Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

[AniML]

I have been thinking about changing the neck P90 to a Mini hum on my 60s LP Tribute because it is somewhat boomy. It's a quiet morning so I decided to poke around.

I opened up the control cavity and found that the caps are 600V and huge, series 715 Orange Drops. Without exageration, they are about the size of the top joint of my pinky. I can read the tone pots as 500Ks, but I cannot read the volume pots without disconnecting, so I'll leave that alone for now - not in the mood to go into soldering mode. Also there is no mounting plate in as I've typically seen in Gibson control cavities, just the bare wood.

The neck P90 is mounted with screws as usual, but they are machine screws into threaded metal inserts, not into the body wood. A good thing I guess to avoid stripping. But, the pickups are suspended on humbucker springs, again something I've not seen before. This might explain why the pickups would not lower as far as I wanted or that they were a little sticky going back up higher. I think I'll just put some foam or surgical tubing in place of the springs

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Do you desire noise cancellation or just greater clarity from your neck position pickup?

The standard forum reply to your question is to try changing the magnets underneath the pickup. On a P90, this process is relatively painless with no likelihood of physical damage to the coil.

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Clarity.

I have no hesitation doing a mag swap, done a few, built hybrids and wound my own pups. But AFAIK, the stock pickups are A5 so Im not sure what magnet I would go with to make it more articulate. Maybe A4, but not sure if they are even available in a P90 format. I have a bunch of HB mags, but they are longer and wider than P90 mags

I am wondering if maybe the pickup is wound too hot for my liking?

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

i have a 50 tribute and ended with a A3/A5 neck and a A4/A8 bridge. Sounds much better and balanced.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

The neck and bridge pickups are often exactly the same strength, as gibson has no delineation b/w p90's for either position. My guess is that you've got two about the same - happened with my Tribute LP, but the SG has a stronger bridge pickup and is the better for it.

The mounting plate would be there for added security to prevent stripping out the wood. Much harder to do that through metal.
My caps are two tiny things that are the size of a drop of water (and a small one at that). Its no matter really.....tones are left full open all the time, and the capacitor has been shown to make no audible tonal difference to my ears (there was a test on this with about 15 different caps - only a change in value made any difference)

If you want to change pickups, give Zhang a buzz. I've just replaced the two p90's in my tribute (neck too muddy, bridge anemic) and his offerings are simply stunning.

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

The neck and bridge pickups are often exactly the same strength, as gibson has no delineation b/w p90's for either position. My guess is that you've got two about the same - happened with my Tribute LP, but the SG has a stronger bridge pickup and is the better for it.

The mounting plate would be there for added security to prevent stripping out the wood. Much harder to do that through metal.
My caps are two tiny things that are the size of a drop of water (and a small one at that). Its no matter really.....tones are left full open all the time, and the capacitor has been shown to make no audible tonal difference to my ears (there was a test on this with about 15 different caps - only a change in value made any difference)

If you want to change pickups, give Zhang a buzz. I've just replaced the two p90's in my tribute (neck too muddy, bridge anemic) and his offerings are simply stunning.

Thanks. Sounds like you have ceramic caps, or if they are as small as a water drop, maybe tants?. I'm not to the point of a pickup swap yet, still trying to work with what I have. Maybe I could try a .033 or .047 cap on the neck

 

[AlexR]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Also try the 50's wiring scheme with independent volume controls. This gives more bite too.

With mine I'd tried a whole heap of magnets in both neck and bridge, and whilst I got a tonal improvement it just didn't cut it compared with other guitars in the stable. Now I can play the tribute and its pretty much the best I have.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

The volume controls are 300k...rip those out ASAP and go with 500k's before you do much else.

Also, Gibson P-90's are all the same...no neck and bridge versions so raise the bridge up and sing the neck down low...real low...that and some 500k pots will helps A LOT in terms of clarity.

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Also try the 50's wiring scheme with independent volume controls. This gives more bite too.

With mine I'd tried a whole heap of magnets in both neck and bridge, and whilst I got a tonal improvement it just didn't cut it compared with other guitars in the stable. Now I can play the tribute and its pretty much the best I have.

I usually do convert my guitars over to 50s wiring, on my first pickup swap but usually not just for the wiring's sake. But since I still have the stock pickups and intention of changing the pickups, I hadn't done so. That said...

The volume controls are 300k...rip those out ASAP and go with 500k's before you do much else.

