A Gibson that doesn't sound wonderful?....here's why...

Sneaky-Pete

This started when I was talking to a guy who said he owned an early 80s Gibson Studio, but he sold it because it never knocked him out.
I started scratching around the internet and came up some verrrry interesting stuff on Gibsons.
My friend's Gibson Studio (and in fact every Gibson built at that period) was made with 300k Volume pots and 300k Tone pots!
But wait....it gets worse!...when they ran out of 300k Tone pots , they put in 100k pots!!!
Now that I have your complete attention, here are the specs...

Gibsons built before 1973..........................500k Volume, 500k Tone
mid 1973 until 1976..........................300k Volume, 300k Tone
1977 until late 80s..........................300k Volume, 300/100k Tone
1990 until today...........................300k Volume, 500k Tone

vic

Very interesting.

Also bear in mind that Gibson used ceramic magnet pups (not alnico) in the 70's-80's (please correct if I'm wrong). This too would make a big difference in tone of course.

singemonkey

Yeah. I need to sort out the wiring and pots on mine - an '83 and a 2008. My Tokai volume knobs (cts 500k) clean up my amp with a quarter turn. The volume pots on my Gibsons are virtually useless by comparison. You've got to turn them so far down before the amp cleans up, and then it happens really abruptly. Luckily I swapped out the pickups on the '83, no no worries there. Great pickups on the 2008 though.

Chabenda

Talking about a Gibson that doesn't sound wonderful, has anyone had any experience with a Gibson Sonex? It was, as far as I recall, a budget Les Paul type of guitar with some plastic type body. In my opinion and recollection that was a Gibson that didn't sound wonderful at all.

RJN

Awesome thread dude , I wonder what applies to 90's SG's. It sounds like I can get more out of my SG than what im getting now.

I feel the need to state that I am a complete noob when it comes to guitar mechanics :-[. I have seen these "Vintage" wiring kits for sale : http://bcsguitars.com/?page_id=1717 which im quite keen to try before messing around with new Pups. Hope some of the Guru's can share more wisdom here.

Check this out : http://bcsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/VSGK-1.pdf

Wormwood

Ya. I have read about this quite often.

Are these 500k pots available through a local dealer?
Also I hear rather mixed views on weather the caps are worth replacing, some swear by it and some say electronically it does not make a big difference.

RJN wrote I have seen these "Vintage" wiring kits for sale

I also hear that vintage wiring kits really change the guitar and arent everyones cup of tea tone wise.
There are a few videos on youtube about it, I will try find them

Reinhard

RJN wrote Awesome thread dude , I wonder what applies to 90's SG's. It sounds like I can get more out of my SG than what im getting now.

I feel the need to state that I am a complete noob when it comes to guitar mechanics :-[. I have seen these "Vintage" wiring kits for sale : http://bcsguitars.com/?page_id=1717 which im quite keen to try before messing around with new Pups. Hope some of the Guru's can share more wisdom here.

Check this out : http://bcsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/VSGK-1.pdf

I like the Dr Vintage pre-wired kits. I put them in a 345 and a 330. They just drop in and you splice your pickup leads on to them.

Attila

But it does not stop there ... pot ratios also has an effect on what we hear as explained by Dirk Wacker

or maybe its just about splitting the "Mojo" ....either way you deicide :-\

http://www.premierguitar.com/issue/webexclusive/200611_web_guitarpots.asp

shaunf

A whole lot more on this topic here: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/setup-mods-and-repair/all-about-pots-and-a-new-wiring-harness-day/

Wormwood

ah that's excellent , thanks shaunf