The CHEAPEST Les Paul Tone HACK? | Friday Fretworks

[@darwinsaye]

A great trick I’ve seen for humbucker Les Pauls is to lower the pickups and raise the pole pieces. Clears the muddy tone right up and gives them a vintage sparkle. I think a lot of the chime of the old PAFs is from them being unpotted and over time becoming slightly microphonic. A bit of microphonics in a pickup can give a stunning acoustic quality to the tone.

[@jltrem]

Just did the same to my Les Paul, Epi Les Paul Special and SG per the Kris Barocsi vid. I agree, Really brought them to life. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2fVZH6gis2mrrs

[@edmiglia]

I've been fine tuning the pole pieces in my PRS 245 with a Seymour Duncan JB and a Jazz in the neck. It really allowed me to even the volume of each string, it's much brighter and has more mids. It sounds like a Tele on steroids now 👍

[@yetanotherbassdude]

Yeah, did the same on the bridge of my Epi after I read about it in Guitarist Magazine's Tone Manual. I went too far with it though, and it didn't sound good initially, but if you can get the balance right between the polepiece height and the overall pickup height below the strings you can really add loads of clarity and cut some of the mud without actually buying any new parts.

[@Deuce_Luminox.]

The pole piece trick is very effective. I have a 2008 R8 with Burstbuckers. I lowered the pickups flat with the rings and raised the pole pieces a couple turns and it brightened everything up quite a bit. The guitar is much more articulate and doesn't smack the front end of the amp quite as hard.

[@jltrem]

@@edmiglia "a Tele on steroids" is how Jimmy Page and others have described the perfect, original Les Paul tone.

[@primeDecomposition]

I suspect unpotted pickups and 50’s Wiring are a much bigger influence on the brighter and more articulate tones of the original bursts. Which is probably why Gibson now does this on the reissues.

[@tonetwinstv2863]

Thanks for the shout out Chris. I think the difference is less apparent on You Tube than in real life, but a definite change for the better. And great playing as always - H

[@mikekavanaughdotcom]

I absolutely love your playing. Makes me wonder what the heck I have been doing to know so little after almost 40 years.

[@russhicksart]

Sucks that this was an hour long video after I listened to the intro 60 times.

[@Johnny1.0]

Seriously!

[@carlo1195]

same here.

[@willwragg9707]

Yup

[@DMSProduktions]

LOL!

[@bartderijck172]

😎 same here

[@sim82]

Nice to see 50s wiring of the tone pot (aka. output loading). Makes a huge difference to the way the tone and volume pots interact (if you like that).

[@switchbacksentence1244]

Every week, the intros are INSANELY GOOD! Your touch is like no other Chris 🙌🏻

[@LennyJohnson5]

@@martynsparkes7118 Nice reply, you bitter and envious tit.

[@switchbacksentence1244]

@@martynsparkes7118 I guess the readers of Guitarist Magazine disagree www.musicradar.com/news/the-10-best-blues-guitarists-in-the-world-today

[@Skybluetoo]

Martyn Sparkes and I guess you’re a ‘never bothered to run’? Chris is quite obviously one of the best guitarists around and has been identified as such

[@PatatoKeftes]

I've tried to make my R9 sound closer to old ones. Changed the pickups to Throbaks, changed caps to PIO ones. The changes did get to the right direction. However the biggest change came when I replaced the bridge and thumbscrews to faber ones. Honestly that made a more of a change than the pickups and the caps combined.

[@daniellaudman8580]

See Stephen's design pickups on KZbin for the real deal replacement parts to get you to the original 59

[@nickvankempen]

@@daniellaudman8580 Royal Mount brass posts and thumb wheels and a Four Uncles bridge is what took my LP to more vintage specs and tone.

[@rjake61]

The Faber is a good sounding Abr bridge.

[@mikebingham7189]

All the comments are interesting. I spent a couple years working on this by changing various magnet combinations in the PU's and changing POTS and CAPS. It's a rabbit hole. Finally, I installed different PAF's got what I thought were better POTS from RS Guitarworks (510-530K) and different CAPS. I gutted the wiring and went to Vintage 1950's wiring. "Usually" my guitar volume is at 8-8.5 and my neck tone is at 7 and bridge tone is 4-5. Here's the thing, that's my guitar setting not yours....probably. It depends on the pickups and the amp. To me, the pickups, vintage 1950's wiring, and really good pots made a big difference. My guitar was muddy especially when you turned the volume or tone knobs down.....really bad. No control. Not now. But remember it also has to do with how you set the pickup height. Not too close and not too far away. I listen carefully, no numbers, and then slightly balance the two. But the amp is very, very important. It's very important.

[@briancrabaugh6966]

It’s easy to dial anything out with an EQ pedal. This is a good solution if you plug straight in. Great video!

[@HELLCHILDFAN101]

I use an eq pedal only with my les Paul it’s so dark and sounds great but with the EQ I cut in the mix perfectly!

[@stratologies]

It really depends on the guitar. I have a ca. 50 year old SG that sounds fantastic. When one of the 300k volume pots failed, I replaced it with a 500k. It changed the character of the guitar, much worse than before, so I installed a new 300k pot, all good again. In general, I found that Gibsons often sound better with the volume on 7or 8 than 10.

[@lukebaldwin3682]

Same my man. I also like to have the tone at 8 which gets that classic Clapton/Page goodness with the volume on 8 too.

