What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

[My Guitar Weeps]

Ok, 05 Epi Standard Plus Top Lester:
I stripped everything out (Wiring/pots/toggle/pu's...etc.)

I replaced the toggle w/ a Gibson switchcraft and rewired

New switchcraft input jack

Rs guitar works historic electronics upgrade kit: (500k cts pots & Hovland .022 GuitarCaps) Neck has the resistor soldered in to keep the tone when turning down.

PG in the neck (no cover). I love this pickup. I almost don't need a bridge pu. No complaints!

Now I'm a big Warren Haynes fan, Allman Bros ,Derek Trucks, Marc Ford (formerly of Black Crowes) Lynyrd, Sanatna, etc...

I know the Seymour Duncan site says that Warren and Dic ky use PG's in both positions. The guitar was not that bright to begin with but it wasn't the warmest either. It wasn't bad at all.

I purchased a new nickel Sh-11 ($43 shipped, What a Deal!) and put it in. It didn't sound bad at all, but I'm looking for more of a middy Warren/Santana sound. And the Sh-11 couldn't keep up with the PGn output wise. I thought it being higher output, I wouldn't have a prob. I couldn't really get the volume of the sh11 up and over the PGn. And it was still a little to trebly sounding.

Then I bought a PGb without a cover and put it in. I have NO trouble getting volume out of the PGB, but again it's to trebly.

You guys think its time for a 300k pot for the bridge?

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

Something's not right here. You're saying the CC couldn't keep up with the PGn's output? The strings do vibrate more over the bridge pickup so that could make it sound that way. You may want to try adjusting the pickup height. Get the neck pickup down in the ring and then CC up to the strings. Keep the 500k pots throughout, especially with the CC. I don't recommend 300k with the CC but you might like it. You've got a great combo there, it just needs tweaking to balance right.

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

What I've found on height recomendations from Dale Erlwine & Epiphone is a starting point of 3/32 on the neck and 1/16 on the bridge. That sound about right?

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

That's their recommendations, sure, that'll work, as starting points. I can just about guarantee though that you may need to lower the PGn down in to the ring.

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

Thanks Erik, while we're on the subject, without me starting another thread, I have a 56' goldtop RI w/ p90's. I can't seem to find height recomendations? Anybody know a good starting point?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

Erik's right -- you generally don't want the top of the neck pu to be above the pu ring, or if it is, not by very much.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

Thanks Erik, while we're on the subject, without me starting another thread, I have a 56' goldtop RI w/ p90's. I can't seem to find height recomendations? Anybody know a good starting point?

Although there are recommendations out there for starting points, I generally tend not to use them. They are after all, recommendations. Go with what sounds good to you is what I'd do. BTW, I love goldtops. :bigok:

 

[jeremy]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

thats a great pic of the brothers on the bus, love it!

****ey basically is always on the neck pup, and the pgn does a good job of getting his modern tones (think mid 90's, back where it all begins album) and is a great all around neck pup.

warren used a pgb with a 496r in his lp around that same time with the bros and on older mule. he still has that setup in the guitar but he doesnt use that guitar as often. warrens more recent tones are more like antiquitys, seths or gibson bb 1/2.

i think you should be able to get what you want from the pg set, which is one of my favorites but youll have to learn to use your tone control. the pgb has some qualitys that remind me of a great tele pup. i usually keep the tone down so when i switch to the bridge from the neck there isnt much of an increase in brightness. i use my pg set in a sg type guitar which should be brighter and thinner than your lp.

my advice is to set the neck pup where you like it. then set the pole pieces of the pgb flush or even just below the top of the bobbin, roll the tone back to about 5 on the bridge tone control and with both volumes full up set the height so that the bridge pup has about the same output as the neck.

i love those same guys you listed and my tone is definitly in that ball park


oh and as far as p90's, i set the bridge pup pretty close to the strings and adjust it till i like it, then i move the neck pups height and pole pieces around till i get a good match, on my '56 ri i ended up with the neck pup a little low with the pole pieces raised up a bit

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

Hey Jeremy. Thanks for the info. I think its a pretty cool pic too! I scored it off of allmanbrothersband.com. They have some unbeleivable pictures. I can email it to you if you want

I'm doing exactly what you suggested more or less. I've got the pole peices just below to flush on the bobbin in the bridge and have the tone rolled off to 7. I absolutley love the neck. I can't beleive the difference in the two PG's though.

I read that Warren and Derek both were using antiquitys, I just couldn't see spending that kind of money for p/u's on a $400 guitar. Don't get me wrong, it's a great little axe and plays well, but I'm saving up for the big Gib.

On the 56, the bridge p/u will only get soo close to the strings before the height screws start backing out of it. You can't get as close as you would w/ buckers and mounting rings. I've put soo much time into the standard that I haven't got around to reading much info on P90's. I was just looking for some common measurements to start at. They're all over the place for humbuckers.

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

So thanks for the replies guys. 300K was not necessary as most of you suggested. I spent about 1 1/2 hours with the guitar last night just balancing out the the poles on the pickups. I'm still having some trouble balancing out the pickups though with each other. The neck pickup is so much fuller and has so much more bass response than the bridge, which I'm sure it's supposed to. It's as if there's another dimension to the neck. GREAT SOUNDING pickup. The bridge cuts thru really well. The problem is getting the bridge pickup a little more volume than the neck. If I back off the neck anymore, it looses some clarity, which is what I love about it, and if I raise the bridge anymore it's the same thing. Loss of calrity / note definition. Any ideas?

Who says the bridge has to be louder anyway? LOL I tell you what, there's a big difference in the sound of the two to both be PG's. I'd almost like to put anothe PGn in the bridge for giggles just to see what it would sound like. I still have the new SH-11 to fall back on if I need too.

 

[Aceman]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

OK - here's the problem:

Put the PG IN THE NECK
Put the CC IN THE BRIDGE
300k pots will be fine. Won't mess up the CC's highs - actually will fatten more so!!!! PG can swing 300k in the neck, although a set of 500's if the guitar is moderate dark may not be a bad move.

The, set the pupsd to spec: E pole to string when held at 22nd fret about 3/16 bridge and 1/16 bridge. Arc the poles to match the string radius (middle poles up a turn or so, A/B string in between)

Golden tones await....No arguments - Just DO IT!!!!!! OBEY YOUR SENSEI!!!!!

 

[papersoul]

Re: What Do You Think? PGb-SH-11 w/ 300k pot

I learned from a custom guitar builder that you want a wide spread for the volume pot which is what i always found in a 500k but not what you want in a tone pot, hence a 300k pot tends to make a better tone control with a better sweep and response. Some really dark guitars...I'll just go 500k all the way or even a 300k volume as well on really bright guitars. Most of the time a 500k volume and 300k tone is great!