Luke II Tone pot replacement.

[Craiguitar]

Hi,
My Luke II needs a new tone pot (the existing one is noisy / crackling). Also I get the impression, comparing the sound to my Luke 1 (which has no tone control in the circuit) that the tone pot is sucking quite a bit of the top end away even when it's turned fully up. I swear it didn't used to be like that.

Anyway, I'd happily swap it out like-for-like if it solves the crackling issue. My Luke II is older so does not have the solderless type pots. I'm looking for a standard 'non-solderless' 25k tone pot, can't buy them from the EMG site anymore, so what do I need? Looking at it, i'd say the stock part is a Bourns solid shaft 25k pot. I see Mouser stock them. Or, does anyone have any cool mod ideas for wiring the tone pot so it has a no-load option, making the circuit more like the Luke 1?

 

[Craiguitar]

I had read somewhere that there is no such thing as a 25k no-load tone pot, because having one would make no real difference to the active circuit. However, clearly it's possible to have an EMG circuit with no tone pot at all (as per Luke 1) so my thinking was, how about having the tone pot there still on all pickups as normal, but have the ability to disable it (no load) not really to give a boost, but just to stop the tone pot acting on the circuit cutting the high end. I'm probably way off I realise, and I'm sure this topic has been addressed before on other forums regarding EMGs.

One thought I had was putting in a push-pull pot, to give the option of disengaging it from the circuit?

 

[Craiguitar]

I've passed the guitar to my local tech, with the aim of doing the 'push-pull' 'no-load' tone pot mod. Will see how that works out. If it's a no-go, then I'll just get a standard replacement 25k tone pot.

 

[DrKev]

Yep, no load pot should be irrelevant on an active circuit (the pickups coils are buffered). The Luke I single coils were slightly different, hence the added top end (SAs in the Luke I, vs SLVs on the Luke II).

 

[Craiguitar]

Yep, no load pot should be irrelevant on an active circuit (the pickups coils are buffered). The Luke I single coils were slightly different, hence the added top end (SAs in the Luke I, vs SLVs on the Luke II).

Yes, I had read that elsewhere and that seems to be the consencus. I'm inclined to agree.
However my tech reckons that taking the different single coils out of the equation (and they aren't really the issue anyway to be fair) the tone pot is still acting on the EMG85 in some small way. Whether that explains the difference I hear between the Luke 1 & II is debatable, we're likely talking nuance rather than night & day difference. I will report back on the outcome of this either way. Like I said, I'd be happy with a basic new tone pot just to get rid of that annoying 'bacon frying' crackle! I do hate noisy pots.

 

[Craiguitar]

Update on this.
Okay, I had the mod done, replacing the standard tone pot (which was scratchy and needed replacing anyway) with a 25k Push-Pull, which defeats the tone control when pulled up. A sort of no-load thing.
And guess what...it works! Big time. To my surprise, there's an audible difference on all pickups when the tone control is disengaged. What you get is a tiny increase in volume, and a hint of added spank to the sound. So I'm happy with that. The other positive thing is, the new tone pot, when engaged behaves much better than the old one, not crackly of course, but also a little nicer sounding, it doesn't seem to muddy up the sound as much as the old one did, so maybe the old one was having a negative impact even when turned up full, thus prompting this whole exercise. Well, whatever, I'm happy with the results!

 

[Tollywood]

... Well, whatever, I'm happy with the results!

That is what matters! I'm glad it worked out well for you.

 

[kimonostereo]

Late to this post. I was going to say that you could try the True Gold faulty tone control wiring scheme too. Glad it worked out for you!

 

[Craiguitar]

Thanks guys. I'd recommend the mod. It's subtle but noticeable at low volumes, and at high volumes, gig level then it comes into its own. Not exactly a 'button of doom' but more like a 'full shred' switch.

 

[Rev-al]

Thanks for this recommendation. Could you please advise which pot you bought and where you sourced it ? I'm interested in trying this.
Thanks

 

[Craiguitar]

Thanks for this recommendation. Could you please advise which pot you bought and where you sourced it ? I'm interested in trying this.
Thanks

Hi, I didn't buy it, my tech did, but it looks like a standard 25k push pull pot. I've seen similar pots available from EMG, so that's probably what it is. It looks exactly like this:
EMG Poti Push/Pull 25 kOhms normal - Thomann UK

 

[ZeroFivefour]

Craiguitar,

Congrats on getting your luke 2 in working order. Sounds like you got it to be better than it was before!

Thanks for the mod info as well. If I ever acquire a Luke 2, I am going to do this mod as a result of you posting this.

I always said there was no real TONE in those Tone pots.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[DrKev]

The other positive thing is, the new tone pot, when engaged behaves much better than the old one, not crackly of course, but also a little nicer sounding, it doesn't seem to muddy up the sound as much as the old one did, so maybe the old one was having a negative impact even when turned up full, thus prompting this whole exercise. Well, whatever, I'm happy with the results!

The new pot may help and he may have changed the tone cap for a different value. What ever he did, I'm glad you're loving it!

 

[Craiguitar]

The new pot may help and he may have changed the tone cap for a different value. What ever he did, I'm glad you're loving it!

Thanks man,
He used the existing cap off the old pot as far as I can see, and I got the old pot back, minus the cap. I'd put the improvement down to the new pot for sure.

 

[Craiguitar]

Craiguitar,

Congrats on getting your luke 2 in working order. Sounds like you got it to be better than it was before!

Thanks for the mod info as well. If I ever acquire a Luke 2, I am going to do this mod as a result of you posting this.

I always said there was no real TONE in those Tone pots.

Cheers,

Tom

You may have a point there. I hereby name this mod the 'Luke II No Load mod'. Bless all who sail in her...etc.

 

[ZeroFivefour]

You may have a point there. I hereby name this mod the 'Luke II No Load mod'. Bless all who sail in her...etc.

Love it!

Cheers,

Tom