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Joe Pass mods


The dman

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Hey guys

 

My Joe Pass is starting to buzz and the pots are staticy so I've decided I'm going to have the wiring pots and probably the pickups replaced. My tone pots don't change the tone much and I read different pots will fix that I have searched on this forum and see the GF mean P90 pickups are very popular for this guitar and I wanted to get some more pickup suggestion. I may just replace the bridge pickup because I do like the sound of the neck pickup but I wonder if something like the mean P90's would sound even better. I've never had a guitar rewired and I'm looking for suggestions from those of you who have modded this guitar. Thanks

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dman...I was going to change the pups in mine, and after I tore it apart, I found the pups had little plastic push connectors on them. Too much work to change them, so I put them back. I replaced the carved wood bridge with a Gibson Tune-O-Matic for better intonation, and replaced the the "button" style tuner heads with Grover Imperial heads for a better look (IMHO). It still sounds good to my ears. The only real PROBLEM I've had with it is the pup selector switch. It had to be replaced after only 4 years of use. I tried to switch to the rear pup ONCE, and it blanked out. No sound. I replaced the switch and have never attempted to use the rear pup since. It sounded really thin and "crappy" (for lack of a better word).

 

I really like the guitar a lot and every time I play it out, I get compliments on its appearance and tone. I've still have a pair of original '72 Gibson humbuckers, and a pair of Stew Mac Vintage Vibe humbuckers that were meant to replace the factory stock pups. It was a toss up as to which pair I would use. I ended up using neither.

 

6c218f00-bb9a-4f28-b31b-7c8593cc7555_zpscc5e041f.jpg

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Bill thanks for the reply

 

When you say the rear pup are you talking about the bridge pickup? The bridge pickup sounds a little honky to me for lack of a better word and I'm trying to decide if I should just replace that because I do like dialing that pickup in sometimes along with the neck pickup. I love this guitar and want to incorporate it into my show but I need to take care of the electronics first and fix the rattling from the body that occasionally happens.

 

dman...I was going to change the pups in mine, and after I tore it apart, I found the pups had little plastic push connectors on them. Too much work to change them, so I put them back. I replaced the carved wood bridge with a Gibson Tune-O-Matic for better intonation, and replaced the the "button" style tuner heads with Grover Imperial heads for a better look (IMHO). It still sounds good to my ears. The only real PROBLEM I've had with it is the pup selector switch. It had to be replaced after only 4 years of use. I tried to switch to the rear pup ONCE, and it blanked out. No sound. I replaced the switch and have never attempted to use the rear pup since. It sounded really thin and "crappy" (for lack of a better word).

 

I really like the guitar a lot and every time I play it out, I get compliments on its appearance and tone. I've still have a pair of original '72 Gibson humbuckers, and a pair of Stew Mac Vintage Vibe humbuckers that were meant to replace the factory stock pups. It was a toss up as to which pair I would use. I ended up using neither.

 

6c218f00-bb9a-4f28-b31b-7c8593cc7555_zpscc5e041f.jpg

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dman...yes the bridge pup. It sounds really thin and with considerably LESS volume than the neck pup. Not sure if its a real PROBLEM or just an inherent characteristic of the guitar itself. Being an Indonesian or Korean made guitar (I think) I'm sure there are quality issues...but I still like the instrument very much.

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dman...yes the bridge pup. It sounds really thin and with considerably LESS volume than the neck pup.

 

I have the same issue with my Broadway. I need to ride the neck pup down around 3 or 4 with the bridge pup up around 9 to get any kind of balance. I've been thinking about changing the pups out for P 90 s on it, but I have too many other mods I want to make on other guitars first.

 

I'll be following your mods here just to see how it goes for you.

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You can adjust the balance of the pickups by raising the bridge pickup closer to the strings and lowering the neck pickup until they are balanced to your liking. String movement is less closer to the bridge, so it's an inherent problem to all electric guitars. Many pickup makers wind the bridge pickups a bit hotter to compensate, but positioning them right can make a big difference too.

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You can adjust the balance of the pickups by raising the bridge pickup closer to the strings and lowering the neck pickup until they are balanced to your liking. String movement is less closer to the bridge, so it's an inherent problem to all electric guitars. Many pickup makers wind the bridge pickups a bit hotter to compensate, but positioning them right can make a big difference too.

 

I understand that and have made those adjustments accordingly, yet there is still a far greater discrepancy on the Broadway than any other hollow, solid, or semi- hollow guitar I have ever owned.

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I cannot seem to find the post describing it, but in 2013 I rewired my Broadway with CTS pots, orange drop caps and upgraded the pups. For the pups I used the Gibson Classic 57 at neck and Classic 57+ at the bridge. Going with the slightly hotter pickup at the bridge helped offset the volume difference, but as pointed out above, your set up can dramatically improve the difference even if you remain dead stock. I never liked the alpha pots as they are CHEAP so I was determined to completely rewire at the outset and get rid of the plastic connectors as well.

 

The end result is an excellent sounding jazz box that gets positive comments about its quality of tone.

 

There will be those who tell you upgraded pots and caps will make no difference, but I write these comments off as neophytes who listened to their iPods too loud. As the Epiphone Premium ES 175 uses CTS pots, Gibson must feel they have value.

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I have three JP's, all older models from Samick and Unsung, and other than taking off the TOM and replacing it with a rosewood bridge I haven't had to think about the pups, they sound fine.

 

With all these JP mods I have some Q's because It seems like a lot of work for what may be correctable home fixes?

 

Are they newer models? Then maybe my comments do not apply to all of you folks.

 

Have you all played with the pup and screw adjustments?

 

For scratchy pots have you sprayed tuner cleaner lube in them?

 

If your bridge base is a "violin" type that bends to fit the top, a fully fit to the top solid base is a good investment.

 

Finally I think the rosewood bridge is a must have "mod"

 

Here's mine, I love em...

 

emperors2_c.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

Hey guys

 

My Joe Pass is starting to buzz and the pots are staticy so I've decided I'm going to have the wiring pots and probably the pickups replaced. My tone pots don't change the tone much and I read different pots will fix that I have searched on this forum and see the GF mean P90 pickups are very popular for this guitar and I wanted to get some more pickup suggestion. I may just replace the bridge pickup because I do like the sound of the neck pickup but I wonder if something like the mean P90's would sound even better. I've never had a guitar rewired and I'm looking for suggestions from those of you who have modded this guitar. Thanks

P90 on a Joe Pass? I'd like to see that.

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