need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

[midigods]

I ordered some new pots for my Epiphone LP, and just finished my wiring job, but noticed that the pots are too large for the holes. The specs at the site where I bought the pots says their diameter is 5/8", so what size drill bit should I use to enlarge the hole? Also, do you have any tips when drilling to avoid damaging the finish side of the guitar?

I'm assuming I should drill from the finish side into the wiring cavity. Should I put painters tape or something on the finish to avoid chipping the top?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

 

[AniML]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

I would consider eating the $20 for the oversized pots and get ones that fit.

If that is not an option, then use painter's tape and a unibit or maybe a reamer. But the unibit will cost you as much as a new set of pots.

No matter how careful you are, you can very easily do $20 worth of damage, or worse - damage that cannot be valuated

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

DO NOT USE A REGULAR BIT. Use a reamer bit. It takes off the wood SLOW and steady. OR just do it by hand with a round file, working slowly and steadily.

Using a bit, you'll just chop and chip the hell out of it.

TRUST ME I've been there, done that.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

if you dont have the right tool just wrap sandpaper round a pen lol

 

[Jay 77]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

I used a small round file for mine. No problems whatsoever.

 

[John Wymore]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

Reamer or round file works fine. Metric pots use a 6mm hole and USA pots use a 1/4" (6.35mm) hole so you are only opening up the hole .35 mm or about 1/32". I always tape the finish just to be safe and guard against a slip of hand.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

personally, i've drilled holes into cheap guitars and cracked paint around the holes, but not horribly. the last guitar i did this to i opted to use a dremel with the angled sander bit, since i wanted to be careful. this worked great, i used the lowest setting and widened the holes slowly and carefully until the pots fit. i had to do it from both the top and bottom though, since i used the angled bit.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

i wouldn't use power tools. file, sandpaper but no big fast heavy stuff

 

[FuseG4]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

so the right pots are 3/8" long-shaft pots, right? I wanna re-wire my epi LP pretty bad.

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

so the right pots are 3/8" long-shaft pots, right? I wanna re-wire my epi LP pretty bad.

I used tape on the top side, and a 3/8 drill bit for 3 of my epi's with no issue (I went very slow) although, I will recommend the reamer from now on.
I believe the shorter pots will work. The long shafts work ok, as they come with 2 nuts per pot to accommodate their length. I used long shaft on 2 of my epi lp's, and the 3rd has short shaft pots.

Wymore has a lp pot/cap/wire kit that works great, and has a very detailed wiring schematic.

Short shaft: http://www.wymoreguitars.com/Les-Paul-Upgrade-Kit-Short-Shaft-Orange-Drop-Caps_p_339.html

Long shaft: http://www.wymoreguitars.com/Les-Paul-Upgrade-Kit-Long-Shaft-Orange-Drop-Caps_p_342.html

 

[FuseG4]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

that sounds pretty cool. The epiphone stock switch and output jack seem pretty sturdy so I don't really need to mess with that, so just the pots/caps is prolly perfect.

I dunno if it'll sound much better after re-wiring; but as long as I have it wired the way I want, that's one less variable in the chain to worry about. I know that the squier tele I had certainly sounded better after a complete set of electronics. Maybe the pots were off spec?

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

The wiring mods made them seem "clearer" sounding to me.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot hots on EPI LP body

that sounds pretty cool. The epiphone stock switch and output jack seem pretty sturdy so I don't really need to mess with that, so just the pots/caps is prolly perfect.

I dunno if it'll sound much better after re-wiring; but as long as I have it wired the way I want, that's one less variable in the chain to worry about. I know that the squier tele I had certainly sounded better after a complete set of electronics. Maybe the pots were off spec?

the biggest difference i can hear between stock asian guitar wiring and cts/orange drop and/or similar, are two things. the taper, and the tone control. turning down the volume and tone knobs actually sounds natural, the way it should, and the tone knob doesn't sound completely muffled anymore.

 

[midigods]

Re: need advice on enlarging pot holes on EPI LP body

Re: need advice on enlarging pot holes on EPI LP body

thanks for the tip on the file. It worked great! For others asking about the pot depths, short ports worked fine in my EPI LP, except the one hole closest to the bridge was deeper than the others. I screwed that down without a washer on the finish side. So you might want to get 3 short pots, and 1 long pot. you can always add a few washers in the cavity if need be.