Custom Shop 57 Custom Pot questions

[SFW]

Last year my wife got me a 2003 57 Custom. It was used, but in really good shape. The previous owner had replaced the original pickups and harness. He had installed a set of Florance VooDoo 59s. The neck pickup hd always been a bit dark, but I just assumed that it was because the guitar is all mahogany. Well, yesterday I decided to replace the bridge volume pot because it was starting to cut out. I installed a new CTS 500k pot, and immediately noticed that the top end was livelier. So I metered the pot and discovered that it was 450k. So I decided to check the pot on the neck pickup. Also 450k. Changed that one out as well. Huge improvement to the neck pickup tone. So, what pot values did the original 50s guitars come with. 500k... correct?

 

[Drayve85]

Not trying to be a douche, but you can google EVERYTHING you’re asking in your post, here!

 

[DrewB]

500K, but often measured quite above that

 

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

Last year my wife got me a 2003 57 Custom. It was used, but in really good shape. The previous owner had replaced the original pickups and harness. He had installed a set of Florance VooDoo 59s. The neck pickup hd always been a bit dark, but I just assumed that it was because the guitar is all mahogany. Well, yesterday I decided to replace the bridge volume pot because it was starting to cut out. I installed a new CTS 500k pot, and immediately noticed that the top end was livelier. So I metered the pot and discovered that it was 450k. So I decided to check the pot on the neck pickup. Also 450k. Changed that one out as well. Huge improvement to the neck pickup tone. So, what pot values did the original 50s guitars come with. 500k... correct?

Peter Florance pickups are amazing. He used an Alnico 5 magnet in the bridge pickup and an Alnico 3 magnet in the neck pickup. He designed them for a 59, per say the name. Almost all humbuckers in general sound darker, louder and muddier in the neck position on most any guitar including the 59 Les Paul with a maple top. This is because the strings vibrate a further distance in that position than in the bridge. That is the reason Peter used the Alnico 3 in the neck as magnets with a lower residual inductance bring out highs in your pickup. They are usually a great pickup for the all Mahogany body Les Paul guitars and probably why the last owner put them in. It is possible that you got two Voodoo 59's that have alnico 5 magnets in them. If you can get your hands on a Cast Alnico 3 magnet it would be worth trying in your neck pickup. If you can't get a Cast Alnico 3 magnet you can also try getting a Cast or Sintered Alnico 2 magnet. Another option if your neck pickup isn't a bunch louder than your bridge is a Sintered or Cast Alnico 8 magnet.