Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

[papersoul]

Hi guys!

I am going to upgrade the electronics in my LP Standard and PRS Mccarty. The Mccarty has a CTS 500k volume that works well and the mini push pull pot which I believe is also CTS. It has the ceramic cap. Will I need to replace this with an Orange drop, Mallory, or Hovland? I am wondering if the Hovland will retain more highs during tone roll off. Thoughts?

Also, I am going to install 4 500k CTS audio taper pots in the LP and replacing the ceramic disks with Orange drops, Mallorys or Hovlands. Again, is there any difference with the caps? I looking to be able to roll the tone down to 5 or so and still have clarity assuming good quality pickups.

Thanks all!!!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Lew, you had said the following a while back! Lew, did you test the audible difference between ODs and cermics?

"I could be wrong, but I doubt you'll hear much of a differance. I think if you want to hear your pots do more than "very little" you need to make some changes...not keep them virtually the same.

1. Personally, I'd do the 50's mod John mentioned. That's very simple. All you do is connect the tone cap to the middle terminal of your volume control instead of to the same terminal the pickup is attached to.

2. I'd go ahead and swap out the disc caps to a pair of .02 Orange Drops, but if your current caps are .02 you probably won't hear much of a differance...unless you do the 50's mod described above. But the diff will come mostly from connecting the cap differantly...not from changing from a disc cap to an orange drop.

3. I'd go with all 500K CTS audio taper pots...

4. You may not like any of the mods in #1, 2 and 3 because all of them will tend to bring out the highs and add more clarity to your guitar's tone...and you don't seem to be after that kind of change."

Lew

I think I will go the 500k CTS route but I'll try to have thenm tested because I don't want them any higher than 500k. I'll grab some Orange drops in the process.

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

you would be nuts to remove stock pots from a PRS. They are made only for PRS and not available anywhere else. the volume cleans up very nice on those pots but if they are not the original pots or if you only play full on gain 100% of the time then forget what I just typed.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

you would be nuts to remove stock pots from a PRS. They are made only for PRS and not available anywhere else. the volume cleans up very nice on those pots but if they are not the original pots or if you only play full on gain 100% of the time then forget what I just typed.

You are correct but they are made for the stock pickups.....correct? I would hope they would work as well with ne pickups, ya know???

They work nicely with the stock pickups or Dragon IIs. I believe they are CTS just like Hamer has special pots made for their guitars.

I thought about the RS kit but it is a lot to spend when I may not need it. The big thng with the RS kit is the Hovlands and the fact that the tone cap is out of the circuit while the tone is on ten. I think I may just replace the ceramic disks weth Orange drops.

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Should have also added "if you took the stock pickups out of the PRS forget everything I typed".

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

You are correct but they are made for the stock pickups.....correct? I would hope they would work as well with ne pickups, ya know???

They work nicely with the stock pickups or Dragon IIs. I believe they are CTS just like Hamer has special pots made for their guitars.

I thought about the RS kit but it is a lot to spend when I may not need it. The big thng with the RS kit is the Hovlands and the fact that the tone cap is out of the circuit while the tone is on ten. I think I may just replace the ceramic disks weth Orange drops.

There isn't anything special that I can see. Run of the mill 500k CTS pots. PRS may demand tighter tolerances but that would be about it. Makes them more consistent thats all. I don't see where changing those pots is an upgrade.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Should have also added "if you took the stock pickups out of the PRS forget everything I typed".

Interesting.....they are made specifically for PRS pickups? I doubt it would impact it much woth other pickups. I know guys who only use Hamer volume pots in all their guitars.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

I would use the CTS pots that came with the PRS, add an orange drop, and use the 50's wiring. Same with the Lester, 500k CTS units, Orange drop caps, and 50's wiring. This will retain most of your highs when you roll down the volume.

 

[grams]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

PRS make their own pickups, only a few PRS have non PRS pickups. They are modeled to sound like a PAFtype pup.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

The only pickups PRS makes that ae modeled to sound like PAF's are the Mc Carty's, the #7's, and to a certain extent, the Vintage Bass neck pickup. The Dragons, HFS, and all the others are PRS' own voicings.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

I would use the CTS pots that came with the PRS, add an orange drop, and use the 50's wiring. Same with the Lester, 500k CTS units, Orange drop caps, and 50's wiring. This will retain most of your highs when you roll down the volume.

Thanks! Will the Orange drop make a nice difference over the ceramics when rolling off tone? Also, will the 50s wiring impact the tone while everything is on ten? Thanks!

 

[Curly]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Will the Orange drop make a nice difference over the ceramics when rolling off tone?

the ODs will make a difference in your tone OVERALL - that is, more vocal, IMO
as far as rolling off the tone, that's more a function of the VALUE of the cap, IMO

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Thanks, I'll order an OD for the PRS and that should take care of that - I thought about having the tone cap or pot disconnected while on ten but I may leave stock wiring.

There is the RS kit from RS Guitar Works that disconnectes the cap while on ten and people use the nail polish mod as well to disconnect the tone pot while on ten but I will start with standard LP wiring using the 500k CTS audio taper pots and ODs.

I have as well heard that PRS and Hamer both have custom made pots with a special taper. I think Hamer pots are all a little under 500k.

I have some at home now that I believe are 500k-520k or more.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

I would use the CTS pots that came with the PRS, add an orange drop, and use the 50's wiring. Same with the Lester, 500k CTS units, Orange drop caps, and 50's wiring. This will retain most of your highs when you roll down the volume.

So the 50s wiring retains highs when rolling down the volume? I am actually fine with the amount of highs rolled of with the volume in standard LP wiring. In fact I like it becuase I like the tone a little darker when rolling off volume. I usually find it fine.....same for the tone pot. Does the 50s wiring effect the tone pot?

 

[MattPete]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Does the 50's wiring mod have a [noticeable] effect on the tone when all the knobs are dimed?

 

[MattPete]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

bump

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

So the 50s wiring retains highs when rolling down the volume? I am actually fine with the amount of highs rolled of with the volume in standard LP wiring. In fact I like it becuase I like the tone a little darker when rolling off volume. I usually find it fine.....same for the tone pot. Does the 50s wiring effect the tone pot?

The 50's wiring doesn't affect the taper on the tone pot. I personally use it because I like to roll down my volume to go from crunch to clean and still keep most of my sparkle.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Upgrading electronics in LPs and PRS guitars?

Does the 50's wiring mod have a [noticeable] effect on the tone when all the knobs are dimed?

The 50's style wiring is not noticeably different than standard wiring when all the knobs are dimed.