Guitar Gear Forum

source the parts separately or get a kit?

those kits can be pricey, I'm cheap, so I'd source it. I buy most my electronics at mammoth electronics, their prices aren't bad and you could get just about everything you needed to upgrade the electronics

I was just shopping/researching into a kit for my LP.
I think I'm going with this RSGuitarWorks kit.
http://store.rsguitarworks.net/pre-wire ... haft/dp/66

looks like $30 plus shipping for 4 pots, 2 caps, 3 way switch, and 1/4" jack.

erm, yeah.

that seems like the way to go.

I'm a cheap bastard as well, so pretty much everything I use I source, which is usually just a couple of pots and some wire. Saudering isn't hard. The only time I change shit out is when the pots wear out though.

although I wouldn't mind trying out some PIO's caps in my SG, those will run you some money.

Hugh Jaynus wrote:looks like $30 plus shipping for 4 pots, 2 caps, 3 way switch, and 1/4" jack.

erm, yeah.

that seems like the way to go.

Well when you put it like that....

rock flag and eagle wrote:although I wouldn't mind trying out some PIO's caps in my SG, those will run you some money.

I was just looking......$22 each for the fancy ones.

Lots of cool places for parts. I like guitarelectronics.com and they have an excellent database of wiring diagrams.

I'm looking to replace the stock stuff in my SG standard.

Hoping true 500k pots will open up the tone a little, so I don't have to replace the pickups.

30 bucks for all of that seems really high...figure a couple bucks for the pots (8 bucks), couple bucks for the switch (10), caps are cheap as shit and another couple for the jack...

Yeah, I'd be sourcing the parts myself

KCTigerChief wrote:30 bucks for all of that seems really high...figure a couple bucks for the pots (8 bucks), couple bucks for the switch (10), caps are cheap as shit and another couple for the jack...

Yeah, I'd be sourcing the parts myself

Doesn't seem high to me if you are buying quality parts. If you are just buying the cheapest shit you can find, then why bother?

In 35 years of playing I don't think I have ever changed electronics in a guitar, I just leave 'em stock. I've changed lots of pickups but not pots, jacks, etc.

Does it really make a big difference in tone?

Diddlybo wrote:In 35 years of playing I don't think I have ever changed electronics in a guitar, I just leave 'em stock. I've changed lots of pickups but not pots, jacks, etc.

Does it really make a big difference in tone?

It definitely can.

My SGs have a switchcraft switch and jack so no need to upgrade that. The tone controls are also already 500k. The stock caps are fine. I'd get 2 500k pots for the volumes and call it a day. It's what I did with mine.

guitarbilly wrote:My SGs have a switchcraft switch and jack so no need to upgrade that. The tone controls are also already 500k. The stock caps are fine. I'd get 2 500k pots for the volumes and call it a day. It's what I did with mine.

All of the pot resistance in mine feel loose......not sure if it's from use or what, but the taper feels all wrong too.

I'm going to replace all the pots and the 3 way, and wire it up in the 50s wiring scheme.

Got a jack anyway for my Agile.

guitarbilly wrote:My SGs have a switchcraft switch and jack so no need to upgrade that. The tone controls are also already 500k. The stock caps are fine. I'd get 2 500k pots for the volumes and call it a day. It's what I did with mine.

get push/pull pots for tone and volume and you could do some cool things with those

Yarbicus wrote:

KCTigerChief wrote:30 bucks for all of that seems really high...figure a couple bucks for the pots (8 bucks), couple bucks for the switch (10), caps are cheap as shit and another couple for the jack...

Yeah, I'd be sourcing the parts myself

Doesn't seem high to me if you are buying quality parts. If you are just buying the cheapest shit you can find, then why bother?

Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks are the cheapest shit????

I mean, what does the 30 dollar kit come with? CTS pots I could see bumping the price up to that level...But you are the first person I've heard who thought Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks were cheap shit...Better throw away most of the amps and pedals you've ever used then

Side note...if we are talking CHEAP chinese shit, then you could easily buy all that stuff for about 7 bucks or less...