[@jerbear1601]

3 Indeed lowering the volume on the guitar is a trick I use all of the time as it cleans up the signal and increases clarity. I just increase the gain on the amp for some more character in the tone. I also have a 70's Les Paul with 300k pots and I like the warmth it has. diming your guitars volume makes it breakup really hard and loses the sweetness. I like a volume control that decreases the gain but doesn't lose as much volume.

[@fivewattworld]

Nice job Chris!

[@RAndrewNeal]

Without a reactive (specifically capacitive) element in the potentiometer itself, it shouldn't load down the highs more than it does the lows. They can interact with the tone filter circuitry, causing the cutoff frequency of the (low pass) filters to come down in proportion to the resistance. But at such high resistances and such small capacitances, the difference would be negligible; likely inaudible. The tone was subtly chimier, but that is most likely due to the higher resistance pots used in the _tone_ circuitry, as the cutoff frequency (assuming the new caps have the same values as the old) can now be adjusted higher than before. Installing different caps are a tone changer in themselves. Capacitors do have a real effect on tone because they are reactive. I doubt resistance of the pots have anything significant to do with tone. The tests would have been better-done if they were all recorded before the tone pot and cap swap, so as to remove the variables that weren't accounted for.

[@bayougtr]

Wire a pickup bypassing the whole circuit, straight in. Big difference.

[@RAndrewNeal]

@@bayougtr Seven months later, I realize that the pickups themselves are reactive (inductive). Higher resistance volume pots _will_ affect the tone by moving the cutoff frequency of the low pass filter formed by the pickups and pots higher. In my original comment, I overlooked the fact that pickups are inductors.

[@katylied8]

One good thing about the 300k pots is that they sort of keep the same sound as you turn down the volume. The 500k can go a bit dull when you lower the volume.

[@rustisamust9079]

The 550K pots and new caps seemed to me to increase the brightness and clarity a bit, though it wasn't as noticeable with overdrive.

[@shakey71]

To be honest I preferred the sound of the 300k pots, however that’s probably because you set up the pole pieces and pickup hight for the 300k pots. To my ears the 500k had a harsher shrill too end. Worth a mention is that if you wire you’re guitar with 50’s wiring 500k pots accentuate the affect you get from rolling the tone down with the volume down to get less low end, but then again so will the signal path/cable to the amp!

[@nathansantos.n8]

same

[@DMSProduktions]

Your.

[@kravitz1999]

300's for me as well

[@MisterBurtonshaw]

@@kravitz1999 Did you hear more mids and compression with the 300s?

[@kravitz1999]

@@MisterBurtonshaw yeppers

[@Dartheomus]

Nice video and great tone comparison! I'd like to offer a couple additional thoughts. First, there rational between the coupling of a humbucker, which has double the output of a single coil, with a potentiometer that has double the resistance. This is why the strat only had a 250k pot. I would dig into this deeper, but it will turn into a long explanation. I have a couple other thoughts though: The tone controls and resistance values of pots and caps are all effectively doing the same thing. They are, *very crudely* shaping your tone by broadly dumping the lows and letting the higher frequencies through. They are simply a high-pass filter. As such, you can absolutely accomplish the same thing with an EQ pedal, but with *much* more precise control. There's no difference if your EQ is built in your guitar or on the floor, but I do understand the value to being able to quickly grab the tone pot for some "on the fly" adjustments. However, since a potentiometer exchange is more permanent, I would suggest users to simply opt for an EQ pedal for these circumstances. One additional comment: I did actually change the circuit on my 2014 Les Paul Studio Pro. I added a treble bleed cap. What this did was kept my full (muddy/modern) tone when at full volume, but as I dial back the volume, I preferentially dial away the low end while letting the highs "bleed through." This gives me a much more vintage tone at lower volumes. I have a PRS 594 that was designed to sound like a 59 LP, and I will say that when the volume on my 2014 LP Studio Pro is turned down to Volume = 6 with the treble bleed, the tone is absolutely IDENTICAL to my PRS 594 with volume at 10. Regarding the tone bleed, you don't need expensive caps for this either... In fact, and I know some will scream blasphemy, there is *absolutely zero difference* between installing a $0.03 capacitor in your guitar vs. a $25 capacitor as long as they have the same capacitance value. So, anyone can make this mod for the cost of a $10 soldering iron. =)

[@yetanotherbassdude]

Crazy the difference the pots actually made to me. I was expecting more top end, but the change in the bass and low mids was crazy! Almost like a different guitar. I have to say, some of the 300k stuff did actually sound better to me in isolation, especially some of the clips with more gain where those extra low mids really translated to a more complex distortion sound, but I can also totally see that in a live band mix that warmer tone with loads of lows and low mids just isn't going to sit well and is going to end up in mud city.

[@meadish]

Yep, those low to low mid frequencies he removed tend to be the frequencies where the bass guitar gets its definition, so for the overall band mix it definitely makes sense to remove them from the guitar sound. If the band has a barytone vocalist, it is even more important to do so.

[@fender4brad]

There is just something special about a Gibson guitar. I know it is popular to bash on Gibson. I think people underestimate how the guitar makes the human interact with the guitar. I am not sure you can measure this factor but I believe it makes people gravitate to guitar/guitars. Gibson just makes you feel and play differently than any other guitar, that is a big deal.

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

True but not specific to Gibson. Any guitar the player wants to love does that. I'm sure Chris feels this way about his red 62 Strat and I do about others I have.

