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G&L Club Part 7

#27,521
Ugh, Bit of a quandry, these pickups also would require different value pots, bringing me around to the
age old question, do I take an original discontinued production 22 year old instrument and start messing with everything in the hope that it *maybe* will work better for me?
I would do it to a tribute in a heartbeat…..and I have done it to many Rick 4004s, but that's only because the factory pickups and electronics were not well matched to begin with…..
 
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#27,524
Ricky Rioli said:
I was trying to find a catalog or advert for the El Toro. And failing.

And then I came across a November 1982 price list. It's interesting to see that back then, wood and woodwork were relatively cheap, while pickups and electronics and finishes made a big difference to the price.

SB–1 $349
SB–2 $399
— the SBs had a small range of solid finishes, and were maple fb only
— case add $70

L–1000 $629
L–2000 $786
— these were available with natural / trans finishes
— ebony fb add $20-30
— metallic CAR or gold add $140
— case add $110
Click to expand...
Just as a reference I bought a new Precision bass in 1973 with lawn cutting money.
I think natural finish might have been an up charge but the bass out the door with a hard case was $235.
 
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#27,527
woodyng2 said:
Maybe "require" was an inaccurate statement, but dual coil pickups work best with 500k pots.
That's also what the Demarzio website specifies. Aren't most SC wiring harnesses using 250k pots?
I know it would work, but not necessarily be the best combination.
Click to expand...
I remember reading on a well known luthier tool and parts website a few years back that a 250k pot cut more highs than a 500k. That's why it's more popular on a SC bass than a 500k. It helps tame some of that brightness. Whether that difference would be something you'd really notice is anybody's guess.
 
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#27,528
jglunt said:
I remember reading on a well known luthier tool and parts website a few years back that a 250k pot cut more highs than a 500k. That's why it's more popular on a SC bass than a 500k. It helps tame some of that brightness. Whether that difference would be something you'd really notice is anybody's guess.
Click to expand...

Good point on an often overlooked aspect.

A while ago I got hold of a custom bass that had Lollar T-bird pickups, all passive circuit. The vol and tone pots were 250K. Curious about it, I contacted Jason Lollar....he said all T-bird humbucker pickups (including his) should have 500K pots for best performance. Presumably that meant a fuller representation of the entire frequency range, freeing up some highs that are otherwise cut out with 250K pots? I'm no expert, but that's my take away from the convo, and I'll gladly take his word for it.

Right now my passive St Blues PJ basses with Kent Armstrong pickups (s/c jazz pup), are wired with a 500K vol for the splitter. The overall effect is a huge increase in high freqs, while still keeping the "wanted" lows...works out like an added dimension to the sound. Love it, brings flats to a much more present level.
 
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#27,529
Iridescentone said:
Good point on an often overlooked aspect.

A while ago I got hold of a custom bass that had Lollar T-bird pickups, all passive circuit. The vol and tone pots were 250K. Curious about it, I contacted Jason Lollar....he said all T-bird humbucker pickups (including his) should have 500K pots for best performance. Presumably that meant a fuller representation of the entire frequency range, freeing up some highs that are otherwise cut out with 250K pots? I'm no expert, but that's my take away from the convo, and I'll gladly take his word for it.

Right now my passive St Blues PJ basses with Kent Armstrong pickups (s/c jazz pup), are wired with a 500K vol for the splitter. The overall effect is a huge increase in high freqs, while still keeping the "wanted" lows...works out like an added dimension to the sound. Love it, brings flats to a much more present level.
Click to expand...
It's really good to have that info from personal experience. Thanks for sharing that!
 
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#27,530
jglunt said:
I remember reading on a well known luthier tool and parts website a few years back that a 250k pot cut more highs than a 500k. That's why it's more popular on a SC bass than a 500k. It helps tame some of that brightness. Whether that difference would be something you'd really notice is anybody's guess.
Click to expand...
It was extremely noticeable going in the reverse direction on my Ricks with humbuckers. The factory 320 spec pots were more like 170, and were completely robbing the highs from those pickups.
 
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#27,531
woodyng2 said:
Maybe "require" was an inaccurate statement, but dual coil pickups work best with 500k pots.
That's also what the Demarzio website specifies. Aren't most SC wiring harnesses using 250k pots?
I know it would work, but not necessarily be the best combination.
Click to expand...

Never heard any notable difference swapping to 500K pots on my basses (double coils or not)
 
#27,532
jglunt said:
I remember reading on a well known luthier tool and parts website a few years back that a 250k pot cut more highs than a 500k. That's why it's more popular on a SC bass than a 500k. It helps tame some of that brightness. Whether that difference would be something you'd really notice is anybody's guess.
Click to expand...
You can always try by yourself, you either hear it or you do not.
 
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#27,533
svtbass said:
Blasphemy
El Toro IS the Beast.
Happy Cinco De Mayo TORO! TORO!
View attachment 5052670
Click to expand...
A '82 is for sale at a 4-hour drive from my place.
Looks very clean for a 40+ years old instrument.
Seller wants €2,000 (US$ 2,000).
Checking lines on the headstock - Nitro finish?

upload_2023-5-7_12-22-2.png
upload_2023-5-7_12-22-38.png

upload_2023-5-7_12-24-43.jpeg
 
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#27,534
jglunt said:
I remember reading on a well known luthier tool and parts website a few years back that a 250k pot cut more highs than a 500k. That's why it's more popular on a SC bass than a 500k. It helps tame some of that brightness. Whether that difference would be something you'd really notice is anybody's guess.
Click to expand...

I swapped the 250kohm pots on my former Guild B302 with 500kohm pots and it was a renaissance, opening up the somewhat muted character of the pickups. Nice thing is that it's reversible if you don't like the outcome.
 
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#27,535
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#27,536
Glazenn said:
A '82 is for sale at a 4-hour drive from my place.
Looks very clean for a 40+ years old instrument.
Seller wants €2,000 (US$ 2,000).
Checking lines on the headstock - Nitro finish?
Click to expand...

Other than the checking lines (nothing to worry about) that one appears to be in great condition. My clear-finish El Toro has them on the body and considering the headstock I'd bet that one does too. ASK. I've never seen one go as high as $2000 in the US but your market may be different. See if they're negotiable before making that long drive. Checking lowers the value but not the tone.
 
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#27,538
Ricky Rioli said:
(1) anyone ever taken the treble bleed cap off the vol pot of their otherwise stock LB-100?
(2) ditto, but with flats?
Click to expand...
I didn't take one off of an LB-100, but for some unknown reason, my Tribute JB-2 came with one on the neck pickup pot. I took it off and can't say I heard a difference. My understanding is that all it's designed to do is to let more treble bleed through when you're not playing that pickup at full volume. At full volume on that pot, it does nothing at all. I have a friend who put one on the neck pickup pot on an SB-2, and it caused a bunch of hum. No explanation for that. On an LB-100, I can't see that it would hurt anything one way or the other. If you want a little less treble as you decrease volume, just remove it. (If the bass explodes, seek medical attention, and remember, you never heard about that here.)
 
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#27,540
svtbass said:
Other than the checking lines (nothing to worry about) that one appears to be in great condition. My clear-finish El Toro has them on the body and considering the headstock I'd bet that one does too. ASK. I've never seen one go as high as $2000 in the US but your market may be different. See if they're negotiable before making that long drive. Checking lowers the value but not the tone.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about the lines... just make sure the weight is right for you.
 
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