Will these pots fit in 81 Love Rock?

[Tim Z]

First, I want to really thank you guys for all the help and advice while I am fine tuning my new Tokai Love Rock. I have been looking at all the options for replacement pots and caps, and in the end feel that it is not worth another $100+ to replace the pots and knobs in a guitar that I may play 5 to 10% of the time in my band. It was mentioned to me that the Alpha Pots are decent and will not require me to ream out the maple top to fit CTS pots. So will these 500k pots at Stew Mac FIT in my 81 Tokai Love Rock?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Standard_Control_Pots.html

I emailed them and they told me they are Alpha pots with a 6mm diameter split shaft. I am hoping that I can just pop these in, with no mods required, and use the same original knobs, but they were unable to cross reference them for my guitar.

Next question . . . does it really make much of a difference which caps you use? I may only put a cap in for the bridge pickup, as I will never use the tone control for the neck pickup, and I believe it will be brighter and sound best with no tone control hooked up to the neck pup. So for the back pup, will these 0.020 caps be sufficient:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Caps_%28capacitors%29.html

or is there truly a big difference in paying $20 for a cap?

Much appreciated
Tim

 

[Tim Z]

Hmmm, I guess I'll just have to order them and hope that they fit through the holes. I don't mind changing things on the guitar (i.e. pups, electronics, etc.) that can be swapped back to original, but I really do not want to change things (i.e. make holes bigger) that are irreversible changes and could possibly devalue the guitar, unless there are no other options.

Cheers
Tim

 

[Mick51]

First question: Yes, they should fit with no alteration to the holes required.

Second question: Tone capacitors elicit a sort of religious fervor regarding what sounds better/best, and why. I have no interest in being chased through the village with pitchforks and flaming torches. Should you want to upgrade the caps, you certainly don't need to pay outrageous prices to do it. Tough to beat Orange Drops, and they're about a buck a pop. Let you ears (and your own biases) guide you.

 

[Tim Z]

Thanks very much for confirming that Mick. I will order those Alpha pots tomorrow.

With regards to the caps, in all my 43 years of playing I have never noticed any differences between various caps, but then I have never gone out of my way to pay more for special ones. I did talk to a couple of really good local electronic techs, and they both assured me that it is impossible for any pot to sound better or worse. They can be constructed better, last longer and have different sweeps, but cannot sound different. Similarly, they said as long as you have the tone pots turned on full, the caps cannot have any effect on the sound at all. They did say that different caps and values will only effect the tone when it is applied (i.e. turned down). Since I never use the tone control at all on a front humbucker, and usually leave the back on about half way, I am just going to go with the cheap ones like Orange Drops. So in the end for just over $10 I can swap the pots, and it should sound just as good.

I just wish all the new parts would arrive now so I can get this guitar happening for me.

 

[Mick51]

I just wish all the new parts would arrive now so I can get this guitar happening for me.

Too bad it's not like microwave popcorn. I'm not too good at waiting, either. My dog and I sit by the front window and wait for the UPS truck.