[@fender4brad]

@@Leo_ofRedKeep I agree, I am a total Fender guy. My favorite Strat has taken on a personality of its own as well. I just saying a guitar makes the player interact with style of guitar in different ways. I think this fact is sometime overlooked as we talk of the hardware and woods of the guitar. This was a very interesting video by the way. Or my comment could be my excuse for having to many guitars. LOL

[@guyr.c.606]

Hi Chris love the uploads and playing, always a pleasure. So, this is what I know. (for what it's worth). The tone of T Tops and mini humbuckers fitted to the Les Paul Deluxe and Les Paul Custom we're brighter in tone than the PAF's guitarists we're used to. Gibson took it upon themselves to address the criticism by using both 100 and 300Kohm pots to soften highs and emphasising midrange. The issue IMHO was not so much with the 'buckers Gibson were making, but the fact that Fender and Marshall amps (to name just two) were not becoming warmer in their tone and voicing as the 70's progressed but brighter (Fender).. edgier, gainier.(Marshall)imo Gibson were just trying to stay in the game, as the Fender Strat became the dominant tone of the 1980's and with its 250kohm vol and tone pots, perfectly voiced for the brighter voiced amps of the period. Mercifully, as we know it didn't last and the Les Paul has regained it's rightful place as king of righteous tone.

[@joselcruz81]

I have a set of Seth Lovers myself and 500k pots with 50’s style wiring. It is my number 1 by a mile. Love that LP!

[@KM-302]

Suttle difference in brightness with the 550 pots but not enough for your average punter in your average pub to notice after a few beers. Great playing as always. Enjoyed the vid.

[@godfree2canada]

Tip: or just add a 100k or 220k metal oxide resister in series with tone cable. one never rolls tone all the way back

[@277southtombob]

That’s a good idea. I’ve used smaller value caps for tone too. Honestly I find a .022uf cap unusable all the way on, it’s just a muddy, mushy mess. I do use my tone controls though so it’s always a bit of a pain finding a sweet spot at a gig.

[@thoroliversenmusic]

I was quite curious to how this would sound. To my surprise I found that the 300k sounded more musical than the new 500k ones. But I like how the 500k ones cleared up a bit of that low end muffle. I think in the end I would go back to the original 300k ones as it may be they made you play with an almost unnoticeable bit of more feel, and that came out more musical to my ears. Maybe what would be what could open these pups up is a Tweed amp or a Tweed amp style pedal of some sort to get those harmonics ringing in the "right" frequencies.

[@davidkenneth3983]

I had a 58 jazzmaster and it sounded with t top buckers and 350 or somewhere close pots like jimmy p.les paul sound they were unpotted p ups had been played in the streets of paris for yrs. But this guy got ahold of my guit. I said only replace the toggle switch it was straight r.t.no switches on guitar it sounded great no wax cloth 350 i think the pots were he replaced the pots 500 k the wireing all this crap i told him you idiot you just bought it it sounded nothing like it did the pups were slightly mocrophonic i loved it my favorite guitar ever sounded like jimmys sound through a dual recto trem o verb on sag exactly gave me better sound than ive ever heard noone believed it they said it was a 60s jag no i took off the neck sept 58 the pots im prettu sure were fender pots from the time era but my guitar sounded phenominal feedback cool as can be musical depending on were you stood and played the angle you pointed the headstock at amp i played communication breakdown it sounded dead on no pedals nothing and the feedback was monsterously musical i told do not touch it he did he fkd. It all up forever it sounded new brash stupid it had to do with those pots it was so killer and musical even mistakes sounded musical you couldnt hit a wrong note that didnt sound right because of the tonal difference i told him it took all those yearsvand mismatched components to get that sound he never even heard the difference at all i said uou bought it allmost cried it was perfect one in a lifetime sound. No microphonocs no character like a brand new piece of st. I was heartbroken and never have i gotten that sound again it souded stale lifeless buzzless it was like someone gave it a lobotomy it was treason to me to this day nothing even touches it but ive noticed the 2 buckers the unwaxed pups the lower 350 i think there was solder on them covering it somewhat it was 3something that was cool it might have been wired straight with no caps i dont know as he disposed of it as he thought this sounds like crap it sounded like nothing i ever heard like neil youngs black the mistakes gave it life now its just yuppy junk all perfect stale souless ill never know what it was i know chris what you mean about the inaudible difference i heard it plain as day he waschumiliated and said i was crazy i heard then whar people are noticing now theres something to the wammy too on a jazz or jag thats super cool i have wammys bigsbys etc on everthing as they ad colour to sound the shape responds to humbucks kurt co. And the neck is also real nice i want to try to build one simular no stale guitar teacher sound straight superhighcool factor monsstrosity i cant remember if the pots had caps or what kind it was like having a stepford wife after having janisjoplin as girlfriend i also didnt like how she got treated as she was a one off . Bad comparison but somehow relative. Take care play a old tonemaster tell me what you think bruce erafender.94 serious im curious as to your thoughts please man if i knew ya we would have fun in investigating things unique and important to us science of sound geeks ( not really at all) curious fellows mates in whats ticken as the sound is kicken.love ya keep it up your a good man engish.

