BaCHbird

[Dave W]

The cap value may affect the tone quite a bit, or the difference can be so small you won't really notice it. Just depends on the particular pickup and circuit.

The usual 250K pots for single coils/500K for humbuckers is a general guide for guitars, nothing more. As we've discussed here before, Gibson has used 300K linear taper volume pots on most humbucker models since 1973, not 500K audio taper as some think. Whatever works.

[the mojo hobo]

According to a schematic dating from 1974 Gibson used a 500K volume and 250K tone pot with a .047 cap.

I did change the cap on mine to a .100 and it does make a pretty big difference, but it only when the tone control is set at or near to zero. If you always run the tone at 10 you won't see a difference at all.

[jumbodbassman]

Mojo - is that on the artec pickup or did you replace it with something else. 

[the mojo hobo]

Funny you should ask. That was on the Artec, but after changing the caps and listening to the difference I did change the pickup to a S.D. Basslines soapbar I happened to have. Changing the pickup made very little difference at all.

[jumbodbassman]

after hearing the Lull tbird pickup samples on his website i am  craving them real bad.  Very expensive  so i guess that will depend on how much i like the bach when she shows up.  seems to me most have kept the artecs in so i may be pleasantly surprised.  I have  sd soapbars in a few basses.  the HB versions i find  somewhat dark sounding which is not what a tbird is about.  I put a cheapo china circuit in that bass ( brazilian made k smith lookalike - imbuia over mahogany) i got for about 15 on ebay and it made a big differnce in that bass.  I will probably change cap and pot to 500 and see what that does first.

[TBird1958]

 Turn this up loud and run thru some good speakers............



 It's my single pickup Lull wired with 500k pots and a .47 cap, my TH-1 is wired exactly the same and sounds pretty much like this too.

[jumbodbassman]

those Lulls sound tremendous.  I find it hard to believe the artecs sound close to that.  I will have to follow you on this Mark .  My redhead will be getting Lulled unless i am blown away by the stock pup. 

[Dave W]

According to a schematic dating from 1974 Gibson used a 500K volume and 250K tone pot with a .047 cap.

I did change the cap on mine to a .100 and it does make a pretty big difference, but it only when the tone control is set at or near to zero. If you always run the tone at 10 you won't see a difference at all.

I would go with the schematic, at least as a starting point.

Maybe I should clarify, I was talking about Les Paul Standard guitar wiring, since that's been the typical 2 humbucker setup that others have copied. The conventional wisdom is that they have 500K audio taper volume pots when they actually have been 300K linear taper since 1973.

[shadowcastaz]

I just bought some orig . gibby 300 k pots on evilbay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Genuine-GIBSON-potentiometers-300K-Audio-taper-pots-/270574293512?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3eff7c1208

[the mojo hobo]

Some Gibson basses were wired with a 250K volume and a 300K tone pot. Among them L-9S Ripper, EB-3 and EB-3L Series 2, and the EB-4.

[TBird1958]

 Off topic here..........

Where's the "Q" E-5 AB set Avatar?   

[Basshappi]

Mark that sounds awesome, sure ain't no Fender huh!

Are you playing with a pick on that track and is that just amp overdrive?

Love it!

[TBird1958]

Mark that sounds awesome, sure ain't no Fender huh!

Are you playing with a pick on that track and is that just amp overdrive?

Love it!

Hey Dan,

 I'm using my single pickup Lull with a pick, this was the first show I played with my Traynor YBA-200 all tube amp out 2 GK 4x10 SBX cabs. I'm not pushing the amp hard maybe half way, most of what you hear is coming from the FOH.   
 My BaCH does sound pretty much the same, and while I'm taking my time with it the Cherry TH-1 is getting the same - new Lull pup and pots + a custom painted black headstock.


 

[Denis]

I finally bothered to take my TH-2 over for a setup (the neck had a tiny little dip in it around the 12th fret, which I'd never notice but Terry did) and Terry switched out the pots for CTS 250s. Man, it sounds great (more forceful with a lot more sustain) and while I was sitting in the shop playing with it a little crowd gathered around. It certainly catches people's eye!

I was thinking about these black Thunderbird pickups I have and because of the scarcity of the old style metal covers, I'm wondering if I can chrome plate these instead. They are plastic, right? If they are, are they the type of plastic which even can be chrome plated.

[Hornisse]

I wonder if the spray can chrome paint would work on them?  The auto parts stores usually lock up the chrome and gold spray paint because they are favorites for huffing.