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To PCB or not PCB


cjsinla

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Who on the forum has changed out their PCB setup for a traditionally wired setup? If you've done that, did you notice any difference in tone?

 

I ask this as I have two SG's that seem to be identical other than one of them has the PCB and quick connect pickups. They sound noticeably different and I'm wondering if the PCB needs to be taken out in favor of a regular setup. I am hoping that others might post their experience with the PCB setup versus the traditional setup.

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Who on the forum has changed out their PCB setup for a traditionally wired setup? If you've done that, did you notice any difference in tone?

 

I ask this as I have two SG's that seem to be identical other than one of them has the PCB and quick connect pickups. They sound noticeably different and I'm wondering if the PCB needs to be taken out in favor of a regular setup. I am hoping that others might post their experience with the PCB setup versus the traditional setup.

 

The problem with the pcb (printed circuit board) is that it is near impossible to upgrade pots and caps without ripping it out ... I used a pre-wired harness with pio caps and yeah, there's a difference. But it's due to the upgrade with 500k CTS pots and bee caps. My peave with rewiring is that I thought there was a ground problem with the guitar because it is noisy on high volume with the tones rolled up. That noise wasn't improved with rewiring. Guess it's due to using high volume on a low powered amp ... but it was noisy even with a 100watt Marshall. It's the burstbucker pros, there just hot pickups, a little noisy.

 

If say the neck pickup is responsible for the dark or muddy tone (often they are) you can try a treble bleed that will stop the tone from getting dark or muddy when you roll it off.

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Who on the forum has changed out their PCB setup for a traditionally wired setup? If you've done that, did you notice any difference in tone?

 

I ask this as I have two SG's that seem to be identical other than one of them has the PCB and quick connect pickups. They sound noticeably different and I'm wondering if the PCB needs to be taken out in favor of a regular setup. I am hoping that others might post their experience with the PCB setup versus the traditional setup.

 

Any difference you're hearing is due to a difference in components, not the PCB.

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I ask because I have two SG's with P90's, they are practically identical to the eye but the one with the PCB is noticeably darker in tone. So, you're saying that I may be hearing a difference due to the pots or capacitors or something? One is from 2010, the other from 2011. I assumed that both use 500K pots and that the PCB was responsible for the darker tone.

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In a low-current circuit, like an electric guitar, a conductor is a conductor. The type of conductor makes no difference, whether it be plastic-insulated wire, cloth-covered wire, or PCB tracks. There is an over-abundance of guitar myth on this subject, and a lot of people simply buy into it at face value.

 

If there is a sonic difference in the two guitars, the cause lies elsewhere.

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I ask because I have two SG's with P90's, they are practically identical to the eye but the one with the PCB is noticeably darker in tone. So, you're saying that I may be hearing a difference due to the pots or capacitors or something? One is from 2010, the other from 2011. I assumed that both use 500K pots and that the PCB was responsible for the darker tone.

 

 

I have 3 with p-90's all have old fashioned wiring ( no boards) and all have there own voice for sure......I could be wrong and the smarter ones can correct me if I am wrong but I believe most single coil guitars have a 250 k( or 300 k as in gibson) volume and 500k tone...anyone concur on that?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I couldn't tell what pots were on the PCB. I ended up getting the pre-wired 50's 500k pots with orange drops from Stew Mac and put them in the SG Classic today. The guitar now sounds brighter and clearer now since taking out the PCB and sounds much more like the Townsend SG with P90's. The Classic sounded mushy with the PCB. I assume both now have 500k pots but I was too lazy to pull the pots out of the Townsend SG to identify them. All in all, taking out the PCB was worth it to me. I'll use the Classic tomorrow at rehearsal and see how it goes.

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I have 3 with p-90's all have old fashioned wiring ( no boards) and all have there own voice for sure......I could be wrong and the smarter ones can correct me if I am wrong but I believe most single coil guitars have a 250 k( or 300 k as in gibson) volume and 500k tone...anyone concur on that?

 

BTW, my Telecasters with stock pups use 1000k volume pots.

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  • 1 year later...