[@davidkenneth3983]

Tweeds have a way with sound thats their own i dig the calitweed in the lowest setting best tone m bruce z. And vibro k. Phenominal also cant understand why there so fkn.great also i liked the victory 140 too calitweed needs a different spr. To make it a magic piece its a experience to plug into itll take you new places.spkr. needs tweek to get full experience cant put my finger on it . Bruce z. Era fend.s and on n on .peace b.

[@davidkenneth3983]

English.

[@jinjxmusic]

The word is getting out! Thank you for posting this video. I ran into this back in 2013. My Ibanez AF95 (with a Gibson 57 Classic in it) always sounded SUPER bright. I always kept the volume and tone knobs low to tame it though absolutely loved the guitar sound. then I took it to one too many bad techs. Essentially I asked for a pickup change, instantly knew it wasn't right, and asked for it to go back to what it was. That tech couldn't do it. There had been other sneaky work done and apparently he struggled to get things right. He also didn't care. I bought an expensive harness from eBay with Bumble Bee oil and paper caps and CTS pots. I had it installed and, for the first time ran into the "mud" - the evil mud we all hate about humbucking guitars. I took my guitar to several people over the course of almost two years. People added treble bleeds, people did all manner of things but, ultimately, couldn't get it right. I was sick to my stomach that the guitar I loved so much didn't sound "right". Eventually I woke up at 3:30 am unable to sleep behind this. Back then Ibanez gave detailed wiring diagrams... and that's when I saw it: 500k (B) volume pots/500k (A) tone pots. Many diagrams do not make the distinction and that's when I learned that many import guitars do a "linear" volume pot (to keep treble response consistent) and an audio tone to help "round off" the tone control. Seriously, my mind was blown: all the people I took my guitar to and nobody said anything (or nobody knew). For people that keep their volume knobs maxed it's not that big a deal though for someone who keeps the volume at 5 I "need" a linear pot and typically like 50s wiring. So that's all to say that if a person has a humbucker equipped guitar and use 500k pots and still are hearing mud I'd bet they may have their guitar lower than 7 and may want to make sure their volume pot is a linear (250/300/500k linear B pot).

[@johnfrenette]

Fantastic demo. This is exactly what I was looking for. I love playing the neck pickup, but my tone gets muddy-I think, to some extent, that’s just how my hands/fingers sound. But I love when players get more sparkle out of the neck pickup than I a seem to be able to get. Your back-to-back method here was truly perfect. Thank you!

[@curtahnlund3758]

Very nice and informative. I totally agree with you! One way is to go with brighter pickups, you can always turn down the treble using you tone controls much more....

[@paulgizelt3381]

While I was expecting more treble with the 500K pots, what I'm hearing more clarity, volume and midrange from the 500K pots. Whatever, it definitely sounds better with the 500K, and I'm sure it's more noticeable in person than on recording.

[@AndrewCCM]

I put in 2 DiMarzio humbuckers into my tele. Found out later that the Cruiser worked well with 500k pots but the Chopper T hated the 500K pots. So unbelievably ice pick like. I ended up using a 470k resistor in line with the switch and to ground for the Chopper T in bridge. Fixed all my problems. Sounds infinitely better now.

[@mangokev19]

I switched to 50's wiring this weekend on my 40+yr old LP copy; and ka-pow!! A brand new life! Thank you, that's what I've been looking for :)

[@jordmosselman3403]

Hey Chris, a little more air overall, clean more definite, crunch ok with the 550k pots. Maybe lowering the pickups a smidgen, raise polepieces a tad. Do you run the volumes wideopen? Bit more gain overall and dail volume a little back is also a nice trick. Grtz!

[@billkeaveney1526]

You have the sweetest tone on a Paul since Mark Knopfler

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

Who also uses Monty's in one of his LPs.

[@billkeaveney1526]

@@WatchesnguitarsDK i believe he swapped out the frets for bigger but i am confident the pickups in his 58 are stock. Sweeeeeet tone 👏

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

@@billkeaveney1526, I didn't mean his 58 🙂

[@billkeaveney1526]

@@WatchesnguitarsDK the 85 he used dor brothers in arms? He got the 58 later.

[@billkeaveney1526]

@@WatchesnguitarsDK thanks for the list 👍

[@timpayne8238]

Nice work Chris, I once owned a '73 SG Standard which had 300K pots. It had a great sound that although I've tried to replicate with later Gibson (plus my own handmade) pickups only got so close! I achieved this incidently by using a Flying V with my own brand patent number set that came with 300K pots as standard. I definitely prefer this lower value pot especially in the lead position.

[@10sassafras]

I think this conversation is long overdue so thanks! There’s been talk forever about the PAF sound but without the same pot spec how can they be compared? I think of the difference as being like the tonal difference between running the volume on 10 vs 7 or so.

[@TempoDrift1480]

I usually come for the content discussion but end up stayin for the playin. This dude's demonstrations are more interesting than some of the best out there.

[@jensvalentin9838]

I use the same Caps on all my humbucker guitars, just love the tonal influence they give but orange Drops are nice too, both areway better than the pre installed stuff from Gibson ...and 500k pots is a must too ...so nice vid Brot 👍😊

[@iagobroxado]

500k has more volume and snap. You could achieve the 300k tone by lowering the vol and tone a bit. 300k often sounded just a lower volume, slightly muddier version of the 500k sections.

[@nathanmcaree1096]

nailed it

[@ronrumsey3205]

Well said, sir! Well said! Another cheap and easy hack is to switch from modern wiring to '50s-style wiring. It changes the way the pickups/controls interact with each other. It also affects the top end of your guitar's signal. More blanket removal... May not be for everyone, though. May be too much blanket removal! LOL!

