Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

[Charvel1975]

Hello, I had some questions and was wanting some advice too on push/pull pots and possibly switching out pickups on my older Korean Epiphone Les Paul Custom. It's all stock except the Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded set that's been in it now for about 5 years, bone nut and I think I had an Orange Drop cap put in a while back too?

I've been in a classic rock/80's metal/modern rock band for a while now and the Epiphone is tuned to standard E, I've been noticing for a while now the JB seems ice picky in the highs, when I solo it just doesn't sound too good and when I switch to clean channels on my Mesa Tremoverb head, no matter if I just use the JB, both pickups or just the Jazz it distorts no matter how I adjust the EQ on the amp. Also, I've seriously been thinking of getting push/pull pots for the bridge and neck pickups to have some versatility especially because some of the songs we do almost requires a single coil sound like "Run To You" by Bryan Adams. Are CTS long shaft push/pull pots the way to go and should I maybe get them for the tone pots for the push/pulls and regular CTS long shaft pots for the 2 volumes? I think my Epiphone would be the long shaft because of how thick it is? I've also though about swapping out the JB in the bridge and maybe picking up a SD 59/Custom Hybrid? Now the Epiphone weighs a TON!! And I'm wondering if because it's a BEEFY sounding guitar that's why the pickups may be too hot of output or what? What do you guys think?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

250k pot and done.

Another option, try an A8 or an a2 in the JB.


Mesa should have all the headroom you need. As you said - try a push / pull coil split. Or, have you just turned the volume on the guitar down for cleans??? Gotta ask - but I expect so…

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

250k pot and done.

Another option, try an A8 or an a2 in the JB.


Mesa should have all the headroom you need. As you said - try a push / pull coil split. Or, have you just turned the volume on the guitar down for cleans??? Gotta ask - but I expect so…

Only 2 songs (Cold Hard *****-Jet and The Hunt-Lynrd Skynrd) that I'm rolling back on the volume control for the JB in the bridge and it's all muffled and weird sounding.
I read I think it was on SD's website that some people use a 250K volume pot for the JB in the bridge to tame the high end/ice pickiness? I definitely notice on Run To You-Bryan Adams, because I use the JB with the clean channel of my Mesa and chorus, it just doesn't sound right. Hence why I was looking into getting push/pull pots.

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

A guitarist buddy mentioned to me about parallel as an option. Said it would get Single coil sound without all the volume drop?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

A guitarist buddy mentioned to me about parallel as an option. Said it would get Single coil sound without all the volume drop?

Incorrect. Parallel has less output that coil split. A humbucker that's 8K in series, is 4K in coil cut, and 2K in parallel. That doesn't mean the output is only 1/4th, but there is a volume drop. I don't like parallel as it's too bright, sterile, and weak for my tastes. The upside to parallel is that noise reduction is in effect. I don't have a problem with the noise of coil cut, as it's less than a P-90 (and I can live with P-90 noise).

Rather than coil cut, spin-a-split on the neck PU works much better. You turn the neck tone pot into a 2nd volume pot (no parts needed!) and dial in as much of the 2nd coil as you want. Lots of flexibility.

To build on that further, you can wire the bridge HB with a push-pull for coil cut, so the slug coil is on in coil cut. That way in the middle position, you can have the screw coil of the neck PU combined with the slug coil of the bridge, making a 'virtual HB' (like a Strat in positions 2 and 4), giving you yet another tone option.

Epi's don't need long shaft pots, the normal size is fine.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

^ No no no.......K doesn't equal output. Parallel is the 2 coils added, but they have cancellation of certain frequencies. They will have just the same volume as split, but without perhaps the push through the mids.


Its really easy to see what happens with output of parallel, as this is how pickups are selected together on pretty much every guitar made. The quack and cluck settings are never less output......just a bit less mids push.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

If the JB is ice picky
The height is wrong
Too close lower it just a smudge

The JB is very picky about where it sits under the strings

I'll try to find the height of mine
I've posted it here several times

1.28 mm on the high E
2.47 mm on the low E
When fretted at the last fret

 

[blueman335]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

^ No no no.......K doesn't equal output.

Which is exactly what I said: "That doesn't mean the output is only 1/4th, but there is a volume drop." Lost your reading glasses?

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

A guitarist buddy told me that the tell tale tail sign for that 50's mod is toggle in the middle one pup volume at zero the other up and it still has sound. He also said most commonly the push/pull pots installed in the tone pot position. I'm thinking to start going with the high quality solid brass shaft 2 CTS - 500K push/pull volume pots and 2 CTS - 500K tone pots, may get new wiring and have the Seymour Duncan modern wiring too

 

[Charvel1975]

Re: Push/Pull Pots & Pickup Advice Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Hello, I had some questions and was wanting some advice too on push/pull pots and possibly switching out pickups on my older Korean Epiphone Les Paul Custom. It's all stock except the Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded set that's been in it now for about 5 years, bone nut and I think I had an Orange Drop cap put in a while back too?

I've been in a classic rock/80's metal/modern rock band for a while now and the Epiphone is tuned to standard E, I've been noticing for a while now the JB seems ice picky in the highs, when I solo it just doesn't sound too good and when I switch to clean channels on my Mesa Tremoverb head, no matter if I just use the JB, both pickups or just the Jazz it distorts no matter how I adjust the EQ on the amp. Also, I've seriously been thinking of getting push/pull pots for the bridge and neck pickups to have some versatility especially because some of the songs we do almost requires a single coil sound like "Run To You" by Bryan Adams. Are CTS long shaft push/pull pots the way to go and should I maybe get them for the tone pots for the push/pulls and regular CTS long shaft pots for the 2 volumes? I think my Epiphone would be the long shaft because of how thick it is? I've also though about swapping out the JB in the bridge and maybe picking up a SD 59/Custom Hybrid? Now the Epiphone weighs a TON!! And I'm wondering if because it's a BEEFY sounding guitar that's why the pickups may be too hot of output or what? What do you guys think?

Are the push/pull pots installed in the tone pot position? I'm going to go with these:

2 of the CTS Push-pull Pots, SPST Short Shaft 500K push/pull Volume pots

http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_...s/Potentiometers/CTS_Push-pull_Pots_SPST.html

and 2 CTS - 500K tone pots

http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_...nd_Parts/Potentiometers/CTS_Control_Pots.html

Also the 3 way toggle switch and output jack are the stock Epiphone ones, should I leave those alone for right now?