Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

[Brow]

Hey guys.

I've decided I'm going to change the PAF 61' pickups in my new SG for something else but when I've taken the control plate off I've found that all the pots and controls are wired up on a circuit board and appear to be using something that looks similar to EMGs quick connect system on the pickup wires themselves.

Just wondered if anyone has any experience of rewiring guitars with this control setup or if you have any tips etc for me?

Cheers.

Craig

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

This ol' chestnut.

Solution #1 - Snip the Gibson conductors within two inches of the blocks. Allowing for the different colour coding, solder the SD conductors to the Gibson ones. Insulate all of the solder joints. Hey, presto. Interchangable SD pickups.

Solution #2 - Unplug all Gibson PCB connections. Snip off the blocks. Construct a new wiring harness in the traditional manner. i.e. Hand soldered joints. Your choice of pot resistance tapers and values.

 

[DeanSweden]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

I'd go for #1

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

As funkfingers said, either make the SD interchangeable (which I foresee happening in the future anyways) or make a new wiring harness for everything. The advantage of the new harness is that you can choose whatever values for all your pots and caps, and even do stuff like coil splitting or phasing.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

I actually found it easier to just pull the whole thing and put a hand-wired new set in there. Helped that I was going to 500K pots at the same time of course.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

make the SD interchangeable (which I foresee happening in the future anyways)

You have just given me an idea for a new thread. Thank you.

 

[Brow]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

Cheers guys.

I think I'll just do a whole new wiring setup for it and swap in the BKPs out of my V.

Cheers!

 

[mojosman]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

I actually found it easier to just pull the whole thing and put a hand-wired new set in there. Helped that I was going to 500K pots at the same time of course.

This is what I did. Well worth the effort.

 

[Brow]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

This is what I did. Well worth the effort.

Did you notice a change in sound at all?

 

[mojosman]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

Did you notice a change in sound at all?

Yes. I did everything at once though. So it's hard to say how much credit each component deserves. I had the 498/500 pickup combo to start with. I went with the vintage wiring, 500k CTS pots, and PIO caps from Tundra tone. Then SD Pearly Gates pickups. It's a new Les Paul now. The stock setup wasn't what you would think a Les Paul should sound like. When I saw those chicklet ceramic caps I wasn't happy. Do they work just as well? I can only say it has better tone now, by far.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

Using a better pot isn't that much of a challenge compared to what Gibson uses. It's always gonna be an upgrade. I'd keep the old wiring harness and the old pickups in case you wanna sell the guitar. Upside? You get to keep the harness you made.

 

[mojosman]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

Using a better pot isn't that much of a challenge compared to what Gibson uses. It's always gonna be an upgrade. I'd keep the old wiring harness and the old pickups in case you wanna sell the guitar. Upside? You get to keep the harness you made.

I saved everything including the pickups. I don't see myself selling anytime soon, it plays and sounds like a Les Paul should. She's a keeper now.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Changing pickups on a new Gibson guitar with the circuit board wiring?

I was close to replacing the circuit board in my SG Standard but then realized I was being silly. I never noticed a difference with different caps and pots so why waste time. Don't even hear a difference from 30p to 500. Oh well.