[@jesjolte]

I did the same thing to two of my Gibsons (LP, 345). Much prefer the 500k pots. An equally great upgrade is to swap the Nashville bridge for an ABR-1 (fx Faber). Also gives a much clearer sound. Outstanding playing as always, Chris. Cheers

[@andybennett1026]

Pots in long are potentiometers!!! 500 deffo sound better especially with your astonishing playing!

[@jackperry2670]

Awh man! This video is great! Super helpful with a little mission I've been on recently. I picked up a late 90s Gibson 56 LP Custom recently. I've been noticing in the past few weeks it lacks the presence and sweetness, especially in the neck position, that my other P90 fitted guitar (ES-330) has. Figured out this evening my 330 has 500k pots and watching this video confirmed the difference. It's totally a minor audible thing, but makes all the difference I think in feel.

[@Schlumpf.Meister]

I consider this a must-do on any modern Gibson guitar, I did it on my LP immediately after purchase. Technically things are pretty easy to explain: this vol pot resistance, in combination with the inductance of the pup and the minuscule capacitance of the cable (for that reason, different cables, in particular, lenghts sound different) represent a so called RLC low pass filter. Depending on the combination, the cut-off frequency will be a few hundred Hz higher or lower (this is a lot!), and also whether or not there will be a peak or no in the transfer curve. I have a 2000 Am Strat that I perceived as „aristocrat“ sounding (aka wooly), turned out the stock vol pot had a resistance of only 160k. Swapped it - the return of the twang! I can assure you that in reality this makes a really hefty impact on the sound of your guitar.

[@timwhite5562]

A good mod if you find yourself mostly pleased with the tone but wish you were able to get a brighter sound sometimes, maybe when using particular pedals or amps is to modify your existing pots to be able to go to a no-load pot. This removes the tone cap from the signal, so so it'll behave like there is no tone controls; it'll give you a little more output and brighter. All took is open they pots up: they'll have 4 bent tabs holding it closed. You just need to bend them open, and the casing will come off and you are in the guts of them pot.. They top part, where the shaft is located, will have a few copper leads hanging down, and the part in the case will have a plastic disc/wagger, typically white. On the disc is Copper etching that runs along the edge of the disc about 80% around. The leads from the top make contact with that etching and that completes the circuit. All you have to do is remove the etching so that at that part of the disc, the leads will no longer be making contact with the conductive etching and it kill the circuit. If there's no circuit, the signal from the pickups will bypass the tone cap, removing the signal load. Be careful to only remove the etching where you don't want the circuit to be running. Don't make the mistake I did the first time and do it at the top of taper (where the 9, 10 position in that knob is. If you mostly like the tone, doing at the top will remove that setting so when you're keeping the tone control in the signal, you'll lose those positions, and your tone control will run from 1 to 8 or 9 , and then go to no-load. Also it's easy to unintentionally knock it up to the 10, and you won't know it. It's best to do it from the 2 all the way down to the 1. I don't know anyone who I actually turned their tone control to 1 or 2, so you won't be losing any of the useful tone setting and if you do knock it out, you'll know to right away because it will go from very bright to very dark, because it'll be at the 3 (or wherever you have the etch making contact. I use a Dremel, but you can sand of file it off, or some people will just cover that section with super glue or clear nail polish to cover the etch.

[@treishtrei]

The wooly sound comes more from the capacitor change and less from the pot value. It surely makes a dif, but trust me on the caps, they matter a lot

[@thomaswalz3515]

I have a Strat that was not quite right. I tried 300k pots... now it sparkles... Will 300k be an across the board standard? I've a Tele with a 1meg volume, 250k tone, that does all things one would want for clean Tele tones. I like the 300k better for your LP on the higher register. More sparkle... and since I prefer cleaner tones, that is my bias. I appreciate this video. Back the laboratory...

[@MarkPritchardGuitar]

Hi Chris, Matt put a set of his Monty's PAF pickups in my Les Paul recently along with his 50's wiring they are absolutely amazing, they definitely sound so much better than my Burstbucker Pro's which were in there before. Great video mate, amazing playing and tones as always my friend.

[@dejct]

My SG has 300k pickups and the rest of my HB guitars have 500k pots... The SG is noticeably darker but it also sounds the best! Its so sweet, smooth and silky :)

[@DMSProduktions]

IF you like it, don't change it!

[@dejct]

@@DMSProduktions good idea! Haha :)

[@darenwobensmith4868]

Im all new to s pot change .but i like the 300 better. Ive een using emgs gor a long time and m just getting back to passive pickups. Ivd picked up some dimarzios to stash in my guitars but this pot change has me really confused

[@davidkenneth3983]

My 300 k thing made the sound more even it lost volume it was a little darker but the chord sounded better like way better the bottom was equal it seemed like no harshness or stale the bottom was less volume the top sweet as could be i dont know any way to explain as it was a bit of a frankenstein but way better than anything i played since never let any one work on your ax without being there if you love it dont leave your wife backstage at a crew show. Ha its people will think they know better they dont know your ear your taste why you love it any nerd fk. Will fix the coolest sounding mistakes that you love cause thats what hes programmed to do fk. Up your ax fix it give it a lobotomy like all those dumb chicks backstage at a crew s. They will go i to auto fix mode i saw a guy leave his ax at a shop he said dont touch the frets whatever you do m.f. first thing he did tape off the finger board and start dremeling the frets i said that h.m.e. strat thats gold is green dont touch his frets man did you hear him hes gonna beat you with it when he comes to get it he said hell never know i touched them i said that guitars green itwas gold when you were born hes gonna beat you he wrecked the place the little fixer destroyed his ax far as he was concerned it was blastfomy needless to say that store had just opened never let a guy do work on it thats younger than the ax!

