Help with S-500 PTB cap values and bass pot taper

Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:37 am

Haven't been here in a million years, but recently re-entered the G&L world with two Tributes (S-500 and Fallout)

I need help interpolating the S-500 Schematic Block Diagram to the S-500 Picture Diagram. http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY2/main.php?g2_itemId=8077
I can see from the block diagram that the Treble Cut uses a .022uf cap (C4) and I understand the two caps on Bass Cut to be a .0022uf and .001uf, but I'm not clear on which is which in the photo. Clear as mud, right?

Secondly, can I use a "regular" A1M pot for the Bass Cut, but wire it "backwards"? IYKWIM

I want to wire one of my Fenders with the PTB

Thanks

Re: Help with S-500 PTB cap values and bass pot taper

Thu Sep 29, 2016 10:00 am

Emarcey wrote:Haven't been here in a million years, but recently re-entered the G&L world with two Tributes (S-500 and Fallout)

I need help interpolating the S-500 Schematic Block Diagram to the S-500 Picture Diagram. http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY2/main.php?g2_itemId=8077
I can see from the block diagram that the Treble Cut uses a .022uf cap (C4) and I understand the two caps on Bass Cut to be a .0022uf and .001uf, but I'm not clear on which is which in the photo. Clear as mud, right?

Secondly, can I use a "regular" A1M pot for the Bass Cut, but wire it "backwards"? IYKWIM

I want to wire one of my Fenders with the PTB

Thanks


Hi Emarcey,

OK, here's what you got. There are two caps on the back of the bass control but only one of them is used for the bass cut feature. That cap would be the .0022uf capacitor and that one solders between the pots center lug and Clockwise lug. The other cap (.001uf) is the pickup loading capacitor. It's function is to lower the resonant frequency of the pickups (make them sound a bit deeper) and it is soldered from the bass pots center lug to ground (the back of the pot). NOTE: There are times during the history of the S-500 when the pickup loading capacitor (.001uf) was not present. When the pickup loading capacitor is not used, the pickups will sound brighter.

As for wiring a 1MA pot backwards for the bass control, you can do it and it will work backward. It feels very weird at first but eventually you'll get use to it. Hope this helps.

Paul