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Pot values in CS '60 VOS Les Paul Special

Ade71

New member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
8
Hi
I’ve had search but can’t any specific answer.

Does anyone know, or anyone identify from the pic, what values the volume and tone pots, and the value of the bumblebee caps would be in my Gibson Custom Shop '60 VOS Les Paul Special?


B366DE63-5BD1-43D6-8EE9-41BA3A2CFC58.jpeg
 

PaulD

Active member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
673
Not sure about the pots but I would guess the volume pots will be either 300K or 500K and the tone pots will be 500K. They will have the value marked on the side of them but it can be difficult to see when they are in the guitar. The capacitors are 0.022 uF.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
What year is your Special.
To get specfic readings you will need to measure each one individually with a multimeter.
 

Ade71

New member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
8
Thanks for the replies. It’s a 2009 in TV White.

I always assumed they would be 500k all round. But I also have an ‘87 LP Jr that I chose to replace the pots in because the volume was scratchy and no amount of spray would permanently fix it. In researching what to replace the volume pot with I read lots of conflicting opinions about P90 Jrs and Specials sand the values of the pots, everything from they originally had 500 all round, 500 for Vol, 250 for Tone and then even suggestions that modern ones have 300k pots in the mix too. Anyway, I just put both 500k Vol and Tone pots in my Jr and was immediately surprised how it sort of woke the guitar up. More high end and clarity but in a good way.

My 2009 Special is Custom Shop and I’m reluctant to change any of the wiring and electrics unnecessarily, but it just had me wondering what values they are.

Final question; what’s the best way to read a pots value with a multimeter in situ?
 

PaulD

Active member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
673
You can measure the tone pots in situ, just put your meter probes on the outer 2 lugs of the pot (the one that is grounded and the one that has nothing connected to it). The volume pots can't be measured in circuit as you will be reading the resistance of the pot in parallel with the pickup, you need to unsolder one end of the pot first, either the lug that the pickup wire connects to or the lug that is grounded need to be disconnected before you can measure it.
 
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