Need to upgrade my new LS125F ??

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Anung Un Rama

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Hi!

I have ordered a Tokai LS125F on Tuesday and I'm thinking if it'll be good idea to change the electronics to CTS & Switchcraft like models above mine. Are stock originals good or need to change?
Talking about pickups, I have no experience with MK2's. I own a Gibson Explorer and switched stock pickups to a SD Alnico Pro II set to get the natural tone of the wood and much better control (with stock pickups harmonics are ineludible). Will MK2's satisfy me in this pint? natural tone, balanced sound...
 
Of course I will try these pup's and hope to like them. I prefer not to change anything, keep the guitar all stock; that's the reason for asking if it's NECESSARY change electronics to pair the quality of the wood & assembly with the electronic part.
As I have read here, MK2's have an unusual resistance set: 7.5K for neck position (which is good) and 11.5K for bridge (maybe too hot).
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not looking for the best clean & bluesy tone but I have learned with my guitar that the less resistance have the pickups the more natural tone you get and 11.5K possibly makes up the sound. If I need a hot sound, I crank the amp.
 
The Mk II's are really good pickups, the bridge doesn't sound as hot as it is, I think you'll like them. As for the electronics, as long as they are 500K pots in there it doesn't matter if they are CTS or Alpha or whatever, the only pots worth changing IMO are super cheap small Chinese ones ro broken ones. Personally I prefer Alpha to CTS, the CTS pots are too stiff.
 
Try the beast first before even contemplating changing things!!

My god, why buy a great guitar and thinks you know how to modify it before even playing it, listening to it, feeling the neck etc etc etc

Settle down & PLAY it, I'd sell a fair few guitars of mine to pay for one like that
I wouldn't even dream of modifying it until I played it for a few months
Modifying degrades the value of the instrument instantly!
Cheers
 
The "newer" LS125s come with top-notch electronics. The pots are better then most CTS you get nowadays (5%).

I sold a 2005 LS125SEB last week and still own 2 of them.

The caps will probably be Orange drops, no need to change them unless you really want the "sparkle". But then you would have bought a Breezy or Springy and would play through a Twin or Deluxe.

Rup
 
rgrafend said:
... top-notch electronics. The pots are better then most CTS you get nowadays (5%)... The caps will probably be Orange drops...
Click to expand...

:eek:

It seems that keep it all stock is the best idea. Thaks for your support to everybody! :D

Daniel
 
Finally received my new ?08 LS125F 3 weeks ago, and my pickups measure:

- Neck: 7.55k
- Bridge: 8.31k

That means that mine are Gotoh instead Keiyo? (Keiyo bridge is about 12k)
Whatever they are, I can say that these pickups have no balls compared to an Alnico Pro II set installed in a Gibson Explorer. Obviously Explorer's sound must be more powerful by shape and construction, but my Tokai sounds weak, palm mutes have no power :evil: Both sets are moderate, but Duncan gives me more with the same.
Is this normal? MK2 pickups are too smooth or my guitar has no balls? :cry:
 
Hi there. I have two Love Rocks - a LS65 with Gotoh MkIIs and a 2005 LS150 which the UK distributor lists as having 'custom PAFs or Wilkinson' pups. I don't have the equipment to measure the pickups but levels through a VU meter show the LS150s pups as having a little more output than the MKIIs. Subjectively, on the same settings, however the MKIIs are better balanced between the neck and bridge and have a 'fuller' more powerful sound. The LS150's pups sound much more vintage and airy and I would argue have more character played clean.

As you will know these pups are voiced to replicate the relatively low output vintage sound of the original PAFs and are not wax potted. If you are used to a more modern voiced pickup they may sound 'weak' in comparision. However I would play around with the pickup heights and more importantly your amp settings/EQ as your current settings may not suit. Assuming you don't have an electronics issue you should be able to get them dialled in to your satisfaction without resorting to new pickups.
 
LS125Fs are great guitars man....

They're vintage sounding...but its a great sound....

Top notch quality too!
 

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