Pot REplacement Recommendations?

[Aldwyn]

Well, as some of you may have read, I bought a SE Soapy. And if you read that, you more then likely read my dislike for the tone knob, which doent do diddly!

So I am going to replace the tone pot so I have much more versitility on it (I use the tone knob all the time!).

Can anyone recommend which pot I should replace it with?

Thanks!
Aldwyn

[Jim Collins]

Does the SE use minipots? If it does, virtually any full size pot will be a vast improvement. But as far as brands go, CTS will get you there.

[Aldwyn]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys... CTS it will be!

I am not sure I want (or even need) to change out the rest of the electronics, though. Currently, they are quiet (even for a soapbar), make no noise during switching, feel solid, etc...

I am going to pop open the control cavaty this evening and take a look see, and I will let you know what I find. Other then the tone pot, the electronics seem to be just as good as the rest of the guitar!

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Brian]

I'd just swap out the tone knob first. I have an SSE and that seems to be the only prob. If it aint broke, don't fix it. And yes, CTS is the way to go (I have a push pull going into my SSE in a week)

[Aldwyn]

I'd just swap out the tone knob first. I have an SSE and that seems to be the only prob. If it aint broke, don't fix it. And yes, CTS is the way to go (I have a push pull going into my SSE in a week)
Cool! Did you swap our your pups already, or can the stock pups be split?

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Brian]

#10s are going in when the pot gets swapped.

BTW - I live in Columbia too, I can show you after I finish (I'm at school right now, but go home May 1)

[Jim Collins]

John is absolutely correct. One of the ways manufacturers keep the price down on these guitars made offshore is to use cheap parts. The volume/tone pots on these bargain guitars are horrible. The switches are frequently crap, as well. This is the cheapest upgrade you can make that you can actually hear.

[Brian]

Alright, you guys win

I'm gonna gut my volume pot/output jack too when I swap out the pickups

Where would you recommend I get these parts from / what model numbers do I need?

[Jim Collins]

Allparts, part # EP-0086-000

[Brian]

What about the output jack?

[Aldwyn]

Here is the cavety:

http://www.mdpagans.com/images/cavety.jpg


Looking at it, I have to admit, makes me go "Wow..." as I have worked on the inside of a guitar in about 15 years.

So I think I may just take it to a shop or something and have it done.

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Brian]

Aldwyn...its definitely a do it yourself task if you want it to be. Its just a simple 3 way setup...especially if you're just swapping out components, just a resoldering job, pop one joint off, redo on the new pot/switch/etc. Hour max.

[Aldwyn]

Yeah, maybe I will try it and if I screw it up THEN take it to someone to take care of for me. :D

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Goober]

Yeah, maybe I will try it and if I screw it up THEN take it to someone to take care of for me. :D

Peace,
Aldwyn
Hey Aldwyn!!

Let me know if I can help. Have soldering gun, can travel!! hehehehe

[Brian]

I'll let you know how my project turns out...

I gave in, if its Korean - its going

Pickups, switch, both pots, and the jack

[Aldwyn]

Hey Aldwyn!!

Let me know if I can help. Have soldering gun, can travel!! hehehehe
Thanks Dana! I may take you up on that.

Now where did I put that solder sucker??

Peace,
Aldwyn

[JMintzer]

Yeah, maybe I will try it and if I screw it up THEN take it to someone to take care of for me. :D

Peace,
Aldwyn
Aldwyn,

If you want, I can help you screw it up! ;)

Jamie

[Aldwyn]

Aldwyn,

If you want, I can help you screw it up! ;)

Jamie
That's alright... I can screw it up fine all by myself!

But if I have a hangnail, I'll give ya a call. ;)

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Aldwyn]

But I *LIKE* the tone as-is! I just don't like the tone knob! :D

I suppose I could switch out the wiring and the pots, and if I don't like the new tone... go back.

I'd just hate to go through all that work for nothing!

That and I'm afraid since this is new territory since I haven't worked on guitar electronics in years. :o

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Aldwyn]

What about the output jack? Yes, lots of jacks on the allparts page! :)

Any recommendations on a jack?

Also, if I rewire, should I leave the leads from the pickups into the cavety and patch from there, or rewire the pups as well?

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Goober]

Yes, lots of jacks on the allparts page! :)

Any recommendations on a jack?

Also, if I rewire, should I leave the leads from the pickups into the cavety and patch from there, or rewire the pups as well?

Peace,
Aldwyn
Hey Aldwyn!

You will want to leave the leads attatched to the pickups. Do all the
trimming/rewiring inside of the control cavity!

[Aldwyn]

Cool. Just ordered the pots off ebay... Checking in on some wire.

When I built my fat strat long ago, I used all the same guage... is that ok?

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Big Mike]

Is 500K Correct for soap bars as it is a single coil? Just for my own info.

Any Picks Aldwyn? Sounds like a cool guitfiddle for not a lot of ducats.

[Aldwyn]

Is 500K Correct for soap bars as it is a single coil? Just for my own info.

Any Picks Aldwyn? Sounds like a cool guitfiddle for not a lot of ducats.
500K is what is in there now, so I am going to replace them with the same thing.

There is a picture in my "Arrrrgh!" thread, but here it is again! :D

http://www.mdpagans.com/images/soapse.jpg

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Jim Collins]

Whether 500K is "correct" for P90 pickups is something only your ears can tell you, but 500K is the value Gibson used for P90s, in the old days.

[Aldwyn]

Whether 500K is "correct" for P90 pickups is something only your ears can tell you, but 500K is the value Gibson used for P90s, in the old days.
I like the current tone, and since the pots are 500k now, I guess that is correct. ;)

Thanks!

Peace,
Aldwyn

[tfancil]

To ALL,

Thanks for your posts on the SE Soapbar electronics. I've switched mine over yesterday and it seems to be a noticeable improvement! I got the 500k pots, new knobs, and Switchcraft input jack from guitarpartsresource.com and the .022uf cap at Radio Shack. I used a step reamer tool to widen the shaft holes by hand to 3/8ths, and used a Sharpie to blacken the new holes. I also shortened all of the wires. It was nice to have a reference to all the parts I needed before I switched over.

Now all I need is a set of ebony tuners and a pair of Tone Pros!

Thanks guys!

tfancil

[Brian]

To ALL,

Now all I need is a set of ebony tuners and a pair of Tone Pros!


I just swapped out my tuners for phase IIs, they can be had with ebony buttons...pretty easy to swap. The screw holes do not line up, but you can use the original holes and they overlap with enough tension so the tuners are secure. If you need more information, feel free to drop me an email...also check my post #10s tone report in Guitars from MD...i explain more in there.

[tfancil]

Interesting idea on the tuners. Do you know if the mini buttons of the phas II tuners fit on the import tuners you removed from the SE? I can buy the mini ebony buttons I just don't know if they fit. I like the import tuners OK I just want ebony:(

Thanks,
tfancil