Has anybody here replaced the pots in a Gibson PCB?

[Seashore]

My #1 7-string LP came with an unusual wiring layout on PCB - 2 push-pull volumes with coil splitting, master tone, and a 15dB boost on a toggle switch in place of the 4th knob. No complaints with the layout, but the vol and tone pots load down my bridge pickup too much and take away the bite I need. I currently have the bridge pickup wired to the jack (with the PCB still in place) and it sounds great, but I've been meaning to wire it back up properly. My choices are either 1) remove the PCB and start fresh, or 2) replace the tone and bridge volume pots on the PCB with a no-load tone and 1meg push-pull volume. Has anybody here swapped out pots on a PCB? I've never tried it and I don't know what I don't know.

 

[Securb]

I put a traditional pot in my Ovation PCB was not too hard. I soldered three leads to the post of the pot and then soldered them to rhe board.

 

[beaubrummels]

Personally, I would start over, but if you must, you need to get the PCB version of the right pot and use different solder and a lighter temp iron.

 

[idsnowdog]

There's no special sauce in the PCB. If you want to change the value you would be better off ditching the PCB. Replacing pots on the PCB may be more trouble than its worth.

 

[Securb]

They no longer make the pots for the Deacons and Breadwinners and a total rewire would destroy the guitar and uniqueness of the sound/electronics. Surgery has to be done taking parts from a traditional pot and rebuliding the old ones it is a pain in the butt. Once you are done, you have to wire it into the PCB because the long legs on the pot are now gone.

 

[donaldr]

Gibson are using 500k CTS pots on those PCB (at least on my LP) IIRC and they are high quality.

 

[idsnowdog]

It looks like you could just cut the eyelets off a pot and unsolder the three terminals. I don't know if they epoxy the pot to the board or the quality of the traces on the PCB? I replaced pots on a fuzz I modified last week and luckily the traces on the PCB were good quality.

 

[Seashore]

Thanks for the input guys. I have a variable temp iron and I think the PCB is a solid piece overall, but maybe I'm better off starting from scratch. I will say the 15dB boost is great. It sounds awesome. I kind of hate to ditch it even though I don't really need it.

Gibson are using 500k CTS pots on those PCB (at least on my LP) IIRC and they are high quality.

Yup, no complaints with the quality, I just need different pot values for the bridge pickup

 

[hamerfan]

If you get a solder pump you can heat one connection after the other and suck the solder out. The pot gets loose and can be removed.

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