Got the pickups - now what?

[hamo]

I put new Dimarzio pickups in my Epiphone LP100 ($399RRP) when I bought it in 1994, and didn't change any of the other parts. When I sold it about 4 years ago the pots and switches still worked fine. If you're pots and switches are working as they should be, just swap the pickups. It's not a waste of time at all, it'll still be a big change.

If you want help, bring it into Music Planet on a day that I'm in, (all Monday's, most Tuesday's, most Thursday's, most Saturday's). I'll do it for you for sod all.

Champion, thanks Cam.

Is there any harm in just installing the pups now and changing the pots later on if I think it's necessary?

[Polar Bear]

No. I think you'd do well to change your pickups now. If you're still not stoked with the difference, then you can change the pots later, it's not a big job.

[hamo]

No. I think you'd do well to change your pickups now. If you're still not stoked with the difference, then you can change the pots later, it's not a big job.

Cool. I might just do that and see how it goes. I'm not a heck of a tone hound at the best of times.

[mr_sooty]

Changing the pots won't really affect the tone unless you change to different value pots. (as in K's, not as in $).

[danrawkz]

Yeah, but they do allow for more useful adjustments in tone/volume, if you don't use the tone control much you probably won't notice a difference.

[mr_sooty]

Yeah, but they do allow for more useful adjustments in tone/volume, if you don't use the tone control much you probably won't notice a difference.

Maybe if you change from linear to Logarithmic or whatever, but otherwise, I would doubt it. Better ones just last longer, from what I can tell.

[hamo]

Changing the pots won't really affect the tone unless you change to different value pots. (as in K's, not as in $).

Hmm, I can't find anywhere what the value is of the standard pots. I would assume 500k, but how would I know?

[danrawkz]

Definitely 500k, 250 is more for single coils and would be rare on any les paul haha

[hamo]

Definitely 500k, 250 is more for single coils and would be rare on any les paul haha

That's what I thought, but there's a nagging voice in the back of my head asking if it was just whatever was in the parts bin on a Frida arvo at the Epiphone factory...

[danrawkz]

Lol makes it easy for Epiphone as I don't think they manufacture any/many guitars which would require 250k pots.

If I was buying off DHgate I'd be pretty skeptical though,

[robnobcorncob]

I just replaced the 3 pots in my '95 Gibson Flying V with CTS 500k pots. The gibson pots were 300k I think (typical Gibson...) the new ones sound brighter and clearer (I did a before/after test with the same set of pickups and the difference was quite apparent). I Just finishing putting a set of Suhr Aldrich pickups in there, mmmmm tone!

I was going to offer to help you wire it but if Cam is going to do it then sweet

[hamo]

I just replaced the 3 pots in my '95 Gibson Flying V with CTS 500k pots. The gibson pots were 300k I think (typical Gibson...) the new ones sound brighter and clearer (I did a before/after test with the same set of pickups and the difference was quite apparent). I Just finishing putting a set of Suhr Aldrich pickups in there, mmmmm tone!

I was going to offer to help you wire it but if Cam is going to do it then sweet

Thanks Rob, appreciate that mate.

[mr_sooty]

From my experience with my dearmond LP I'd reccomend the 50s wiring mod (no tone suck with the volume down), and the peter green magnet flip (good out of phase tone in the middle position).

I was just planning on doing a straight swap.

[Starfire]

Definitely short shaft pots for Epis. You will likely need to drill the holes out though if you use CTS pots, as the shafts are a bit larger in diameter. Don't imagine you'll want to use Alpha pots since that's what Epis have already. Switch is another thing to replace too, it's usually the thing that fails first on Epis. '50s wiring is good too, especially if you wire it to have individual volume controls. Did that with the Casino I had and it was very good indeed.

[hamo]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try a straight pup swap for now, and if I find myself wanting more I'll go for some of the other mods mentioned here. If I can manage to scrape a bit more cash together over time I might go for a full overhaul some time in the future.