It wasn't a kit. I just priced out the parts I needed in my cart.

I couldn't find them any cheaper.

Hugh Jaynus wrote:It wasn't a kit. I just priced out the parts I needed in my cart.

I couldn't find them any cheaper.

Your username cracks me up every time I see it

Are there any push pull pots in your order? Those are expensive, and that would make sense. But mammoth has Alpha pots for about 2.25, and you can find them cheaper if you look around. That's what I was basing my numbers on. Just fyi

KCTigerChief wrote:

Yarbicus wrote:

KCTigerChief wrote:30 bucks for all of that seems really high...figure a couple bucks for the pots (8 bucks), couple bucks for the switch (10), caps are cheap as shit and another couple for the jack...

Yeah, I'd be sourcing the parts myself

Doesn't seem high to me if you are buying quality parts. If you are just buying the cheapest shit you can find, then why bother?

Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks are the cheapest shit????

I mean, what does the 30 dollar kit come with? CTS pots I could see bumping the price up to that level...But you are the first person I've heard who thought Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks were cheap shit...Better throw away most of the amps and pedals you've ever used then

Side note...if we are talking CHEAP chinese shit, then you could easily buy all that stuff for about 7 bucks or less...

Settle down there, cowboy! Didn't mean anything by it. And, yes, I was thinking CTS pots. I just checked out Mammoth and they do have really low prices on Alpha pots.

rock flag and eagle wrote:

guitarbilly wrote:My SGs have a switchcraft switch and jack so no need to upgrade that. The tone controls are also already 500k. The stock caps are fine. I'd get 2 500k pots for the volumes and call it a day. It's what I did with mine.

get push/pull pots for tone and volume and you could do some cool things with those

To be honest, I even disconnected my tone controls completely. I really like my guitar to be as simple as possible. If I need a single coil tone, I just grab my strat. It sounds better than a split SG anyway

Yarbicus wrote:

KCTigerChief wrote:

Yarbicus wrote:

KCTigerChief wrote:30 bucks for all of that seems really high...figure a couple bucks for the pots (8 bucks), couple bucks for the switch (10), caps are cheap as shit and another couple for the jack...

Yeah, I'd be sourcing the parts myself

Doesn't seem high to me if you are buying quality parts. If you are just buying the cheapest shit you can find, then why bother?

Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks are the cheapest shit????

I mean, what does the 30 dollar kit come with? CTS pots I could see bumping the price up to that level...But you are the first person I've heard who thought Alpha pots and switchcraft jacks were cheap shit...Better throw away most of the amps and pedals you've ever used then

Side note...if we are talking CHEAP chinese shit, then you could easily buy all that stuff for about 7 bucks or less...

Settle down there, cowboy! Didn't mean anything by it. And, yes, I was thinking CTS pots. I just checked out Mammoth and they do have really low prices on Alpha pots.

It's not just mammoth man...Alpha pots just aren't expensive CTS pots are great, and then if you do PIO caps, etc...then sure, you could spend 70 bucks doing this

KCTigerChief wrote:It's not just mammoth man...Alpha pots just aren't expensive CTS pots are great, and then if you do PIO caps, etc...then sure, you could spend 70 bucks doing this

CTS kits can be had for around $40 and that is the route I typically go. Of course, my tool box is so full of parts right now that I rarely need to buy anything these days. Planning a full rewire of my RGX1212s and will likely go with CTS pots because, why not?

Yarbicus wrote:

KCTigerChief wrote:It's not just mammoth man...Alpha pots just aren't expensive CTS pots are great, and then if you do PIO caps, etc...then sure, you could spend 70 bucks doing this

CTS kits can be had for around $40 and that is the route I typically go. Of course, my tool box is so full of parts right now that I rarely need to buy anything these days. Planning a full rewire of my RGX1212s and will likely go with CTS pots because, why not?

I dig CTS pots...In fact, that's what I'll be redoing my Epi LPC with when I get off my ass and actually do it