# RS Guitarworks Electronics Upgrade



## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

I've put the RS stuff in two of my guitars. The first was an Agile 335 clone. I put in an RS COMPLETE kit at the same time I upgraded to SD 59s. Wow! Major difference (you can probably read an old post about this guitar).However, I wanted to see how much of a difference the RS stuff made on its own _and_ see if the difference was noticeable in a more expensive guitar.

I just got my 19991 American Strat back with the RS kit installed. It's a huge improvement. There is much more detail and depth to the sound. Also, my tone controls are actually useful and allow me to dial in my sound. Highly recommended. Start with the electronics upgrade before swapping pickups.

TG


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I agree, too many guys jump into high priced pickups when a pot and cap upgrade is all they really need.

And the RS stuff is supposed to be great, but I won't buy from them until they start using USPS to Canada. (unless they have and I don't know it yet)


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

They do ship to Canada via USPS, but they insist on a tracking number and that really adds to the cost. You are looking at over $20 to ship a handful of parts. I complained about this but they said too many customers simply claimed the package never arrived and therefore RS had to eat the loss. 

The good thing about it is that long after you have forgotten the expensive shipping you are enjoying much better tone!

TG


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I almost forgot about that upgrade. I am looking to upgrade the electronics on an Epi Dot and was going to buy some CTS pots etc... but if RS GW make that much of a difference, I may go with that. What's the deal with the Jensen Caps, though. I know they are included in the vintage kits but individually they want $16-17 for one cap! Better be some wicked mojo in those caps.

So, TG, you really found it make a big difference in your USA Strat?? 

I upgraded mine with Dimarzio Area 58 (neck and middle) and Area 61 (bridge). Very sweet sounding pickups and no hum. At all. Completely silent. Bridge sounds kinda thin on it's own but when it's in the Bridge/Middle position it sings.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Stratin2traynor said:


> What's the deal with the Jensen Caps, though. I know they are included in the vintage kits but individually they want $16-17 for one cap! Better be some wicked mojo in those caps.
> 
> So, TG, you really found it make a big difference in your USA Strat??


RS has their stuff made to their own specs so the cost is higher. Also, all their stuff has much tighter QC so that the variance/tolerance with the components is much smaller than the off the shelf stuff (try measuring 500k or 250k pots and you will be amazed with how off their true values can be).

Yes, it made quite a difference in my Strat. There is just more clarity, detail, and depth, to the sound. The difference wasn't as drastic as taking a cheap guitar and installing really good pickups in it, but it is a clear improvement that is easily heard through a decent amp. I actually use my tone controls now to tailor my sound. I still basically "set and forget" the tone knobs but I can refine my sound better than before; this is especially true of the bridge pickup where I can retain the sparkle but dial out some of the harsh ice pick attack. Very nice.

Only problem is now I want to upgrade the pickups to make it sound even better. Lollars here I come . . . 

TG


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I picked up some RS Superpots off a LPF forum member, haven't installed them yet. I buy CTS audio taper 500Ks from Guitar Electronics in the US, they charge something like $5 for freight. And I buy old Bees off of Ebay.

I've mentioned in RS threads on LPF I won't buy from RS till they get their heads out of their asses (IMO) on shipping to Canada.

==
for example, when I started buying Snake Oil strings a few years ago, Dean complained about the cost of the paperwork to ship to Canada. I told him to use the Green sticker. Now he charges the same freight to Canada as the US I think.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

I did the upgrade to my '61 Reissue Sg a few months back on wow!!! Keep in mind that in every non-Custom Shop Gibson they put in the wrong value pots. When I went from 300k to the 500k RS pots, I was blown away. It made a much bigger difference than going from the '57 Classic pickups to my WCRs.

Here is a post I wrote about it on a different forum before I found you guys :

I've finally got my 2004 '61 SG Reissue where I want it. A few weeks ago I made three changes, all at seperate times. Now that the honeymoon is over and i am confident in what has changed, here is a breakdown of how new electronics, pickups and strings changed this SG in order of effect.

#1 - pots and caps kit from RS Electronics. No question, this was by far responsible for the biggest change in my tone. If you have a Gibson and still have the original 300k pots and ceramic capacitors you owe it to yourself to try the switch. 

I don't like overly bright guitars and i already heard a bit of a nasty spike in my treble before this change. I was worried it'd be too bright. Nope. Instead the brighter pots brought up all the other frequencies and seemed to diminish the harsh spike by giving me much fuller highs. The improved caps actually having me regularly using my tone controls. I was a all controls on "10" guy until this change. Not anymore. Huge difference in tone. I can't say enough about this. It's like having many more guitars with the variety of tones at my disposal now. 

#2 - Upped my strings from 10s to 11s. Simple change. Everything sounds thicker with a little more weight to it. Almost creates a little more natural compression. Definitely more sustain too. It feels good tension wise. As always, pure nickels are my favs.

#3 - Replaced the stock '57 Classics with a WCR Crossroads in the neck and a Goodwood in bridge. Subtle change, but definitely an improvement. The Crossroads is more even and detailed than the '57. It has the swirly high end of the '57 but doesn't go mushy in the bass and has mids (57 was very lacking there). All said it's definitely better, but these are very subtle differences. The Goodwood was a much bigger improvement. Much fuller than the '57, but still with a way better chime. More detailed, bigger, and a more attractive tone all around. The '57 sounds nasal and timid compared to the Goodwood.

Not sure if anyone cares. But I notice that a lot of the time these changes are made all at once. I thought I'd chime in with my experience doing them seperately. The biggest thing I can say for Gibson users is to check the pots and caps before the pickup. I always blamed the '57 Classics for the harsh upper-mid spike in my guitar. I was wrong. I'd say upgrading the electronics to decent quality and proper values removed 90% of that spike. Spending $200 on used WCRs definitely improved my tone, but the $70 spent on better electronics made a much more significant difference.

All tests done with a Dr. Z Maz Jr. NR.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Had the modern explorer kit with a .022 cap installed in the Hamer P90 special with Moore P90s in it. Definite improvement in the tonal range.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Dunno if you order the preassembled but I want to buy a ki for my strat and i'm not a electronics tech and I want to know if there's some instructions in it, since I want to mod it a little bit to use a pot for the neck insteed of the middle position I want to have a comparaison sheet! 

For the mod I think is someone here told me about that and I really love the idea, I hope I will find the instructions somewhere, looking for user friendly since I'm a noob!  For now I'll test it on a electronics set that I got on ebay for really cheap, will help me to not messing around with my guitars!


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## Guest (May 5, 2008)

(no offense)
I'm kinda new to the electronics as well.



Stratin2traynor said:


> ..I am looking to upgrade the electronics on an Epi Dot and was going to buy some CTS pots etc... but if RS GW make that much of a difference, I may go with that.


I'd like to do my Joe Pass Epi. I'm hoping to eliminate the
feedback it makes.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> Had the modern explorer kit with a .022 cap installed in the Hamer P90 special with Moore P90s in it. Definite improvement in the tonal range.


My ears must have been half asleep when I wrote this. I now realize that the tone is good, but the tonal range is convered from 0 to 4. Anything above is full treble. 

When I reading about caps for single coil guitars, I noticed that ,047 were used and up to .1 were used. I checked the original cap that was used with the ceramic SD90s on this guitar. It was a .100 and not a .01 as I thought it was. Those SDs were hot and had a lot of treble to roll off. 

Well,... DUH to me (slap to the head). I guess I should be looking for a .100 PIO cap. (another slap to the head). I prefer less treble anyway.


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