L-500s: options and characteristics

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (kbrodie78) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:41:39 GMT

I just recently purchased a L500 from a third party. I know for sure that it's an original Bill Lawrence L500, as in a Bill and Becky. It's from 1983. The question I have is how do I go about reading the inductance of the pickup. I have a LCR meter at my disposal, it just seems that the readings I'm getting are wrong. Keep in mind that I'm not an electrical engineer, just a guy whos replaced pickups in other guitars before, so to say I have novice knowledge woud be fair....

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (Bioelektrik) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:13 GMT

Hi Vito,

thanks for your help!

I had have contact to a guy here in Germany, who has the original description for the 500LX from '86.

This is what he gave me:
Regular wirering:
White and green connected together and insulate.
Black and the blank wire together on ground.
Red to volume pot.

-Peter

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (Vito) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:26:28 GMT

Bioelektrik wrote:
Hello,

I have a L-500XL from 1986.
I'm a little bit confused about the wiring code, it is not the same like current L-500XL.
Red and white are on coil, black and green the other coil.
Which one is north, which one south?
Which wires are start and which are finish?

Greetings from Germany

-Peter

Hi Peter,
...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (Bioelektrik) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:49:49 GMT

Hello,

I have a L-500XL from 1986.
I'm a little bit confused about the wiring code, it is not the same like current L-500XL.
Red and white are on coil, black and green the other coil.
Which one is north, which one south?
Which wires are start and which are finish?

Greetings from Germany

-Peter

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (gatguy) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:17:21 GMT

Good question.

I'm guessing here, but Bill would not have wanted to alter any of the characteristics of the L500 (that would just be confusing), and so he probably redesigned the pickup so that there would not be any differences in the perceived responses of the two versions of the L500. In other words, I doubt that he simply changed the magnets without altering other aspects of the design. After all, the new one is still called the L500 (not the "L500A") and I'm...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (SirZozzo) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:29:41 GMT

nocaster wrote:
FYI: The new alnico V L-500's are not quite as hum-resistant as the previous ceramic ones.

Aide toi et le ciel taidera (Aid thyself and heaven will aid thee)

Somebody here could show me more different between ceramic magnet and alnico V in L500s ?
...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (ccrowley) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:27:02 GMT

Yes, I've used 250K volume and 250K tone in a guitar with an L500 XL and L280s. The L500XL was routed only to the 250K volume pot while the L280s were routed to both pots. As others have pointed out here, this gives the bridge pickup the same load as a dual 500K setup. Only mod was a "volume kit" (cap and resistor [values?]) I added based on some Fralin documentation. Sounded perfect to my ears in my "USACG-brazilian rswd/maple hipshot fixed bridge alder strat."

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (j2d2) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:34:43 GMT

Hi, brand new user here. Just trying to figure out the 500 series. Could you please help? I'm having no luck finding the information online.

> "The XL requires at least 500K pots, whereas the other 500s can be used with 250K or 500K pots (all audio taper)."

What happens without a tone pot, does a single volume pot suffice?

Thanks a lot

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (vhgl87) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:48:50 GMT

thank you very much for your reply!

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (gatguy) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:49:02 GMT

Hi Matt,

The L500XL is still available ($60 last time I looked). I understand that 500K pots are recommended but it's a matter of: 1) taste, 2) the character of the guitar they are in, 3) the character of the amp you play them through, 4) the style of music you play, etc. While being extremely high output, the L500XL preserves lots of highs. In my circuit, I added an extra cap and resistor to cut the highs just a bit (because I sometimes play through a very bright solid state...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (vhgl87) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:30:08 GMT

i would be more than happy to take an answer from someone other than caster. i just directed the response because of course, he would know lol.

-matt

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (vhgl87) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:36:41 GMT

hi nocaster,

first off im deeply sorry if this is the wrong place for this. ive navigated the forum and have become a little confused.

i understand the XL's require at least 500ks, i understand the wiring. and i noticed where you have the dimensions for the L500's.

are the XL-500Ls still available? or are they discontinued? =(

if they are still available, ill be placing an order ASAP.

again i appologize if this is the wrong area to ask...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:48:21 GMT

...Try the pups with what you have, and see what you think.

Aide toi et le ciel taidera (Aid thyself and heaven will aid thee)

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (HarrisonDavid) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:04:29 GMT

Im putting the 500XL in the bridge all I have is a 300k gibson pot. Will this sound bad? Also I will be putting a 500L in the neck(I know, I know Thats alot of output). Both my volume pots are 300K gibsons. 250 Linear taper gibsons for the tone pots.

Should I just wait to get 500K or 1meg pot for the XL?

Won't the output be the same for the L with a 300k pot as the XL. I obviously want the XL to have more output.

Please HELP!!

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (glen1753) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:13:17 GMT

I just received an L500-R and L500-L which did not come with wiring schematic.

In the nocaster schematic you say to connect red & green wires and insulate the combined ends.

The pickups I received came with the green and white wires combined. I assuming that on my pickups the red is the hot. Can any one clarify this?

Also are there any other schematics or diagrams for wiring these pickups available.

Thanks

:O)glen

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 06:18:24 GMT

I would spec the optimal total load for the L-500 XL at 250-300K, but there are those that prefer the XL with a lower load.

The optimal total load for each of the other L-500's is 125-300K, subject to personal taste.

Aide toi et le ciel taidera (Aid thyself and heaven...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 06:02:36 GMT

The standard wiring scheme for L-500's is considered to be the 2 Vol, 2 Tone.

But the pickups are designed as drop-in replacements.

As stated, there are no hard and fast rules, but the general considerations relate to the installation environment...

...if looking to drop an L-500 into the bridge of a Strat, for example, it would be assumed that you'd be opting for an R (recommended) or an L, both of which work well in a Fenderesque 250K environment.

...a...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (marsnallhans) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:20:58 GMT

That answered my question, thanks a lot!

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (gatguy) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 21:55:16 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum!

There are no rules regarding resistive loads - only suggestions, which are based on subjective appraisals.

I have the L500R/XL combination with a 250K total resistive load (2x500K pots). With my particular guitar and amp setup, I found the pups sounded just slightly too bright for my liking. So I soldered a cap and resistor parallel to the pups to get the tone I want. Some people are into this sort of tweaking (e.g. changing pots, using...

Re: L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (marsnallhans) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:23:41 GMT

I want to know what size load should accompany the different pickups. I know you say 500k pots should be used for the XL, but is that on a strat bridge where no tone pot is connected (total load 500k), or is that on a les paul,where a tone pot is connected (total load 250k)? should the total load be 125k or 250k for a 500l? If someone could clear this up that would be great.

L-500s: options and characteristics

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Mon, 21 Oct 2002 09:24:59 GMT

L-500's (hard core, hi Q, blades, 15mm magnetic window). From February 2005: due to the unavailability of the ceramic magnets, a new circuit was designed using alnico V magnets, delivering the same sound.

The L-500 is a blade-style humbucker that can be retrofitted in both...