EMG Het Set in Gibson LP Historic RI

[Wizard of Ozz]

Question: If you are installing a EMG Het Set in a Gibson Les Paul Historic Reissue, would you still want to use the long shaft pots listed on the EMG site made for Les Pauls... or the regular short shaft???

Reason I ask is with standard CTS etc audio taper pots you need short shaft pots for the Historic Reissues... and long shaft pots for regular production Les Pauls. Was wondering if the same applied with EMG pots?

 

[ChurchHill]

I'm not sure, as I've never installed EMGs in a Les Paul, but... if you're using short-shaft pots for passive pickups, then the short-shaft EMG pots should fit just fine. I believe that you are correct, too that the reason EMG recommends long-shafts is that's what regular production uses. At least that's what I think. Can't think of anything EMG-specific that would require long-shafts if the guitar doesn't. Then again, the only guitars I've ever installed EMGs in all used short-shafts, so...

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I'm not sure, as I've never installed EMGs in a Les Paul, but... if you're using short-shaft pots for passive pickups, then the short-shaft EMG pots should fit just fine. I believe that you are correct, too that the reason EMG recommends long-shafts is that's what regular production uses. At least that's what I think. Can't think of anything EMG-specific that would require long-shafts if the guitar doesn't. Then again, the only guitars I've ever installed EMGs in all used short-shafts, so...

Thanks.

That’s about what I was thinking too.

 

[fretout]

I used short-shaft pot on my 68RIs. They BARELY fit though.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I used short-shaft pot on my 68RIs. They BARELY fit though.

Awesome. Thanks for the pic. As luck would have it... these are for a 68 Historic RI.

Would you have preferred the long shaft pots better? Or do you think they would stick up too high?

Thanks.

 

[fretout]

I used short-shaft pot on my 68RIs. They BARELY fit though.

Awesome. Thanks for the pic. As luck would have it... these are for a 68 Historic RI.

Would you have preferred the long shaft pots better? Or do you think they would stick up too high?

Thanks.

Anytime man!

I actually tried the long shaft pots FIRST, and I tried shimming them so that they sat at the forefront depth, but they felt too wobbly, even with a nut and washer on both ends, so I made a whole new electronics package with the two remaining pots (the alphas in this pic), and used some PIO caps.

With the long shafts, they had too much play in them, and because the little tab that sticks up off the housing doesn’t “catch”, they tending to wiggle around whenever you turned the knobs, so they had to go.

The 68RIs are some of the best guitars Gibson’s made in the last 20 years. Congratulations!!!

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Thanks for the guidance. Much appreciated. Short pots it is then. You saved me money and time. I liked what you did with the PIO caps. I'm not a fan of their solder less kits... so I'm going to solder mine together as well.
Thanks,


Love my 68 RI... killer guitar.

 

[steve_k]

Long shaft.

 

[fretout]

Thanks for the guidance. Much appreciated. Short pots it is then. You saved me money and time. I liked what you did with the PIO caps. I'm not a fan of their solder less kits... so I'm going to solder mine together as well.
Thanks,


Love my 68 RI... killer guitar.

Thanks man! Yeah, I tried the PIO caps with the EMGs, but I didn’t notice much difference tonally, but the taper of the pots actually works a little better, where when you turn your volume knob from 1 to 4 it gradually increases the volume, whereas the normal EMG kit seemed to go from 1 to fully on when you get to 4 or 5 on the pot.

Just to show you how much space you have on the shortshaft pots, here’s another pic that has the EMGs installed. If you look at the control knobs, you can see how much clearance you have left, and I still put the level indicators (the little washers with the triangular bit that slices your fingers open) on the pots...

 

[Norton666]

Long shaft for sure. I put the Het Set in two LPs and the short shafts weren't long nough