losing highs with bumblebees...

[Rickey_Dee]

hey!

i just wanted to replace the complete electronics in my les paul with cts pots and bumblebees... well... i was happier with the stock electronics before. now, even when i turn back the volume just a lil bit i'm losin highs, and even more when you continue turnin back volume. the guitar may sound a bit better than before with volume full up, but that's it. no nice clean sound with turnin back the volume, just "dull something".

the pots are all 500k (exactly they have about 480k).

this is what i bought:

http://www.crazyparts.de/00000099561085 ... d5a301.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i've read something anywhere about a treble-bleed-kit or something, can't exactly remember... but can it be that i spend about $100 for the electronics and then even have to buy something else to make it work??? weird in my eyes...

so if anybody can help me out, that would be very very cool... otherwise i'll put the stock electronics back in (i might keep the cts pots in).

thanks!

[Scumback Speakers]

I can tell you what's wrong. If you followed their wiring diagram in the linked pic below, that's the wrong one. What they have pictured is a "60's wiring diagram". That wiring scheme always does what you're complaining about. I changed it to 50's wiring on my 68 LP Custom just for this reason.


On the tone pot, the cap is supposed to attach to the center lug, and you ground the lug to the left of the center lug. They have this backwards in the above pic.

Here's a pic of a real LP Burst. Note where the cap is soldered, and the ground lug as I've described above. Change it to this and your high end will come back when you roll off the volume.


Simple fix. Try it and let me know if that fixes it. If not, then your caps ain't what you'd hoped. Sorry. (I have real bumblebees in mine so I know it's not the caps that cause this unless they're bad.) Good luck!

[Rickey_Dee]

Thanks a lot Jim, that did that trick!!!

but can you explain electonically what's the difference between 50's and 60's wiring?? i know that it works now, but i dont know WHY this works.

thanks anyway, now the guitar sounds better all the way!

[Scumback Speakers]

Something about how the different legs on the pot wiper and how they handle the frequencies when turned down. I always go back to 50's wiring, more organic and natural sounding. You can do the 60's wiring with a volume pot mod, too, but that's just more crap on the pots to solder in, and it works, but not as organic sounding as the other way, and more sterile.

[Rickey_Dee]

right, i noticed that it sounds more "natural" to me... i can't find the box with the diagram anywhere, but i BELIEVE that they called it the 50's wiring what was pictured there. the opposite... but now i know what is 50's and what is 60's, and from my own experince now i'll use 50's wiring only when upgrading another guitar. but damn i'm pretty happy that i haven't spent 100 bucks for nothing... puh. and at least for me it was worth it, the guitar really sounds better than before with the ceramic discs... but i believe that's the pots too, volume and tone act a bit different than before. there was always a little "jump" when turning up volume, now it's dead quiet without any jump when turning it up.

well whatever, thanks again jim!! haven't stopped playin yet, but now i have to leave... it's been enough playin for today.

[Scumback Speakers]

Hey, you're quite welcome, sir! Glad I could help you out. Next time you're out playing live, let us know how it worked out for you, OK? Every time I play out people keep coming up and asking me how I get those great clean tones just by rolling the volume knob. I just smile...heh heh.

[Frank_Heritage]

Hi Jim,

can't see/find your mentioned pic!?

Here's a pic of a real LP Burst. Note where the cap is soldered, and the ground lug as I've described above. Change it to this and your high end will come back when you roll off the volume.

[Scumback Speakers]

It's right there below where I mentioned it in the above post. I'm looking at it right now. Not sure why you can't see it.

http://southbayampworks.com/wiring/50'swiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[myfoot]

?? I could see it before too but now I'm not seeing anything ..Weird .

This link tells me the page can't be found
http://southbayampworks.com/wiring/50wiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Scumback Speakers]

It's still in the thread above, and when I click on the link it opens in a new window.

Must be an internet issue outside of California.

Can you see this one?

[Flames1950]

I can't see it either. Tried the last couple of days and today but no dice.

Get it working!!! I've seen way too many different "takes" on 50's wiring and I was really looking forward to seeing it!!!! Don't make me come out there...........

[philmanatee]

Here's one of my friends '54. Phil

[Scumback Speakers]

You gents have got some lame fricking computers, I tell ya!

Alright, everyone who wants this wiring pic just email me and I'll send it to you, OK?

sales@southbayampworks.com

[Flames1950]

Funny.....the '54 pic shows the center lug of the tone pot soldered to the casing like the instructions that came with his bumblebee kit said to do........

[philmanatee]

Funny.....the '54 pic shows the center lug of the tone pot soldered to the casing like the instructions that came with his bumblebee kit said to do........

Yeah, I took that shot none of the solder joints had been broken. Phil