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When did Gibson start using 300k volume pots?

Armitage

Armitage

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Does anyone know when Gibson started using 300k volume pots on Les Pauls? Did they do it on all models across the board, like Studios, Standards and Customs? What about Custom Shop models, and Guitars of the Week/Month?

:frank:
 
In The Light

In The Light

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Armitage said:
Does anyone know when Gibson started using 300k volume pots on Les Pauls? Did they do it on all models across the board, like Studios, Standards and Customs? What about Custom Shop models, and Guitars of the Week/Month?
Click to expand...



  • Gibson installed 500k Tone and 500k Vol pots on all guitars up until mid-1973.


  • Beginning mid-1973 Gibson was using 300k pots for both Vol and Tone.


  • Then from approximately 1977 thru the late-'80s Gibson was using 300k Vol pots with 300k or 100k Tone pots!


  • The stock Vol pots starting circa-1990 thru today for all Standard production models (not Historic or Custom Shop) are 300k linear-taper, and Tone pots are 500k audio-taper.


  • Historics and Custom Shop Les Pauls use 500K for both Vol and Tone pots.

The above information is in general and to the best of my knowledge and research. Any corrections or exceptions are welcome.
 
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92standard

92standard

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In The Light said:

  • Gibson installed 500k Tone and 500k Vol pots on all guitars up until mid-1973.


  • Beginning mid-1973 Gibson was using 300k pots for both Vol and Tone.


  • Then from approximately 1977 thru the late-'80s Gibson was using 300k Vol pots with 100k Tone pots!


  • The stock Vol pots starting circa-1990 thru today for all Standard production models (not Historic or Custom Shop) are 300k linear-taper, and Tone pots are 500k audio-taper.


  • Historics and Custom Shop Les Pauls use 500K for both Vol and Tone pots.

The above information is to the best of my knowledge and research. Any corrections or exceptions are welcome.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit puzzled currently because I was thinking of going down the RSkit/50's wiring route to fix some pot issues on my '92 standard and was a bit worried about going from 300k to 500k. I checked the serials of the pots that are in there and it appears to have 500k CTS all round inside.

Any body else have a similar thing going on?

I've also posted this question in the "What '90s Les Paul to get" thread. Sorry for boring anyone!
 
Don

Don

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There are many exceptions to the "rules"! Nothing at Gibson is carved in stone.
 
92standard

92standard

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Don said:
There are many exceptions to the "rules"! Nothing at Gibson is carved in stone.
Click to expand...

Yeah, ain't that the truth! I did a search after posting that and apparently during the period '90-'93 a whole lot of experimenting and chopping and changing went on with all the models in the range and even between different Les Paul models.
 
Armitage

Armitage

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"Historics and Custom Shop Les Pauls use 500K for both Vol and Tone pots."

That's one valid reason they sound better.... shame.
 
K

korus

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Uncle Gary said:
It's too bad that they're still LINEAR taper, though.
Click to expand...

Historics and CS:
Tone pots are 500k audio taper.
Volume pots are 500k custom taper. My measurements on my 07 R9 says it's something like : 0-3 audio,3-7 linear,7-10 audio. That is why they appear to be linear, though they are not.
 
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U

Uncle Gary

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korus said:
Historics and CS:
Tone pots are 500k audio taper.
Volume pots are 500k custom taper. My measurements on my 07 R9 says it's something like : 0-3 audio,3-7 linear,7-10 audio. That is why they appear to be linear, though they are not.
Click to expand...

Call 'em whatever you want, the pots in all five of my Historics acted like on/off switches, going from full off to full on between 3 and 4. Real audio pots don't do that.

Since I actually like to control my volume and amp overdrive with the guitar volume, I've found it necessary to change the pots on every new Gibson and Epiphone I've owned.
 
92standard

92standard

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Uncle Gary said:
If you bought the guitar used, it is also possible that the previous owner may have changed the pots.
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No, she owned it from new and I bought it off her in a moment of financial need. Ha! She still regrets it. I play in a band with her actually and in the last 18 months she's gone through a white Studio, a tobacco SB Classic, another HCSB Standard and finally a cherry SB Classic Antique to find one like it. She's still not happy. It was her 21st Birthday present. I'm a cruel man - it's mine now.

It doesn't rule out the possibility of a dealer changing the pots or something, although I can't think why. It's a long way from Nashville to Derbyshire though, a lot could have happened back then.
 
T

The Tube Doctor

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My parts drawer is full of Gibson branded pots which have been removed for replacement. Their 500K pots have never, in my experience, measured 500K ohms. And yes, as previously stated, you can find a wide range of values, depending on the year.
You owe it to yourself to buy a bag of decent CTS audio taper pots, then measure them to find a matching quad of the highest value. When I replace pots for customers, I match them to a single digit. While I haven't tried the products from RS, they claim to offer matched pots. It would certainly be worth the $, if you're not inclined to buy a bunch of pots and match them yourself.
While you're in there, pull out that cheap, crappy wire that runs from the selector switch and replace it with some good, copper-shielded stuff. Star-quad microphone cable is easy to find and works wonders. And get rid of those inexcusable ceramic disc capacitors and the metal assembly plate.
Those caps work well in a metal detector, and the metal plate is a decent ground-plane for an antenna, but the last time I checked, neither of those attributes were suitable for a musical instrument!
 
Bluefinger

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Armitage said:
"Historics and Custom Shop Les Pauls use 500K for both Vol and Tone pots."

That's one valid reason they sound better.... shame.
Click to expand...

That'S a matter of taste. I installed the 300k pots in my Historics as well because I like them better.
 
JJC

JJC

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Bluefinger said:
That'S a matter of taste. I installed the 300k pots in my Historics as well because I like them better.
Click to expand...

Bluefinger, I agree with you. Before I switched anything out, I did a simple experiment where I changed the wiring in my Standard to use the 500k audio tone pot as my volume. I found with my setup that the 300k linear rolled off more to my preference.
 
GlassSnuff

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guitarvoodoo said:
Great info there, In The Light :salude

Anyone know if the older pots (50's, 60's) were linear or audio?

/GV
Click to expand...

I believe the old Centralab pots had a taper close to what RS and Dr. Vintage sell. That is, somewhere between linear and audio.
 
GlassSnuff

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Keep in mind, the "proper" value of a volume pot is largely determined by the DC resistance of the pickup. However, the "best" value depends on the guitar itself and how much of a peak in the treble it needs to cut through.
 
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