Doubts Re: Parts & Age

[Lucius Paisley]

Having some difficulty in deciding how to approach the next step of my Samick restore project. I know the pickups from the 95 Samick work fine, but the original pots (and switch) are now 28 years old and I've no materials with which to test them. It might have just been the 91 Samick pickups that were basically dead, but I can't know for sure.

Basically, my options are have it all installed and hope for the best, at worst the pots need replacing, or I hold out for a while longer and buy brand new everything - pickups and all.

I'm not planning on any special wiring, just vol, vol, tone, tone, while going for as close to original/classic LP sound as I can get.

Sure, it's all personal taste, but I guess I'm just looking for a light shove towards what will be better in the long run.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

Or...buy new pots/switch and simply use the pickups you already know work fine (assuming you like their sound)

It won't be worth any more keeping it "vintage correct", so I'd urge you to update the electronics to newer/better quality parts

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

Upgrading electronics to CTS/Switchcraft is always a good move.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

It will cost very little to put in new pots now as compared with all the trouble shooting and resoldering that may be necessary in the near future if one of the components goes bad. To me it's a no-brainer to replace the electronics now.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

If that one pot hadn't broken, I'd have been fine with a clean swap, but things don't always work out the way we intend. I guess now I have some spare pickups and will just replace everything. The guitar will still look the same - switch cover, pickup rings, etc. - which is what I was originally looking for.

In which case, I'll likely go with a JB/Pearly Gates combo.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

Wasn't this something like a $200 guitar new???

I remember one my first guitars looked almost identical to this. There is quite literally no part that is worth keeping if it might compromise the 'playability' of the final project.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

Wasn't this something like a $200 guitar new???

$200 where you live maybe, we (left handers) get pretty screwed here (Australia). Money not really one of my considerations (so I'm finding out) when I really want something.

I remember one my first guitars looked almost identical to this.

Well, that's a very vague assessment.

There is quite literally no part that is worth keeping if it might compromise the 'playability' of the final project.

Technically, removing the strings did that.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Doubts Re: Parts & Age

I'm LH, and in Aus as well. That very guitar was the very cheapest Les Paul shape I could get my hands on when I was starting out.......way cheaper than any epi too.

Hope it sounds ok for you......even with good pickups mine was a dull guitar.