• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

What taper is stock on 60's T-Bird pots?

Overdriven66

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
196
Restoring a 64 Epi Embassy Deluxe that I bought with no parts... just a 'husk'. Always loved the taper of the volume pots, tone pot, and cap on the stock NR '66 T-Bird IV that I toured with long ago. Wanna set up this Embassy the EXACT same way. Got original style repro pickups. Anybody know which taper Gibson used as stock in the 60's on the T-Birds? Probably had a .047 cap. 500 K CTS pots for sure. Any help would be appreciated! Doing it Gold Mist Poly and will be a KILLER resto when it is all done. Thanks!
 

PaulD

Active member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
673
The original pots would almost certainly have been 500K audio taper. However current production audio taper pots usually have a slightly different taper to the ones produced in the 50's and 60's which were somewhat "more linear" than the newer ones, i.e. somewhere in-between a current production linear and audio taper pot. The CTS TVT series of pots are supposed to be closer to the original taper (search for "CTS TVT" or "Vintage Taper").
 

Overdriven66

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
196
The original pots would almost certainly have been 500K audio taper. However current production audio taper pots usually have a slightly different taper to the ones produced in the 50's and 60's which were somewhat "more linear" than the newer ones, i.e. somewhere in-between a current production linear and audio taper pot. The CTS TVT series of pots are supposed to be closer to the original taper (search for "CTS TVT" or "Vintage Taper").
Thanks Paul, for your reply that answers all of my questions on exactly what I was looking for! Will order up the TVT pots and I am looking forward to the electronics on my Embassy to be just like my 66 NR IV (or very, very close!).
 
Top