Gibson Wire Harnesses:

smitty_p said:
Did you measure the threaded section of the output jack to see if the .260" will be long enough? I'd hesitate to ream away additional wood from the body to allow the .460 shoulder to be recessed into the body. Can you try test fitting to see if the output jack extends through?

As for the Bourns pots, I had to do that with my Washburn when I replaced all the electronics. The Bourns were wider than the stock pots. I went ahead and enlarged the holes. I didn't care because that was an imported guitar and of minimal value. I believe CTS pots use a narrower threaded portion.
Click to expand...


Yep...the Bourns' pot shoulder is .0406" in diameter and .062" thick. Bourns recommends a .0411" hole, but I would probably make that tighter...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Yep...the Bourns' pot shoulder is .0406" in diameter and .062" thick. Bourns recommends a .0411" hole, but I would probably make that tighter...
Click to expand...

Just keep in mind, once you go Bourns, you're committed!

Other brands, like Alpha or CTS may be narrower. Look them up and double-check to be sure, but if you enlarge the holes for Bourns, the holes will possibly be rather loose if you try to replace them with something else later on.

For me with my Washburn, I'm completely content with the Bourns and had no issue enlarging the holes, but it's just something to consider.
 
I just reamed an Epi body to accept real pots. I found that the Gibson branded tone pots were a smaller diameter than the CTS volume pots I had. I know this doesn't help you Robert! Just adding info to the thread.
 
smitty_p said:
As for the Bourns pots, I had to do that with my Washburn when I replaced all the electronics. The Bourns were wider than the stock pots. I went ahead and enlarged the holes. I didn't care because that was an imported guitar and of minimal value. I believe CTS pots use a narrower threaded portion.
Click to expand...

Bourns and CTS have the same size shaft, like you get on US-made guitars by Gibson and Fender. Alpha pots have the metric-sized shafts like Epiphones

I enlarged the holes on my Epiphone Explorer for CTS pots with a tapered reamer. Eventually I enlarged the front hole (old neck volume pot location) even further with the same reamer to accept the deep nut on a short style Switchcraft selector switch.
 
Update - after trimming the copper tape out of the hole, the .460" shoulder on the Switchcraft input jack pulled easily into the hole in the body.

The Tone Man harness really does sound good with adjustability far exceeding the stock Gibson PCB.

The .033uf bridge and .015uf neck Russian K40Y tone caps really have a nice tone.

Neck pickup 7.8k @ 56 degrees bridge pickup 7.93k @ 56 degrees but look how they are adjusted to make the volume even!!!

IMG_20170218_11248.jpg
 
Well, It's back together after a long time sitting in the corner. I don't have any knobs yet...the Bourne pots have 6mm 18 spline course shafts, according to Tone Man.

None of my USA Gibson knobs fit...

Need to find some reflective top hats that will work with my pointers...IMG_20170218_55235.jpg IMG_20170207_6963.jpg
 
Robert Herndon said:
I don't have any knobs yet...the Bourne pots have 6mm 18 spline course shafts, according to Tone Man.

None of my USA Gibson knobs fit...

Need to find some reflective top hats that will work with my pointers..
Click to expand...

Check out Stew-Mac. I have Bourns on my HB-30 and used black speed knobs that I bought from Stew-Mac. They fit fine.

I don't know if they have top-hats, but it's worth a look.
 
Are you sure they don't fit??? You do know that the split shafts are designed to be squeezed together and spread apart, right? Any knobs you buy for this will most likely be the same size. Gibson, CTS, and Bourns are all the same size shaft. Epiphone, MIJ Fender, Alpha etc have a smaller metric shaft.

Okay, to make sure you don't stuff this up and snap the splines on the pots, put a matchstick in the split before attempting to squeeze them together so that you can't squeeze the shaft too hard and break it. Then with some small pliers just squeeze the shaft very gently so that the split narrows a bit, and test fit the knobs.

If you ever find that the knobs are a bit loose, you can put something down the split and VERY GENTLY spread it a bit.
 
Dave Sloven said:
Are you sure they don't fit??? You do know that the split shafts are designed to be squeezed together and spread apart, right? Any knobs you buy for this will most likely be the same size. Gibson, CTS, and Bourns are all the same size shaft. Epiphone, MIJ Fender, Alpha etc have a smaller metric shaft.

Okay, to make sure you don't stuff this up and snap the splines on the pots, put a matchstick in the split before attempting to squeeze them together so that you can't squeeze the shaft too hard and break it. Then with some small pliers just squeeze the shaft very gently so that the split narrows a bit, and test fit the knobs.

If you ever find that the knobs are a bit loose, you can put something down the split and VERY GENTLY spread it a bit.
Click to expand...


Good advice....

Both my Gibson SG PCB and the 2017 Gibson Les Paul Tribute PCB have fine splines. The AllParts witch hats and the bell knobs fit them perfectly.

To solve the mystery, I contacted Tone Man (Gary Standefer) directly. He told me the Bourns pots in my harness require 6mm coarse 18 spline knobs.

I found a set of Gibson-style reflector top harts from GFS....
 
I'd say that the knobs he says you need are probably the ones you've already got. Just try what I suggested above if you haven't already. Don't forget the matchstick
 
Dave Sloven said:
I'd say that the knobs he says you need are probably the ones you've already got. Just try what I suggested above if you haven't already. Don't forget the matchstick
Click to expand...

If you peer into the knobs I have, all are fine spline. The ones I just ordered from GFS are 6mm X 18 spline coarse, which matches the Bourns pots, according to Tone Man...but I will keep you tip in mind for loose knobs!!!
 
Not sure I told you...but a 15/64" drill bit, turned by hand, converts find spline pots to course spline...IMG_20170227_19672.jpg IMG_20170227_11212.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top