Clapton’s “The Fool” SG pickups

[Ace Flibble]

Nahhh...the 300K pots came in 1973.

Not true. I've cleaned up a couple of 50s LPs that had 300k pots, one was a 1957 and the other was a 1958. In fact I first heard of 300k pots, period, when an ES-175D (IIRC 1953 or 54) came through the shop I was at at the time and that had... I forget which way around it was, but it was either a 500k volume and 300k tone or vice-versa. In any case, Gibson were using 300ks long before 1973. I'm not sure where you got that date other than that a quick Google search for it brings up another post on this forum where some random hazards a guess that 300ks came in around that time.

[beaubrummels]

Not true. I've cleaned up a couple of 50s LPs that had 300k pots, one was a 1957 and the other was a 1958. In fact I first heard of 300k pots, period, when an ES-175D (IIRC 1953 or 54) came through the shop I was at at the time and that had... I forget which way around it was, but it was either a 500k volume and 300k tone or vice-versa. In any case, Gibson were using 300ks long before 1973. I'm not sure where you got that date other than that a quick Google search for it brings up another post on this forum where some random hazards a guess that 300ks came in around that time.

It's not random hazard guesses. It's from reading the Gibson Kalamazoo drawings. There were a variety of pot values spec'd. The ES175CC drawing spec'd 300k volume 100k tone. The Melody Maker and Firebird I drawings spec'd 500k volume 250k tone. The Firebird VII / SG Custom drawing spec's "All controls 500k audio taper" then has a note in the corner saying "Models after 7-1-73 use 300k controls, Gibson part #70-028" What actually got used certainly could differ (Gibson is a bit famous for using parts on-hand back in the 50's/60's), or some guitars might have been repaired with different parts at least once before you got a hold of it - unless you have a definitive pedigree tracing the guitars you cleaned up to confirm what you saw was factory installed.

[BenPerkins]

Not true. I've cleaned up a couple of 50s LPs that had 300k pots, one was a 1957 and the other was a 1958. In fact I first heard of 300k pots, period, when an ES-175D (IIRC 1953 or 54) came through the shop I was at at the time and that had... I forget which way around it was, but it was either a 500k volume and 300k tone or vice-versa. In any case, Gibson were using 300ks long before 1973. I'm not sure where you got that date other than that a quick Google search for it brings up another post on this forum where some random hazards a guess that 300ks came in around that time.

FWIW - I received an email from Jon @ Gibson Customer Service. He indicated that 500k pots were used in all positions for ‘64 SGs and that the change to 300k occurred in the early 70’s.

Contact: [email protected]



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[Lewguitar]

FWIW - I received an email from Jon @ Gibson Customer Service. He indicated that 500k pots were used in all positions for ‘64 SGs and that the change to 300k occurred in the early 70’s.

Contact: [email protected]



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sounds about right.

People need to remember that Strats, Les Pauls, SG's, etc. were never created to make the sounds we make with them today. Marshall amps, wah wahs, fuzzes, overdrives, master volumes and high gain amps...none of that stuff existed. Surf guitar was about as aggressive as it got. It was mostly pop, jazz, country and maybe some rock a billy and blues. That's why it's fair to say that guys like Eric Clapton invented today's overdriven rock tones. Van Halen wanted Eric Clapton's Cream-era tone! No one had played like that before. Not BB King, not Freddie King, not James Burton, not the Ventures, not Dick Dale, not Duane Eddy, not Joe Maphis, not anyone. Clapton took all of those guys and then added himself and invented modern over driven rock guitar tone with bluesy finger vibrato and bluesy bent notes and bluesy phrasing. He was one of the rare guys who knew about using an unwound G string. George Harrison didn't. That's why on Beatles records you can hear George struggling to bend notes. It was Memphis guitarist Reggie Young who showed George the secret: an unwound G string. Clapton already knew it.

Clapton was the Eddie Van Halen of his day.

Then along came Jimi Hendrix.

[SoPhx]

Not true. I've cleaned up a couple of 50s LPs that had 300k pots, one was a 1957 and the other was a 1958. In fact I first heard of 300k pots, period, when an ES-175D (IIRC 1953 or 54) came through the shop I was at at the time and that had... I forget which way around it was, but it was either a 500k volume and 300k tone or vice-versa. In any case, Gibson were using 300ks long before 1973. I'm not sure where you got that date other than that a quick Google search for it brings up another post on this forum where some random hazards a guess that 300ks came in around that time.

Well, that's what the schematics say. Those 300/250 pots were mfg errors and not the stock compliment. But the 300K did become stock in '73---and no I didn't get that from some kids post on this forum.