[@davidkenneth3983]

Exactly ! Keep it safe .

[@scottjamable]

Both of my 90's LP's 91' classic, 90' standard came with 300K linear volume pots and 500K audio taper tone pots with standard wiring so did my 2000 and 2001 classic's. I like them on my standard, but I am getting ready to try Mojo tone 500k vintage taper cts pots with 50's wiring in my 91' LP classic. I am even going to leave in the 496r and 500t pick ups in the classic may try a set of paf style later. I just wanted to point out that the pickups in Chris's LP were most likely 300kL volume and 500K A like mine. Excellent video Chris I am a fan and enjoy your style and I could really hear the difference in your AB comparison. Thanks!!

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

I have changed harnesses in all my Gibsons. And one of them have Monty's PAFs. They are great!

[@jimmyrhone68]

I'm making this wiring change on my les Paul. Looking forward to trying it out

[@stricknine8623]

Difference was there and as expected. The subtleness is remarkable. The guitar sounds fantastic either way. You would set EQ frequencies as desired in either case of whatever potentiometers are used. A Lester is supposed to have some extra grunt and growl in certain frequencies and slightly more roundness to the highs.

[@JohnZornAscended]

You build a tone circuit with different size caps. Basically a bandpass filter, it worked for me using 60s wiring. 50s wiring had a softer tone, but the 60s sounds more modern.

[@smc8144]

Yes. Less change than I expected but definitely an improvement. Cleaner low end like you mentioned. Hmm, now I’m considering making the jump on my 1986 LP Standard.

[@pierrederesistance]

A really reasoned sensible discussion. Ive got a 2000 les paul custom with 498r and 500t and really considering changing them out. I dont play the same pop punk stuff i used to, maybe ill try the pots ect first.

[@Dreyno]

I have the same pickups in my Les Paul and my SG. I lowered the pickups in the Les Paul and it lowered their output and gave them more clarity. I left them higher in the SG so even though they have the same pickups, they sound quite different.

[@pierrederesistance]

@@Dreyno Hi David, thanks for the reply. I've since gone further down the rabbit hole, lowered both pickups, raised the pole pieces on the neck and swapped the magnets in the pickups, the A2 from the neck to the bridge and the A5 from bridge to neck. I think the balance of the two is better now but they're really marginal changes.

[@Dreyno]

@@pierrederesistance Yeah. I’ve found most mods could’ve been replicated by tweaking a knob on the guitar, on the amp or on a pedal. Everything I have now is pretty much stock and will be left that way unless I decide to build my own partscaster. More time playing and less time modding is my motto now.

[@Head318Hunter]

I've been playing (mostly acoustic and Strat) since 1989. I'm must say.... dude.... you are seriously FN good.

[@JimmyKay1976]

I changed all the electronics over to 50s style wiring, including the switch. My Les Paul has never sounded better. I used a prewired harness and switch from Toneman, the 59 LP with PIO (silver) capacitors. Bourns audio taper pots. Pickups are Seymour Duncan Slash signature series

[@legalsolutions07]

Good vid. Even my old ears can hear a difference😝. I never knew the pots can make such a tonal change.

[@kendalljamesmusic]

the 5Ks are noticeably brighter when dimed, but for me, the biggest advantage is the difference in response as I adjust tone and volume. With 50s wiring and good, unpotted PAFs, (Throbak PGs for me) you have some really broad variability- especially in the middle position

[@amancalledlimey]

Hey Chris ....had the exact same experience ....dumped( sold) my Les Paul Trad goldtop despite installing OX4 low winds AND a new 50's wiring harness with bumblebees....still not enough of a difference in comparison to my 79 335 (Norlin Era) which is open and beautifully balanced in its higher end frequencies ....so my plan ....I have bought a revstar 620 in the meantime ....will be replacing the harness and dry switch for CTS 500k pots and paper in oil cap and putting in the OX4 Low winds along with upgrading the wraparound bridge for a pigtail....Ill let you know how I get on but love the revstar from a construction perspective and Im hopeful this will fill the Les Paul (style) gap in my collection .

[@theropavieja]

CTS is a good choice, I have a Gibson Les Paul standard with 500 xl CTS pots and it’s amazing sounds loud and warm!

[@GigsandGuitars]

Hi Chris, great video, I did this mod using Bare Knucke pots and their capacitors on my 2012 Goldtop Standard by throwing away the Printed Circuit Board and pots from this period. Sounds awesome through my valve Laney at low and fairly high gain stages 👍😊

[@marvinstorm9153]

Good general advice, thanks. I'm a fan of 1 meg pots, brightens tone of higher output pickups. But really 500 or 300 works for me, with standard 8k 3 Henry inductace, no radical duff. Don't forget inductance chaps. Strength of magnetic field. You need the right meter though. Resistance is not the only variable. To be frank pickup height will often solve many problems if you don't want to solder and muck about. Fix a height with all pole pieces screwed in then fine tune with lifting them to follow radius of bridge. Often G is way louder., So I take it down. So many variables. How hard you got even. That's my 10c worth!