I have two 2014 Les Pauls. One is an early Peace a Model that was hand wired at the factory. Only the earliest Peace Models were hand wired. I also have a 2014 LPJ, with a PCB. They both have Orange Drop caps, '61 Pups, Mahogany body and Maple tops. I understand that the difference is probably the pots, but there is a difference.

The harmonics are intense with the hand wired LP, and not so much with the PCB. There is also longer sustain with the hand-wired LP. Also, the Peaceful Orange Peace Models are supposed to have a plain top, and mine is pretty darn fancy, so not only was it hand wired, but the top was hand selected. All I know is that when I record, I will definitely use the hand wired LP. I have only recorded using acoustic guitars for years, but the band that I'm in now plays rock. It will be hand wired in the studio for me. If the difference is the pots, I want hand wired pots that say Gibson on the top.

I understand that most Les Pauls that Gibson hand wires are set up using CTS Pots, but the pots on my hand wired Peace say Gibson on the top. I have seen a lot of pictures of Gibson wiring, and the majority are NOT flat-topped and inscribed with the Gibson logo.

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In guitars, they don't use regular PCBs, they use PTBs (Pre-printed Tone Board). PTBs are selected by tapping them and observing their harmonic resonance qualities. Not all boards make the cut in fine instruments such as Gibson's. Needless to say, it affects the tone. I replaced a PCB with point to point tone wires, and I consistently get 48% more tone.

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In guitars, they don't use regular PCBs, they use PTBs (Pre-printed Tone Board). PTBs are selected by tapping them and observing their harmonic resonance qualities. Not all boards make the cut in fine instruments such as Gibson's. Needless to say, it affects the tone. I replaced a PCB with point to point tone wires, and I consistently get 48% more tone.

 

[lol][lol][lol]

 

Brian

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SERIOUSLY;

 

It's like...the KNOBS man....the KNOBS bring the tone out....Korean / Asian knobs contain ethylmethylbadstuff. No good! Only the original, GIBSON vol and tone knobs are MEBS-free and are HAND SPUN for equaminity and circumfrance...circumbence...cir...roundness man!

 

I love you guys!

 

The LP Jr. that I had had the PCB board- the SG and now my Studio were PTP wired. Could not say there was a difference. All of them had the Gibson emblazoned pots as I recall. I've had amps re-done PTP by George Allessandro, who is local to me. Absolutely a difference relative to amps...

 

Brian

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Guest Farnsbarns
I consistently get 48% more tone.

 

I am a bloke on the internet who can real off reasons why I know better so you must take this as a given. I'll get very shirty if you don't...

 

The amount of increase in tone is the inverse indirect proportionality square of the negativite square of the difference between a pot so it's actually 46.27% more tone. Or 13.6 standard tonoidal units.

 

My guitar was handwired by handwirey McCoy who hand twists the wires to get maximum hand wired tonage so I have more tone than most people and because of the eutectic alloy solder it can breathe and will get better with age, as you all know.

 

Pippy has the most tone. He told me.

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I am a bloke on the internet who can real off reasons why I know better so you must take this as a given. I'll get very shirty if you don't...

 

The amount of increase in tone is the inverse indirect proportionality square of the negativite square of the difference between a pot so it's actually 46.27% more tone. Or 13.6 standard tonoidal units.

 

My guitar was handwired by handwirey McCoy who hand twists the wires to get maximum hand wired tonage so I have more tone than most people and because of the eutectic alloy solder it can breathe and will get better with age, as you all know.

 

Pippy has the most tone. He told me.

 

Apologies for my ignorance, but if you hand-unscrew the backplate and leave it off, does the tone breathe better?

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Guest Farnsbarns

Apologies for my ignorance, but if you hand-unscrew the backplate and leave it off, does the tone breathe better?

 

No, you want pick dust to gather in there for the mojo. You need approx 1:3 handwiredness to mojo for that killer tone.

 

I even hand play my guitar.

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  • 1 month later...

[lol]

 

There have been MANY posts on these forums that I've gotten chuckles...even guffaws, from.

 

In my limited time here, thus far, THIS one takes the proverbial 'cake'!

 

Thanks so much! Laughter is good for the soul!

 

Brian

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