by CTS unlike the older ones from a couple years ago. Gibson probably saw that so many were complaining and installing aftermarket pots. Anyway , I took a few of them apart and they are superior to any other CTS pot I have seen recently, very high quality. I don't know if the taper is any better but the construction certainly is. The old Gibson branded pots are absolute Junk.

The best Pots I have used in a les paul are the Centralab , but are unobtanium. The PEC are just as good a taper to my ears.

[overtone]

Thanks for those pointers billyz, that is all excellent information.
Old braided wire-jackets + a stainless pot case + solder... indeed, not my best idea today
Thanks again!

[ampbldr2]

I think you can sucked into investing alot of $$$ into this upgrade. I think AES has reasonable prices for the Gibson Historic A500K pots. Do I need to replace 2 volume pots or all 4 pots (Vol+Tone) with A500K values?

Also the PIO caps i could not find on AES. There are several Metal film and oil so im not sure which one to buy.

[paulster]

Do I need to replace 2 volume pots or all 4 pots (Vol+Tone) with A500K values?

I'd concentrate on the volume pots, unless the feel of the new ones is different enough that you want to change the tones so they all feel the same.

If you don't want to replace the tone pots then measure all 4 of the existing pots and take the two highest reading ones and use them for your tone pots.

[ampbldr2]

Here is the link to the superpot
http://store.rsguitarworks.net/RSG1.html

Not bad in price i guess.