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Zero's Agile Owner & Enthusiast Bar-- cheap guitars, cheap drinks


Mister Zero

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I did a quick probe into the bowels of my agile, I might be gutting her... :-o There's just something missing from the sound, I'm going to do a little gamble and bet it's the pickups before I send her along her way. I'd be open to any suggestions on what this electronic set up might benefit from. I think the pots are 500K as they say that right on the backs. I don't know how to tell the value of this cap I've pictured below, or what the right value should be for that matter. Again, suggestions? I'm looking for a clear, clean, crisp tone that doesn't muddy up when I roll volume knobs back. Tone knobs that make a nice change when adjusted, not just turn to mud. Will changing any of what's pictured make this possible?
cavity1.jpg

cavity2.jpg

what kinda cap is this? Is it SUCKY?
cap1.jpg :-o

I am thinking about gibson 490 alnico and 498 alnico pickups to put in there.

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Well it looks like it will be quiet that black paint is a shielding type. The cap is an inexpensive type, of course, probably a polyester cap. I would get an oil-in-paper cap or a CDE(Sprague) 716P(polypropelene type)value of .022/400 or 600 volts for the bridge pickup and .015/400 or 600 volts for the neck pickup. Also do the Les Paul 50's wiring mod. I have attached a diagram of the 50's wiring versus wiring on your Agile and modern Les Pauls. The pots can wait, so try the new caps and the 50's wiring first.

:)

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Hi,

I've been reading this Forum and am very impressed with the enthusiasm shown for these guitars. So much so that I would like to get one. The only problem is that RONDO won't ship to Germany. I would be particularly interested in a black LP custom type guitar. If anyone has any ideas how I might be able to get my hands on an Agile I would be very pleased to hear from you.

 

Cheers.

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Originally posted by gt5litre

Well it looks like it will be quiet that black paint is a shielding type. The cap is an inexpensive type, of course, probably a polyester cap. I would get an oil-in-paper cap or a CDE(Sprague) 716P(polypropelene type)value of .022/400 or 600 volts for the bridge pickup and .015/400 or 600 volts for the neck pickup. Also do the Les Paul 50's wiring mod. I have attached a diagram of the 50's wiring versus wiring on your Agile and modern Les Pauls. The pots can wait, so try the new caps and the 50's wiring first.


:)



Call me a luddite but my agile is my first paul style guitar in my 15 years of playing. What does the 50's style mod do? My read of the schem says it allows you to run in the middle pos with one volume totally backed off. Is that it?

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Originally posted by cutterbuck



Call me a luddite but my agile is my first paul style guitar in my 15 years of playing. What does the 50's style mod do? My read of the schem says it allows you to run in the middle pos with one volume totally backed off. Is that it?

 

 

It allows for independent volume controls in the middle switch position. It is a really useful mod for blending your neck and bridge pickups. I always convert my H-H guitars w/3-way switches to this configuration. I've posted a link below that has many useful wiring diagrams, including a variation of the mod described here.

 

BTW cutterbuck, welcome to the Agile club. If I were closer I'd buy a few pints for you and your mates to toast your new guitar!

 

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/

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Hi gang!

Well . . I received my blue LP2500 yesterday and it played like a charm right out of the box. I was very impressed. I have never played a Les Paul (I am an Ibanez man myself) so this was a cheap way to see if I like the feel. I must admit it is a beautiful playing guitar.

Ok . . . here is the bad news. About halfway through rehearsal last night I noticed the volume knobs weren't turning as easily as they were out of the box. When I inspected it furthur I noticed that two of the knobs had worn grooves into the paint. It almost seemed like the knobs were not made for the body of the guitar.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so what is the solution?

Thanks in advance!

Bryan

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Originally posted by vai_fan

two of the knobs had worn grooves into the paint.

 

 

This is typical, I'm afraid. Get some cardboard, cut out circles the size of the pot shaft and poke it into the knobs. That should raise the knobs far enough to stop the scraping.

