88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

[STLMTLHD79]

I have an 88 LPC that i have had for almost 23 years. It has an MJ-wound APH-1 in the neck and a Gibson 500T in the bridge. It originally had a JB and i didnt like it. The 500T has been in there since 1996 and it sounds great however, i think the pots on this guitar maybe 300k. they are stock i know that much, so what would they be for this year? The writing on them is covered by solder joints.

My question is...Would an old MJ wound SH-5 sound basically the same as the 500T? Would new 500k pots and a 50's wiring job make this guitar really sing? I know it did for one of my other Lesters.

 

[Aceman]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

The 500T is practically a Duncan Distortion. The Custom, Duncan's other Ceramic Screamer will sound different on the bottom/mids, but have similar highs. Much more of a BASS/mid/TREBLE eq curve like a PAF - just really loud! You'll get a serious bass boost and it will be a tight chunky/thumpy bottom. Very different than the 500T's pummel your face mids and crunchy bottom.

Just a matter of preference. I like them both.

As for the 500k pots - I actually prefer the 300k Gibson style pots in those bridge positions with the ceramics. It takes a little of the edge off. Just enough....You may however want to put a 500k in the neck. Never anything wrong w/ 50's wiring.

A2 pickups in neck with a ceramic bridge is a favorite combo of mine. Big range, different middle tone.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

I find the 500T with, what is most likely, a 300k Pot a bit on the dark side. the treble is way rolled-off but the low end is huge. I am thinking that maybe a 500k will make it a bit more balanced? But i agree, I love the tone of the APH-1NJ but it could definitely use a 500k to help open it up a bit.

I may experiment with the DCJ (Duncan Custom MJ wound) a bit but i think i am definitely going to go with the 50's wiring schematic. The guitar may look a little odd since my DCJ is a slightly aged white bobbin pup.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

On second thought, i have what could be the perfect pickup for this guitar. I have a NOS AH1BJ (allan holdsworth) that would probably go very well with the APH1NJ in the neck.

Thoughts? I have zero experience with the Holdsworth pickup so please chime in if you do.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

Well, the Holdsworth pickup is closest to a JB (but with double screws, and an A2 magnet, I think), I think, and it is what he used in the early to mid 80s. Later on, he used much more vintage-y pickups.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

I keep hearing the debate about the A2 Vs A5 in the SD Holdsworth model. I know the custom shop they make now (Metal Fatigue) is an A5 however, his concept pickup in the early 80s was an A2. I have been told that these production versions from the 80s/early 90s were all A5. Can somebody confirm this?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

In my LP, the Custom was closest to the 500T through Marshall Plexi type distortion/edge of breakup. My MJ Distortion was kind of fuzzy/buzzy on the low end, chewy not tight. My Seymour-wound SH-5 is tight all the way through like my 500T, but the Custom has more high end. However, both were close. A change of amps/speakers could change everything and turn that around where the Distortion is closer to the 500T and the Custom is different/brittle/piercing. My test LP I tried all these in is a Studio with modern weight relief and 50's wiring.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

In my LP, the Custom was closest to the 500T through Marshall Plexi type distortion/edge of breakup. My MJ Distortion was kind of fuzzy/buzzy on the low end, chewy not tight. My Seymour-wound SH-5 is tight all the way through like my 500T, but the Custom has more high end. However, both were close. A change of amps/speakers could change everything and turn that around where the Distortion is closer to the 500T and the Custom is different/brittle/piercing. My test LP I tried all these in is a Studio with modern weight relief and 50's wiring.

yea, of course my 88 has modern weight relief. I really think the 300k pots are the main problem. Overall, i have always liked the tone of the 500T in this guitar however, after experimenting with other les pauls with various pickup configurations/pots, i have noticed that the output seems a bit choked off. I would really like to do 500k pots both vol/tone and 50s wiring in this guitar, then test the pickups after that. I really do want to try the AH1BJ (Holdsworth 80s pickup) in this thing. Plus it would be a good period-correct swap and match the neck pup pretty nicely.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

I keep tossing ideas around for this guitar but my final decision is to keep the same pickups in it but do the 50s wiring and 500k pots both tone/volume.

 

[jmh151]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

I have an 86, and the stock pots- which were supposed to be 500k, were 300k and muddied things up for years till I changed it all over for an RS electronics kit- made a huge difference

 

[Aceman]

Re: 88 Les Paul Custom-500T Vs Duncan Custom....Pot swap?

I keep tossing ideas around for this guitar but my final decision is to keep the same pickups in it but do the 50s wiring and 500k pots both tone/volume.

Do it!


It's a great idea even if you don't swap pups - or if you do.