Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

[pleximaster]

I have a couple of various Gibson Nighthawks. I think they are one of Gibsons most underestimated treasures! I love them. The stock humbucker is not my preference of choice and have replaced most go them with SD 59´s.

I have always found the two pickup versions sound better then the three pickup ones. And I thought it was just a guitar to guitar coincidence thing that the 2 pickup versions sounded more open, spongier and had more brilliance in tone. Both versions have a 300k volume pot and a 500k tone pot. The tone pot on the 3 pickup version is however a pull and push variant that gives you extra coil options.

However, I did an experiment with two of the 3 pickup guitar I have. I disengaged the middle pickup and the push pull options wiring the guitar as it was just a 2 pickup version. Now both guitars suddenly opened up and felt and sounded like my other two pickup versions. I reversed the mod again and the guitar sort of closed up again. So I did another mod I changed the 300k pot to a 500k and then I got al three pickups again the opened sound! (Drawback slightly different volume taper and brighter single coil options) but the humbucker mode that I use mostly finally came to the front.

The 5 way mega switch is really complicated to understand. Could this phenomenon be due to the humbucker pickup is facing different impedance when wiring up the third pickup and the extra coil options compared to the 2 pickup version, and therefore need a higher value on the volume pot to compensate for treble loss?

I have now replaced the 300k to 500k pots in all my 3 pickup nighthawks but kept the 300k in the 2 pickup versions (500k in those with 59´s are a tad too bright)

Any reflection on this?

thanks plexi

 

[Mincer]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

I always liked the 3 pickup version. I think you have to approach your ideas the other way...what sounds are you after (instead of what happens when I do *this*)? The 59s, if yours are single conductor, won't allow splits without modification, and then that Super Switch comes in handy. What sounds are you trying to get that you don't have access to now?

 

[pleximaster]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

I always liked the 3 pickup version. I think you have to approach your ideas the other way...what sounds are you after (instead of what happens when I do *this*)? The 59s, if yours are single conductor, won't allow splits without modification, and then that Super Switch comes in handy. What sounds are you trying to get that you don't have access to now?

The Nighthawk 59´version have 4 wire conductors...

Since I am a longtime Les Paul user the traditional PAF sound is my main referens and the original slated bridge pickup with a ceramic magnet, 13-14k, two different coils one with stratlike mag polepieices don´t do it for me. So I replaced them with more PAF like pickups.

My question is could the difference in sound I find between the 2 and the 3 pickup version be due to variation between the actual impedance the pickups faces from the volume and tone control due to the differences in the the wiring and/or the introduction of an extra pickup.

best regards plexi

 

[jeremy]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

my buddy had one of the 3 pup models and we gutted it since he loved the way it played but didnt like the way it sounded. i think we put an antiquity II firebird pup in the neck, kept the stock middle pup, and i wound him a bridge pup similar to a 59b. the switch was wired neck/neck middle/neck bridge/middle bridge/bridge with a push pull to split the bridge and middle pups. sounded way better than the stock pups and wiring. 300k volume 500k p/p tone

 

[Mincer]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

The Nighthawk 59´version have 4 wire conductors...

Since I am a longtime Les Paul user the traditional PAF sound is my main referens and the original slated bridge pickup with a ceramic magnet, 13-14k, two different coils one with stratlike mag polepieices don´t do it for me. So I replaced them with more PAF like pickups.

My question is could the difference in sound I find between the 2 and the 3 pickup version be due to variation between the actual impedance the pickups faces from the volume and tone control due to the differences in the the wiring and/or the introduction of an extra pickup.

best regards plexi

Well, different kinds of pickups. Different wood. I'd expect it to sound different. I don't think just adding an extra pickup really changes anything. If you took your exact pickups and put them in a 3 pickup version (but didn't use the middle pickup), it still might sound slightly different, but it wouldn't like night and day.

 

[pleximaster]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

Well, different kinds of pickups. Different wood. I'd expect it to sound different. I don't think just adding an extra pickup really changes anything. If you took your exact pickups and put them in a 3 pickup version (but didn't use the middle pickup), it still might sound slightly different, but it wouldn't like night and day.

OK I think you have misread my post.

1. All of the guitars I have changed the slanted pickup in.
2. In the ones with 3 pickups I replaced the 300k volume pot with 500k. kept the 500k tone
3. 2 pickup versions kept the 300k pots
4. Now the 2 och the 3 pickup versions sound the same in the humbucker modes

5. As control I tried this (disengaged the middle pickup of the 3 pickup version with 300k volume och 500k tone, stock. and wiring the switch aa a 2 pickup version )'

plexi

 

[NIghthawkChris]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

OK I think you have misread my post.

1. All of the guitars I have changed the slanted pickup in.
2. In the ones with 3 pickups I replaced the 300k volume pot with 500k. kept the 500k tone
3. 2 pickup versions kept the 300k pots
4. Now the 2 och the 3 pickup versions sound the same in the humbucker modes

5. As control I tried this (disengaged the middle pickup of the 3 pickup version with 300k volume och 500k tone, stock. and wiring the switch aa a 2 pickup version )'

plexi

So you replaced all your NH slanted pickups, and what have you done with these? Have spares available???

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Gibson Nighthawk wiring 3 and 2 pickups sound different.

I think they are one of Gibsons most underestimated treasures!
i

No idea regarding your question, but they are amazing guitars- I think the market couldn't imagine them under the Gibosn brand (as well as the blueshawk), but I have found them among the most reliable Gibson's ever made (opposite of Les Pauls where I always wonder what the next one I play will feel like and sound like