This is probably a dumb question.....

Streetsleeper

Streetsleeper

New member
... but I'm gonna ask it anyway.

I will soon be putting Alnico 2 Pros into my 57 reissue Les Paul Goldtop. I've not really touched guitar electronics before, but I'd like to do the installation myself if possible.

I was hoping that it would be as simple as taking out the old pickups and putting the new pickup wires exactly where the old ones were.

However... The old pickups seem to be Single Conductor humbuckers. There are 2 braided shield wires coming onto each volume pot so I guess putting in the new ones is gonna be a bit more complex than I'd hoped.

Also comparing the wiring diagram (2 Humbuckers, 2 Volume, 2 Tone 3 Way Switch) on the SD website it looks different from my guitar.

So I'm wondering;

* Am I looking at the wrong wiring diagram??
* Is the wiring different because its a 57 reissue LP
* Should I just pay a tech to do it for me!

Cheers!

Jonny
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Jonny:

TwinReverb has a good point.

Do you have a decent soldering iron (NOT soldering gun)?

How much soldering have you done?

Would you be prepared to practice some soldering before going under the hood of your axe?

Would you be willing to take the time to read up on how to do what is needed?

You can get the help you need here, but you should consider the above to be the minimal starting point, IMHO

Cheers

Dave
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Jonny,

Hi, and welcome to the Forum. It's really pretty simple to put in new pups. Like Greco said, if you haven't soldered much, practice first. Look in the Vault section of this thread for info, too. Dan Erelwine's books are great for detailing how to do it & the Duncan site had diagrams as well. Make sure you have all the tools before you start (proper soldering iron {tin the tip}, stand, braided wire to soak up the old solder, wet sponge to clean the tip, etc..).


The braided wire on the current pups is your ground and the insulated (black) wire is the hot. You'll be using the green (ground) wire to the pot and the black (hot) wire to the lug that the current pup is soldered to. The remaining wires (red & white) on the new pup can be taped off so they don't touch anything. Just draw yourself a diagram of how things are soldered before you start and follow your diagram when you put the new ones in.


Good luck.


Jeff
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

hey i have done exactly the same couple weeks back ,its not that bad.If u can solder (practice if u have to) i can also tell u exactly where each wire is gonna go.I have the same set up and even the same set of pups in my LP.Drop me a line if u need to .
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Let us know if you decide to try the pickup change yourself and keep posting your questions as you go along.

There will be no shortage of answers/comments/suggestions, etc. here in the forum. You might even get nine opinions on any given question..LOL.

There are 2 recent threads that focused on soldering. Let me know if you want a link to them. As Jeffrec mentioned, there is information in the Vault also.

Dave
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Hi there,

I'm gonna do the installation myself, but with some help. I'm pretty handy with setting guitars up, but my drummer (He's a trained sound engineer too) is a soldering guru so will be on hand if needed.

I'll let you know how it goes....... but if you hear nothing for a while just assume that I've taken it to Andy's Guitars on Denmark Street to get it done!
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Streetsleeper said:
Hi there,

I'm gonna do the installation myself, but with some help. I'm pretty handy with setting guitars up, but my drummer (He's a trained sound engineer too) is a soldering guru so will be on hand if needed.

I'll let you know how it goes....... but if you hear nothing for a while just assume that I've taken it to Andy's Guitars on Denmark Street to get it done!
Click to expand...

Good job. I wasn't trying to downplay your natural abilities or willingness and capacity to learn it. I was just hoping you didn't accidentally break something. Me, I don't have all the equipment, and so I still take it to a store, even though I'm USAF certified to solder. What I'll do is invest in a good electrical bench and equipment, but anyways, since I don't have the stuff on hand (and can't use work tools for non-work stuff, technically :D), I have the local shop do it. Granted I can do configuration and setup myself afterwards. They're nice to me here and they give me good deals, as well as closed-door sales (read: auction on new guitars for ultra-cheap).
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Only one way to learn :)

My dad gave me a soldering iron for christmas one year, and I just set out to make the guts of one guitar look like another. Worst damage I ever did was burn up a few pots.
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Hope it all goes well.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you located in London? I spent almost 5 years going to school in the Richmond/Isleworth area..many years ago...shortly after the last Ice Age.

Dave
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Just before I get the soldering iron out I'd like to check that what I'm doing is right!

Hopefully you can see a picture of my guitars electronics below...

Im assuming that it's as simple as removing the original pickups, then for each pickup;

* soldering the Red & white wires together and tape them.
* twist the green & bare wires together and soder to the back of the volume pot.
* Solder the black wire to the 3rd lug on the pot.

on most gibson wiring diagrams the selector switch is attached to lug 2 of the pots, it's not on mine.... weird???

Anyway, thats my plan of action. Any comments??

Cheers,

Jonny
 
Last edited:
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Go for it...take your time

The wiring in your pic is really well done.

If you can equal that, you will have done a great job.

GOOD LUCK

Dave
PS please see post #10
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

That is the best wiring job I have ever seen in any LP!!

Jeffrec in post #4 is absolutely correct in what needs to be done to wire in your new pickups.

And for my $0.02 - pictorial wiring diagrams ain't worth the screen they are printed off of!!
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Ok the pickups are in!

The wiring isn't as neat as the original job but hey, I dont work for the Gibson custom shop do I?!?!?

So far it sounds great through my Boss Micro BR with headphones (It's the early hours of the morning here, can't plug it in properly yet without the neighbours calling the police).

Tomorrow I'm in the studio and then it's Marshall time....... Can't Wait!!!!

Thanks for your help guys and I'll be sure to let you know how she sounds!

Jonny
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Congratulations.

Now you might get hooked on changing pickups (like I am) and wiring schemes.
There is no known cure for the above, BTW.

Enjoy..... and let us know how they sounded in the studio.

Dave
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Pay a tech.Its well worth it.i just had an old 80s duncan custom installed in my 85 cort evh copy.and it cost me 15 bucks!Of course the guitar is only a single humbucker.
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

The guitar used to sound good, now it's f*****g fantastic!!

The clean sound is amazing, both pickups sound really warm and full. With distortion they still maintain a lot of clarity which I really like.

To be honest I think I can get a bit more out of them as I should spent a bit more time EQing the amp but I'm really glad that I changed them!

I was in the studio recording last month, I wish I'd had the Alnico 2's in then!

Cheers for your help guys!

Jonny
 
Re: This is probably a dumb question.....

Congratulations, bro. Welcome to the SDUGF family...and your new addiction.:D
 
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