changing rheostats

[owen]

I need to change the rheostats on a epipone model of a gibson es335.. it is a hollow body electric, what do i need as far as special tools, and is a doable thing for joe sixpack !!?? or would i be ill advised to try this myself ??

[schraedertr]

Owen,

Of course you can do it, there's a first time for everything, and it's not a '59 Les Paul.

You can change the potentiometers (rheostats) on a ES335 type guitar with just a soldering iron, solder, 1/4" heat shrink tubing and some patience. I think you can get everything you might need at Radio Shack.

The wires are long enough for you to pull them out of the F-holes to replace them. They use a sticky-backed pad with a ty-wrap to hold them out of sight. If you need more room to work, pull these loose and replace with new ones or just put new double-sided foam tape on the pad.

Lay the guitar on a towel on the table or bench with the headstock hanging off. It won't lay flat with the headstock on the table, and that's a good way to prevent breaking the headstock. After you've pulled a pot out, but before you start replacing it, cover the top with the other end of the towel or another towel to prevent solder drops from hitting the finish and to prevent dropping things down the F-hole.

The tricky part is putting the pots back in the hole. I've used string, but the slickest method is to thread a length of 1/4" heat shrink tubing down the shaft hole and fish it back out the F-hole. Then use a lighter to shrink it on the end of the shaft and pull the pot back through the F-hole and into place with the heat shrink. Slide your washer and nut down the heat shrink and tighten it down. Cut off the heat shrink with a rasor blade, and save it for the next hole.

Good luck,

[Enzo]

Oooh, I like the heat shrink fish idea.