Which pots for a Gibson SG?

[Gerr]

I have a Gibson SG that I plan on installing new pickups and do a wiring overhaul to get rid of the crappy circuit board system that came with it. I plan on getting BL-USA pickups, the 500R/500XL combo, use high end pots, Switchcraft toggle switch & output jack, and .022 Orange Drop caps, so the wiring system will be top notch.

My first question is should I go with the popular pot brand of CTS, or go with Bourns which is what my guitar tech recommends, who is an electrical engineer by trade? Even his main distributor recommends Bourns over CTS based on failure rates and overall quality. CTS is the big name that everyone seems to use and love and there are lots of dealers offering tighter than standard tolerances on CTS pots. CTS being the bigger name brand would only help if I ever had to sell the guitar. On the other hand, I have an electrical engineer and an electrical engineering distribution company both recommending Bourns saying it's a higher quality pot. I am torn.

My second question is what value of pots should I use? The Internet seems to buzz with recommendations of 550K pots. Problem is my guitar tech, says that is not a good idea on brighter guitars like the SG and with brighter pups like the BL blades. He recommends getting as close to 500K without going over the 500K mark. He also said this is exactly what Bill Lawrence told him back in the 80's when he worked for Bill as a sales rep.

So, CTS or Bourns, and 500K or 550K pots?


And to stop the argument of BL-USA vs Wilde pups before it begins, my guitar tech will sell me BL-USA at his cost and has them in stock where Wilde is more expensive and it would take several months to get pups from them last I heard. Thus I am going with BL-USA, end of story!

 

[DPaulCustom]

I wouldn't consider resale for your pot choice, I'd keep the original pcb for that, selling point being all factory original.
That being said, lots of people will recommend the cts, cause that's what most people use. There are also a fair few that prefer the bourns pots.
At this point, I'd say, go with your gut, you have electrical engineers telling you the bourns pots are better, (less failure) if you trust their opinion, go for it. As for pot value (500 or 550) if you get the 550 & it's too bright, you can always dial it back some to take the edge off.
"You can take the brightness out, but it's real hard to put it in."

 

[gitmohair]

If you trust your guitar tech then why not follow his advice?

 

[freddarl82]

For Volumes, I've been REALLY impressed with the CTS Vintage Taper pots. I'm using both the 500K's in my Gibsons and the 250k's in my Strats. Fantastic taper, low turning resistance. I bought mine at MojoTone. For Tones, standard CTS 500K.

I sprung the money on an expensive Bournes pots (the blue one, about $15 each) and was extremely disappointed. I bought a 250K for a Strat and it only measured about 230K -- within spec, but given the taper I measured on my multimeter, I never even bothered putting it in a guitar.

As far as failure rates and reliability, if you are only considering CTS and Bourne, this is a non-issue in a guitar circuit -- unless you're worried one will fail in 20 years vs. the other one in 25 years...

Gibson uses Switchcraft switches and jacks. However, I did notice the following with the stock switch that came in my 2013 50's Tribute: although it had "Switchcraft" stamped on the leg, it felt lighter and a little more flimsy than past Switchcraft switches I've had. I replaced mine with a long-legged Switchcraft.

 

[gitmohair]

I wouldn't consider resale for your pot choice, I'd keep the original pcb for that, selling point being all factory original.

Good advice

 

[freddarl82]

Others were posting as I was typing, but a further word about "reliability":

Between Bourne and CTS, this SHOULD NOT be an issue in a guitar circuit. For other applications an EE would consider, sure...higher voltages, high-temperature operating environments, dusty conditions, etc. But, safely enclosed in the control cavity of your SG with less than 1 volt going through it...not a factor.

Given that your tech is also a EE, I think he's overthinking it (typical of EE's )

 

[Gerr]

Good advice

Good idea. I never plan on selling a guitar when I get it, but it happens way too often. Was planning on selling the PCB system to help pay for the upgrades, but might be better to just keep it in case I do decide to sell it. Even I can install that PCB system into a SG if a buyer prefers that and it helps sell the guitar.

 

[Gerr]

If you trust your guitar tech then why not follow his advice?

Because his advice often directly contradicts the info I read here and on the Internet in general. His advice is usually sound, but sometimes seems dated as most of his music industry experiences are from the 80's when he was in a band and owned a guitar store & repair center. Things were different back then and while some of his advice makes a lot of sense, some does seem dated.

Case in point...back then, he claims no working musician kept stock parts in any guitar, even Gibsons, and that everyone had the guts of their guitars removed and redone with new pups, wiring, pots, etc. However, the trend today seem to be to keep guitars as stock as possible.

 

[freddarl82]

However, the trend today seem to be to keep guitars as stock as possible.

Except here in the Tonefreaks section .

 

[duaneflowers]

This is what I put in mine... along with the Black Beauties...

I also installed SD Antiquities... she purrrrrrrrrrs now...

 

[gitmohair]

Case in point...back then, he claims no working musician kept stock parts in any guitar, even Gibsons, and that everyone had the guts of their guitars removed and redone with new pups, wiring, pots, etc. However, the trend today seem to be to keep guitars as stock as possible.

I'm not sure any of the guitarists I know keep their working guitars stock :/ Mine certainly aren't.

I would say though that people who mod stuff now tend to hang on to anything they remove where it would be practical to reverse mods - that certainly wasn't the case back in the day IME.

 

[Telechamp]

This thread made me curious about the pots, wiring, caps, toggle switch brand, etc. on my stock '08 Gibson SG Special Faded.

Anybody know that particular info for this axe? Just curious..

Here's a rear shot with the backplate off, if that helps.. I had the backplate off to spray a little DeoxIT on the scratchy toggle switch. Wondering if these Special Fadeds have Switchcraft switches? (I'm thinking probably not..)

Thanks for any info ~

 

[MATTM]

Case in point...back then, he claims no working musician kept stock parts in any guitar, even Gibsons, and that everyone had the guts of their guitars removed and redone with new pups, wiring, pots, etc. However, the trend today seem to be to keep guitars as stock as possible.

I think the exact opposite is true. Back in the day, a pickup change was a somewhat radical.

Today, swapping pickups, pots/caps, wiring, plastics etc.. is the everyday norm.

 

[Tone Man Guitar]

I have been using Bourns pots in all my work for several years now. They make a great product. Well made and long lasting.