Epi LP electronics

[Reth]

Hi there, these are some pictures of my Epi LP Standard's electonics.
Volume pot:

Tone pot:

Could someone confirm if the pots are 250K or 500K?
Well, it says "B500K" or the volume pots and "A500K" for the tone ones.
I'm guessing they're already 500K, not 250K like in some other Epi's?
The thing is, I'll be swapping my bridge pu for Duncan Distortions, and im wondering if upgrading to this will be useful or not.
The decision is urgent as i need to confirm an order through another softie.
Cause if there isn't gonna be much change and the pots are already 500K then I think an upgrade wouldn't be needed.
Considering the price too, it's gonna cost about 50-60 bucks for the kit and shipping..

Please help! thanks :wink:

 

[jeremyrozario]

500k ohm pots work well with humbuckers both volume and tone, so its ok to keep your old pots

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

just imho. Actually it wud make more sense to upgrade everything as well. Since putting in the new pickup will also need to solder the cable from the pickup to the pots etc.

upgrade shud go all the way instead of halfway

 

[Reth]

Hmm, good point. However, there's some problem in shipping and its probably gonna take like a few weeks for it to arrive.. You think it's worth it for the price of the kit??

 

[df]

What's the difference between a B500K and an A500K? Though I changed my B500K to an A500K (both my vol and tone are A500K now) and there doesn't seem to be any changes...I'm guessing there must be a reason...but what?

 

[Reth]

maybe A and B are just pot lables? *shrugs*

 

[ShredCow]

Reth, you can buy your parts HERE in Singapore.

Save your dough.

 

[Reth]

You mean the same parts can be found right HERE in our sunny island?
Um, davis??

 

[ShredCow]

What do you want?

Upgrading your electronics right?

Lets go all the way - it really does make more sense as what Bro pathein mentioned aboved.

We need the following to go all the way:

1 x 3-way toggle
1 x output jack
4 x 500k pots
2 x capacitors (for tone pot)

So what's good?

Allparts pots. Dimarzio pots.
Allparts are found in abundance. e.g. Davis. I would use the more pricey but better Dimarzio pots from Swee Lee.

Switchcraft jack.
Davis or somewhere around, easy to find.

Orange Drop Capacitors
Can get from Malcolm

XXXX 3-way toggle (Others chip in, I don't know about 3-way toggles)
Davis has a variety


Bring the whole works to Gsonique, he will provide the excellent cables and excellent soldering job.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

+1 on shred! For the 3 way switch, can either get allparts one, gotoh one or if wanna spend, get the gibson one. I have use the allparts and gotoh one. Not much different to me. Oh, just occur to me, for LP type guitar, long shaft pots might be needed, plus the long type 3 way switch instead. This one can check with the davis.

and adding on the A/B on the pot. I never bother to remember what is what, but if you do a search on google, i can assured you of able to find lotsa site that talk about it. A for audio, B for log. Both can be same pot value, only different is on how the response curve when turning down.

One will sound like more evenly spread out while the other will sound like not much different when you turn down a lil bit but yet seem to response more when you turn the pot towards 1/3 near the end.

So best, to google for audio pot, log pot, pots for guitar etc.

 

[ShredCow]

Oh... erm... I think I should add this.

The electronics play a part in your guitar. Quite a big part.

Good quality electronics will result in some changes:

1) Reliability IMPORTANT
2) Tone
3) Customisation

(1) is pretty obvious... and its the most important reason. I recall buying cheap parts and having them crap out on me...and I recall buying a Dimarzio pot and being totally amazed with its reliability - I mean, I practiced soldering on it! And it was working, it worked all the way!

(2) is very real. Changing the cap on your tone pot affects the way treble is bled off. Having a good soldering job will have an impact on tone. Proper wiring, together with good shielding, will impact how quiet your guitar is. Treble bleed circuits affect how the tone turns out when you tweak the volume controls. Etc etc

(3) means more when you are more experienced, when you know what you want. How to get there? Gotta start doing something.
Like, I like the taper of Dimarzio pots compared to Gotoh pots... I prefer 250k vol & 1meg tone... I don't like a treble bleed circuit...


Spend a little more and your parts will really go a long way... of course, beware of hype... ever seen a USD300 Les Paul electronics kit? It exists.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, actually it can be a simple case of buy replace and concentrate on playing the guitar. But in the end, sometime it seem more confusing than ever

 

[ShredCow]

heh, actually it can be a simple case of buy replace and concentrate on playing the guitar. But in the end, sometime it seem more confusing than ever

That's true too...

Aiyah.

Leave it to me to complicate things. :lol:



Did u know RS Guitarworks has some apprently awesome custom taper pots?

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

autopots!

Turn by itself according to our mind frequecy! The next step after the autotuner with the pull of the pot!

 

[Reth]

Wow, thanks for your suggestions, guys! Will take them into consideration!
Haha, it's like a tresure hunt- searching for all those lil' parts

I've found this website pretty useful :wink::
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources.1basicwiringfaqs/

Okay, about all these different parts from different brands (mainly Allparts and Dimarzio); again, what do you think of this kit?
I mean, would it be an upgrade priorer to my present electronics? It's not exactly super quality or branded parts, but will it do?
Audio pots, ceremic disk. Looks like a satisfactory upgrade, you think?

Cause if I do upgrade, I don't think I'd wanna go all out to get the best of the best and blow my money.. :smt001

 

[Reth]

Haha, no you're not making things confusing, Shred..



..Yet

 

[ShredCow]

I have no experience with the stuff in that link... un-named, un-branded switch and jack... could work really good, maybe not.

You can go try then let us know how it has held up after a month or so.


Actually, the parts I mentioned, allparts pots, switchcraft jack, some toggle switch... aren't the expensive ones. They are tried and proven, reliable and sounds good... so that's all there is to it.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

like shred has said, and the below, just imho.

i donno how the kit will fare, coz utimately, its in your guitar and you playing it. Take a chance, spend the money and see how it goes

or

1) Buy a cheap multi meter to check reading of pots and troubleshooting problem in circuit with continuity test
2) Buy pots from davis or shops round peninsular
3) Buy caps from sim lim tower, 3rd floor
4) reading and checking of internet forums that has lotsa lotsa info on guitarwiring,modding etc
5) Once ready, gather all the parts and start to solder away.

and if not wanting to solder straight away for fear of wrong soldering, start with breadboard, many plenty of jumper wire, manual twist the jumper wire round the leg on the pots, jacks, selector switch etc and simulate the circuit on the breadboard with the pickup. Once ready, using a spectacle screw driver, tap gently on the pickup to verfiy the switching of the pickup is correct. This one is a stupid method that waste lotsa time, but it works. If you wanna try that is... heh. I have learnt lotsa thing thru this way thou