How to make my Les Paul more brighter

[major]

I have a Les Paul with Duncan's installed, JB at bridge and Jazz at the neck. I would like to make the tone a little more brighter overall. Do I just change out the tone cap, if so what value??

 

[BarkingTree]

Nah get an aluminum tailpiece..Gotoh stop..T...and bridge if desired.

 

[Mike9]

Upgrade your volume pots to 500k audio taper and get some nice PIO, or orange drop caps. The light weight tailpiece will add a little ping and that won't hurt either, but the electronics will give you a big improvement over the stock 300k linear taper ones Gibson uses.

 

[Bluesbuff]

The JB is not a very bright pickup, I just removed one from my LP std. You could try something more PAF-like, maybe a Pearly Gates.

 

[fr8_trane]

No load 500k tone pot
Different tone cap
Brighter pickup

 

[Chuckracer]

Change your strings to Stainless.

 

[RvChevron]

Change your strings to Stainless.

That or if you find the stainless to be too rough feeling, get a set of strings with hex core wound strings.

Also try raising the polepieces higher and lower the overall pickup height.

It also doesn't hurt to try out 1meg volume and tone pots. Put a treble bleed cap on the volume pot also.

 

[12guitdown]

Upgrade your volume pots to 500k audio taper and get some nice PIO, or orange drop caps. The light weight tailpiece will add a little ping and that won't hurt either, but the electronics will give you a big improvement over the stock 300k linear taper ones Gibson uses.

+1

Check out RS guitarworks for a http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/product_info.php?cPath=31_59&products_id=108Electronic Upgrade Kits.

 

[loudguitarz]

Try 50s wiring...

 

[sidehatch]

Cheapest thing is to get 500k audio taper volume put. If its not enough get a 1 meg(1000k) audio taper pot.

Next, New PU's-try to stay under 8 k neck to mid 8k bridge. If you get those type of PU's a 500k pot is a perfect match.

If it were my guitar I'd keep the jazz neck-get an 8k or so PU for the bridge. Then I'd get 4 new 500k pots that are audio taper. I'd get CTS or better yet dimarzio unless you want to play top dollar at RS


Lastly, if you buy the pots from a local shop have them tested with an ohm meter before you leave. You can easily get a 400k post for a 500k. Id rather have 600k pot than a 400k in a les paul.


Also install a 1000 Pico farad (also kown as a .001) cap across the volume pot(look on fralin PU's to see where it goes) It can add some perceived brightness when the volume is turned down.

On all my guitars I have a .001 cap on the volume control. If I want a bighter sound I'll knock it down to 9 instead of 10 and it cleans and brightens it up big time.

Just remember in general the higher the output PU's the less treble it has. The higher ohs the pot is the brighter the overall sound will be. The volume pot makes 90% of the difference so start there. the tone control value adds anothe 10% or so to my ears.

Rememebr those bright a$$ tele's from the 70's that were like knifes in the ears? That was becasue thety used a 1 meg pot. I think it would work great on an overwound humbucker like jb but never single coils.

So to recap- For a cheap test get a 1 meg pot for the volume pot and a .001 cap for the treble bleed. Try that and see what you think. It may be perfect. If its too bright get a 500k vol pot. If its still not right get lower output/brighter PUs and get 500k pots that are TESTED!!

good luck
Aluminum tailpiece will help a LITTLE but cost a lot

 

[HoboMan]

Try Gibson Brite Wires strings, seriously.

 

[Bo Faulkner]

+1

Check out RS guitarworks for a http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/product_info.php?cPath=31_59&products_id=108Electronic Upgrade Kits.

+1. The vintage kit with Some paf style pups

 

[Mike9]

All RS electronics parts are 15% off till Sunday March 8th in the online store. I need to order me some pots - WooHoo :AOK

 

[Tone_Terrific]

Step one, disconnect all the wiring and jumper each pup directly to the the jack so you hear what each pup is capable of without loading it in any way.
If that isn't bright enough, I would look to different pups OR wire the pups into parallel configuration and try again.

When you connect the pots, etc, even if you change to 1M pots, just wire and test at each step to find out if you have installed too much loss. Use jumpers to cut down on the work. Plan for a lot of spent time.

 

[NortheastHick]

How about a brass nut?

 

[Fauxkinbacker]

Turn it.

 

[siore]

Tone caps first.

 

[deluxemeat]

agree re: aluminum tail.

 

[DrewB]

If good 500K pots don't get you the rest of the way there, it ain't gonna happen. Either the wood has it or it doesn't. I've been down this road with a couple of Les Pauls that didn't have it, and there's only so much tone change you can eke out of parts replacement.

 

[BarkingTree]

Light it on fire like Jimmy it will get brighter!
RS kits are the way to go from the buzzing..around here.