I hadn't disconnected the volume pots to get a reading... Arrrgh, no wonder!

Now I have an excuse to do the 50s wiring and get those ginormous caps outta threre (yes i know they probably aren't hurting anything) but they just look so wrong.

Also, I had just started a P90 mag swap thread on the Pickup Lounge -- I'm thinking of replacing the pair of A5s with A3 + A4, but the 300Ks gots to go first, even though the magnet swap is much easier

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

I hadn't disconnected the volume pots to get a reading... Arrrgh, no wonder!

Now I have an excuse to do the 50s wiring and get those ginormous caps outta threre (yes i know they probably aren't hurting anything) but they just look so wrong.

Also, I had just started a P90 mag swap thread on the Pickup Lounge -- I'm thinking of replacing the pair of A5s with A3 + A4, but the 300Ks gots to go first, even though the magnet swap is much easier

Go to a GC or Sam Ash or whatever Guitarget store you can find and play a VOS LP Jr reissue next to an off the shelf LP Jr...same pickup but the VOS will have 500k volume pot and the regular will have 300k pots...once you hear the difference you will know how much of a difference it makes!

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Go to a GC or Sam Ash or whatever Guitarget store you can find and play a VOS LP Jr reissue next to an off the shelf LP Jr...same pickup but the VOS will have 500k volume pot and the regular will have 300k pots...once you hear the difference you will know how much of a difference it makes!

Oh I'm sure it does. I'll just find some long shaft pots @ GuitarFetish or TubesaAndMore and do the surgery. Thanks for the tip

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Try two A3's in the neck, or an A3 on the bridge side and A2 on the neck side. If you can get a hold of some narrower bar mags, that narrows the magnetic field significantly and will de-mud it quite a bit.

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Thanks Zhang. I tried 2 A3s but it lost too much. I went with an A5/A3 in the neck. And my 500K pots should arrive tomorrow

 

[dominus]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

If you're planning on replacing pots anyway, try taking the tone pot out for the neck pickup and just run with a volume pot. That should brighten it up some.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Thanks Zhang. I tried 2 A3s but it lost too much. I went with an A5/A3 in the neck. And my 500K pots should arrive tomorrow

What he said!

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

First of all, that is great that they have threaded inserts and nice Sprague caps.

Before you replace anything, try setting up the pickup and/or tuning the tone using cheap electronic parts before buying an expensive pickup. Since boominess is your problem (and it *always* is with a factory setup IMO), get rid of those springs and screw the P90 in as far as it will go, then raise the pole pieces to get your volume to match the bridge p/u. You will notice a marked decrease in mud and boominess.

If that is not enough, go to the electronics. Put in a 1M long shaft audio taper pot for the neck volume control. (Torres Engineering is the only place I know of that has them.) If that is not enough, go to a 1M linear taper tone pot for the neck pickup. If that is not enough, try a magnet swap to a less bassy magnet.

Gibson P90's are good. I don't think you need to ditch yours rather than tuning it to your liking. You may want to ditch it just because you want a mini humbucker instead, but there should be no reason you cannot get rid of the boominess IME.

 

[superbee82]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

Hey there!

I'm also playing the Les Paul Tribute 60 and find it very muddy and boomy as well.

Please, let me know how the volume pot change worked out for you. I'm really upset because I can't get enough clarity from this guitar, but I really dig its weight (chambered, very light) and neck (I've got small hands).

I tried equalization, but I found miself dialing too much 2k, 4k and 6k mid-high frequencies, which never come smoothly, in order not to sound like a wendigo from the swamp. Add the fact that I play downtuned, well... I'm really putting faith in you... lol

Thanks!

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

it worked out great. I replaced the 300Ks with 500Ks and swapped one of the neck's A5s for an A3

 

[superbee82]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

it worked out great. I replaced the 300Ks with 500Ks and swapped one of the neck's A5s for an A3

How intense was the change, and what do you think has changed in the sound? How much noticeable was the change?

Sorry, I'm really curious. Depending on your feedback, I'll get the job done this weekend.

 

[AniML]

Re: Les Paul 60s Tribute - unusual factory parts

How intense was the change, and what do you think has changed in the sound? How much noticeable was the change?

Sorry, I'm really curious. Depending on your feedback, I'll get the job done this weekend.

It was the proverbial lifting the blanket off the amp.

I would say the pots had more impact, swapping the magnet was the cherry on top