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Yes it does allow you to blend each pickups volume level when using the middle position of the selector switch, but it does more. It gives you better tone when you roll down the volume control. It does not let the tone get muddy or as muddy as it would with the standard wiring. I will also give you a more useable tone control.

gt5litre

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Originally posted by gt5litre

Well it looks like it will be quiet that black paint is a shielding type. The cap is an inexpensive type, of course, probably a polyester cap. I would get an oil-in-paper cap or a CDE(Sprague) 716P(polypropelene type)value of .022/400 or 600 volts for the bridge pickup and .015/400 or 600 volts for the neck pickup. Also do the Les Paul 50's wiring mod. I have attached a diagram of the 50's wiring versus wiring on your Agile and modern Les Pauls. The pots can wait, so try the new caps and the 50's wiring first.


:)



How hard is that switch? Since mines going under the "knife" tonight when I get off work (Im throwing a Seth Lover Ive had laying around for some time in the neck just for kicks:D ) I may look into that. Is it really worth it?

[EDIT] Oh yeah, got those 11's on there now, and WOW!!! What a difference in the tone versus what I did have on there. These have a more thick, full sound.

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Originally posted by gt5litre

Well it looks like it will be quiet that black paint is a shielding type. The cap is an inexpensive type, of course, probably a polyester cap. I would get an oil-in-paper cap or a CDE(Sprague) 716P(polypropelene type)value of .022/400 or 600 volts for the bridge pickup and .015/400 or 600 volts for the neck pickup. Also do the Les Paul 50's wiring mod. I have attached a diagram of the 50's wiring versus wiring on your Agile and modern Les Pauls. The pots can wait, so try the new caps and the 50's wiring first.


:)



Why use 400 or 600 volt for tone caps? They aren't protecting you like say a 400 volt cap wired in between the strings and the guitar ground.

The guitar only has very very small amounts of electricity in it, why try and fit those big caps in an already cramped space?

I'm not trying to be a dick, I just really can't think of why you'd need tone caps that big.

-Pete

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Very simple they sound better. The color the sound less and do this by being faster caps. They can better transfer an audio signal than a lower voltage cap. They are better able to handle the rapid rise and fall of an audio signal. This has been a well known principle in audio/stereo equipment for many years. A paper-in-oil cap is also better at transferring the signal with less degradation. Ceramic caps are the worst cap for audio.

Now there is a point you will reach where the size of the cap will inflict harm on the signal, its known as inductance. All of the caps discussed here are of a small value and don't have a large inductance. If you are talking about 1000 to 1600 volt caps or caps of a higher capacitance lets say 1 mfd yes the increased inductance will roll of low and high frequencies. Like I said that will not affect the low level signal of a guitar with the small capacitor values used here.

gt5litre

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Well... shoot. I guess ya do learn something new most days. Too bad all my mods were with normal sized caps, I guess this next guitar will be the testing bench for high voltage caps.

On a different note.... When I got my blue lp2500 there was buzz from the low e and the D and G were sticking in the nut. I emailed Kurt to ask how much he wanted for a graphite nut to replace this one. The next email I got was a tracking number, Sweet!

So I installed that last night and it made a huge difference. Even with brand new strings it tunes easily and holds it VERY well now.

So I'm happy again :D

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Originally posted by reverbboy

Has Kurt offered a natural Quilt top 2800? I saw one for sale. It was marked as a 2800, but I thought these were 2500s.


Any help would be 'preciated...


rb

 

 

There was one a long time ago on the website, but it hasnt been there in quite some time. Email Kurt and ask if he still carries them, or mabye if he could order you one.

 

[EDIT] Otherwise, just keep an eye peeled on fleabay for a used one

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I was reading a few things on reissue caps on the Gibson Custom Historic section of the Gibson website. Gibson used Sprague Bumble Bee Caps on the late 50's series of Les Pauls. The value they used back then was .022 mfd at 600 volts. Gibson went through a process of getting a reissue cap for the Historic Series and they used the same value and voltage.

gt5litre

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They shouldnt rub.

The Agile pearloid top guitars come with these knobs and don't rub. I kinda think the top hats look best on an LP styled guitar though. Speed knobs are ok i guess as long as they match the color scheme of the rest of the hardware. I visualize the metal knobs on superstrats and hot rodded strats.

 

Though I have them on an old 70's Memphis LP copy that i'm re-topping.

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