[@Norkcam]

Any advice on the height of the pickups?

[@timwhite5562]

I'm surprised you thought the Burstbuckers were muddy. I had a BB1 &2's in an es335, and I found them to be really brash and thin. I recalled thinking they sounded more like a low output Duncan 59's. I replaced them with Fralins and was pleased with those.

[@mal2ksc]

I do indeed hear a difference, but I'd call it a cleanup of upper midrange more than treble. Doesn't matter what you call it, it sounds better and provides more options downstream. There are also tone pots (they don't work well for volume, for obvious reasons) that drop out of the circuit entirely when you dial them to 10. You're not going to get any brighter than that no matter what pot you put in, but it might make the specific choice of value less critical.

[@nicolaspanier1245]

Better with the 500k without any analysis (just a feeling!). Thanks for your all brillant videos and absolute great songs! Greetings from France

[@ChrisMartinsMusician]

Cleaner low end, brighter top end. Mids about the same. Much better overall tone IMO.

[@Steedonline]

I changed to CTS #bareknuckles 550k pots on my LP Custom and it's a whole new guitar. Controls are useable on the whole range with an infinite precision. I jave to roll down in bright amps and it allows me to go full on on darker amps. Absolutely ace !

[@Tehstroyer]

Would have to listen to a band mix comparison, but for the alone clips I think I actually preferred the 300k for rhythm and 500k for the solos.

[@davin6175]

It is a subtle difference in sound. To my ear, there is a bit more of an open, airy character to the 500K pots that lets the harmonics ring more on the lows and mids. I found it interesting that I did not like the effect the 500K had in the bridge only setting. It seemed to sharpen the highs to the point of making them thinner and a little more shrill. But there are a million ways to warm or round up the high end. I would gladly take that if it gives me more overall clarity! Thanks for sharing this comparison!

[@zer0tzer0]

If you want them to clean up more drop them lower. For some reason the closer they are the the strings the more unfocused they get. Try it. If you don't like it it easy to put them back. Another thing that helps is to replace your wiring harness with period correct wiring. The braided wire and 50's style wiring really does the trick. It's tougher to put back than pickups height, but worth a try. And I there is a difference

[@OnTheFritz602]

Just curious if the wiring is 50's "style", as apposed to the modern. That also makes a tonal difference. Very simple to change. Sounded good, and I could hear that it seemed a tad brighter with the new pots. Cheers!

[@bmcash3411]

To me, the 50s wiring gives a more linear response on the volume and tone controls

[@iagobroxado]

50's wiring keep a bit more treble when the volume control starts being rolled off, but it's a very mediocre improvement if compared to a decent treble bleed configuration using a capacitor and a resistor. It also changes the "feel" of the rotation of the volume knobs too (and I really don't like that!) - like Brandon Cash mentioned, it becomes somewhat more like a linear pot.

[@ChrisBuckGuitar]

Sorry, I thought I'd mentioned it in the video. Yes, it's 50s style. Huw changed it when switching the pots :)

[@OnTheFritz602]

@@ChrisBuckGuitar If it was mentioned, I apologize for not catching that. Didn't pause the vid to check out the wiring either. Sounds awesome!

[@howardpayne3983]

I think that tailpiece, bridges, saddles, nut are all equally important. As Paul Reed Smith says: anything in contact with the string is critically important. For a long time Gibson have used metalwork that is very different to those original 58-60 bursts. Check out the videos from the crazy obsessive American guy who runs SD Pickups. He does AB comparisons of replacing modern metalwork for NOS originals and it’s night and day in terms of clarity and definition IMHO. Keep up the beautiful playing BTW 🙏

[@jerbear1601]

Pretty sad when you buy a pricey guitar and have to get aftermarket hardware to make it sound decent and stay in tune. I guess they are using some kind of cheap Chinadium?

[@danielgrubb9496]

Almost like Gibson wasn't even trying from the factory.. lol. This is an instamod on any guitar though.. get a multimeter and know what you working with first and go from there. Sound is vastly improved!

[@dylans9405]

Another trick Joe walsh talked about raising G&B pole pieces on neck and bridge pickups. Did it to my 2014 r9 big difference, middle position Jimmy page clarity.

[@gitarbangsatchanel8036]

I'm soldering PU neck straight to jack output and sound is amazing.. the cable pot to switch,to jack output.. thats the problem muddy came from,,too many signal cut from the original pickup

[@PeterPug]

Very interesting...so, do you have to change the caps if you change the pot values? What is the contribution of the caps?

[@syynful]

There is a Minor volume drop when going to the 500... That being said you gained clarity of the mid to high frequencies which somehow warmed the overall tone. Cheers!

[@BillZad]

Nice video....the 500K are a little brighter, both sound nice.....Orange Drop- Polypropylene or Polyester caps.? Polyester are more musical if that makes sense @ 100V or 200V 223 J/K

[@ShaneMcCrae]

Listening through an iPhone 6 and Shure SE215 ear buds I noticed right off that the open strings on the E chord were brighter with the 500k pots. The difference was less obvious on the A chord part. Strange. I use RS Guitarworks pots, caps and wiring in everything. I find it makes a big difference in the tone and the roll off functionality.

[@HEZ63]

There are a lot of ways to optimize a Les Paul, some are more effective, others not so much. Pots are a good starting point, no doubt. But my personal - and for my taste most effective - favorite is, to change neck tone to neck bass-cut and bridge tone to master tone. Not only improves the neck pickup sound, while you do not lose the original sound, but also makes the combined pickup sound(s) much more flexible, as you get full bass control, which, if you use the right values, does not affect any mids or treble, so you do not need an additional Strat or Tele afterwards in my opinion, but also no new neck pickup.

[@andydan3053]

Cozy would certainly be proud of a certain Bob Richards on that clip

[@sampokantele]

I was today years old when I learned I should get pots changed on my old Fender Esprit. Different direction, though, from 1meg to 500k. Great tone/playing as usual!

[@richardpierce7819]

I also changed the pots in my Les Paul and went back to 22mf bumble bee caps. I also put in a set of Tone Rider pafs and it sounds remarkably like my friends 57 paul.

[@lumberlikwidator8863]

I think that with most "matched" or "calibrated" pickup sets the bridge pickup is too loud for the neck pickup. To correct this I usually set the bridge pickup about twice as far from the strings as the neck pickup, and I get a great sound, especially with the toggle switch set in the middle position.

[@amancalledlimey]

Tried everything to make my Goldtop Trad 2010 work for me incl new harness with bumblebees ...bone nut and a set of OX4 low winds ....still no airiness and thick as mud ...now its gone and have replaced it with a Yamaha Revstar 620 ...also modded the same and couldn't be happier .....ps my Norlin era 335 '79 is exceptional and my benchmark for tone!!

[@matthewf1979]

Everyone needs to try Mojotone 59 Clone humbuckers (hotter bridge available too, and I love it)and their “Vintage” taper 500k pots. I like Jupiter yellow caps because they’re made like the Bumblebee caps were in the late 50’s, which is Mylar film and aluminum foil. Very accurate to their stated value too. All three mods will be less than $240 including shipping!

[@Curtmitchell1]

Man, came for the pots stayed for the playing! THANKS

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

I’ve just put a montys 50’s wiring harness in my lp, good stuff

[@deuteronimus750]

Gibson Les Pauls guitars were also made of Honduran rather than African mahogany until 1975. Different wood density and degree of hardness.

[@SeasickSailor76]

I did the same mod to my 2006 SG. It made a very subtle difference. Yet, I still think it was worth it. (Five minutes later...) I'm giving up on attempting to verbally describe the change. :-D

[@green95gt]

For added tone hunting. Highly massed produced guitar models have been known to use inferior castings for bridges and tailpieces. Perhaps swap those out with high quality aluminium castings, or, try cold rolled steel ones. Oh, and make sure the threaded inserts for these are steel as well, irregardless of bridge/tailpiece material type. A quality bone nut, and quality tuners that fit snugly into the peghead holes makes a nice difference as well. With either fretted or open notes...! So check those as well if they didnt come standard...!

[@gibbanz22]

I think the pots do make a difference. There definitely is a brighter tone and air added. But at the same time, I don't think the 300k pots sound bad either. As you said, it depends on the band's situation. If I am the only instrument playing chords(no piano or a second guitar), the muddier sounding pots I have found work much better(I have a 2000 LP standard). Now, if I am not the only guitarist, my single-coil(strats or tele), or my LP Classic(94). Works much much better. Overall, before changing pickups change the pots. Much cheaper. Or just change them all at once.

[@2dazetake]

I would have to here you in a band setting, I liked both tones but the upgrade did make a difference in note clarity, especially when you hit that dissident chord at the end of that run.

[@Guitarooster52]

It did make some difference specifically in middle and treble positions. I just couldn’t hear it with the neck pickup.

[@ybabredi]

I only have a LP copy (Hondo) with Tonerider humbuckers fitted. I wired 180 Pf capacitors across the volume pots. It really enhances the sound when the volume knobs are rolled back. Very cheap and easily reversed mod.

[@markstretton2193]

The difference seemed fairly subtle. Oddly, I perceived that there was a volume drop - you may be right, Chris, about there being less low end. It could be that the volume could be increased slightly to compensate - given that our ears/brains tell us that 'louder is better', the tone improvement might be greater than is immediately apparent.

[@mrcarloselche248]

Great improvement. The guitar s sound got more body, less muddy, and sings more. My guitar tech improved the pots on my strats and it really makes a difference in sound.

[@jessefillmore]

Chris , when I hear people play original 1959 Gibson Les Paul's , the guitar sound mostly mid range . Bernie Marsden's 1959 is a prime example . When he did the video comparing all those Custom Shop 59 re issues to his original , his original had more mid range and high end in the bridge and middle position and not much bass . I believe not only does the pots make the difference but the hardware it's self is the reason . The newer hardware is less resonate and weighs more than the vintage hardware . I switched all my Gibson's hardware from stock to Faber/Corsa hardware . Don't know if you mentioned this in the video but would like to see you upgrade the hardware and see if there is a sonic difference . You are a great player dude ! Stay safe ! Keep rockin !

[@edmiglia]

I've been fine tuning the pole pieces in my PRS 245 with a Seymour Duncan JB and a Jazz in the neck. It really allowed me to even the volume of each string. It's much brighter and has more mids. It sounds like a Tele on steroids now 👍

[@DominicDeRose-o7b]

Killer tone in the intro! What amp are you playing into?