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How to replace pups with PCB?

Kostek12

By Kostek12
in Gibson USA

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cosmitron

cosmitron

Posted
Posted

Same dilemma.

I've 1st un-clip both stock pickups from the PCB. (you'll have to unclip the ground wire in order to take off the stock pickups)

Then, after I've cut the white cover, I've unsoldered the green wire (ground) and cut the black one (hot) from the stock pup so now I can solder any pickups I want on those clips.

 

OR, you could manage to find those clips at some eletric/computer retailer. (I've read someone from this forum did find those clips at an online retailer)

[wink]

 

For the record, I've ordered a kit of 500k CTS/pio caps/switch/jack. I think this PCB doesn't make things easier.

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Kostek12

Kostek12

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Same dilemma.

I've 1st un-clip both stock pickups from the PCB

Then, I've unsoldered the green wire and cut the black one (hot) from the stock pup so now I can solder any pickups I want on those clips.

 

OR, you could manage to find those clips at some eletric/computer retailer.

[wink]

 

I'm REALLY scared of doing that since im only 15 and have almost no clue about wirings of a guitar

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cosmitron

cosmitron

Posted
Posted

I'm REALLY scared of doing that since im only 15 and have almost no clue about wirings of a guitar

So drop the idea of changing anything. In any case, you'll have to solder something at some point.

 

Or learn to solder.

Besides I don't think it has anything to do with your age mate!

 

Why do you want to change your pickups ?

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cosmitron

cosmitron

Posted
Posted

One per pickups. If you look closely at your pcb, you'll read the scripts: 'NECK' and 'BRIDGE' next to each pickups connectors.

That's pretty simple. :)

When you'll have all the parts you need (pickups, molex connectors, soldering iron, solder, pliers, less than 2 inch of wire, 2 hands):

1- Unclip the ground wire (GND script on the PCB): push down the orange lever on the surf green connector and gently pull the wire. (because it surrounds the pickups wires)

2- Unclip the two black connectors

3- Unstring the guitar, unmount the pickguard, unmount the stock pickups, gently pull the pickups wires off the guitar.

4- Prepare your new pickups: put the hot wire (black on Gibson Humbuckers) into in one of the connectors entry, and a piece of wire (the green wire you can see on your picture) in the other entry.* Solder the other extremity of this piece of wire to the ground wire of your new pickup (braided shield on Gibson pickups.)

*Just look at the stock pickups connectors to know which one goes where.

5- Mount your shiny new pickups on the pickguard, pass the prepared wires of each pickups in the hole that leads to the electronics cavity, set your pickguard on the guitar.

6- Plug the new pickups connectors on the PCB. (And THAT is the cool thing with the pcb, if you mess that up, swapping the pickup connections is easy as do ré mi.)

7- Plug the ground wire into its dedicated location (surf-green connector). You can surround the pickups wires with the ground wire just like it is on your picture.

8- Restring your guitar, and voilà.

 

Phase 4 can be done anytime before. :rolleyes:

 

OR bring it to a qualified professional. [sleep]

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cosmitron

cosmitron

Posted
Posted

A peavey vypyr 15w.. but i have a Uber Metal pedal but that only makes the sound worse -_-

 

mmm not sure it would change much then. But it's worth trying, especially if you have fun doing so.

 

Besides, just to let you know guys, I've just changed the pcb for a ala vintage kit, including CTS500k with vitamine Q PIO caps. Now it sounds somewhat more open, grittier and crunchier than ever.

I liked the PCB principle though. But I feel more comfortable with a vintage kit I can mod the old school way.

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SDWR

SDWR

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recieved my clips from mouser electronics P/N 538-43645-0200.... I also have the little internal crimp connectors P/N 538-43031-0010 ... I was able to connect my 1980 Dimarzio pup quite easily to my SG faded.

 

I ordered the clips from the above link and also realized I need the internal crimp connectors. Do they come in a roll? How many should I order.

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  • 7 months later...
fontadoni

fontadoni

Posted
Posted

Hi there,

 

This post is definitely helpful. I ordered the same parts from Mouser Electronics, which just arrived today. I'm getting ready to install some 57 Classics on my SG Standard. I have a couple of questions about this before I begin and wanted to see if one of you guys could help me out.

 

The 57 classics have only a single wire, do I need to solder this wire to the little crimp connectors? Is soldering necessary or do I just put the wire in the crimp connector and then put this inside the clip? It's my first time using these connectors so I'm not quite sure what's the best way to do it (though it looks simple).

 

Thanks in advance!

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Magneezo

Magneezo

Posted
Posted

I am wanting to buy a Gibson 498T to replace the Gibson 490T in the SG Special

Can I unclip the bridge pickup wire and clip in the new wire like this one has?

Or do I have to go around my head to get to my butt using solder and old technology

regardless of the new connectors?

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ne14t?

ne14t?

Posted
Posted

I am wanting to buy a Gibson 498T to replace the Gibson 490T in the SG Special

Can I unclip the bridge pickup wire and clip in the new wire like this one has?

Or do I have to go around my head to get to my butt using solder and old technology

regardless of the new connectors?

 

If you buy a newer Gibson pickup it might come with the connector to hook it up, a lot of manufacturers are going over to this solderless way of setting up guitars, its kinda of stupid as do change overs on electronics becomes harder, but for the techs just doing repairs and building the guitar in the factory it makes there life easier.

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  • 1 month later...
koji

koji

Posted
Posted

The Gibson SG Faded Classic I got was so noisy that this is what I done. I threw away the PCB board after removing all of the pots, input jack and 3-way switch. Shielded all of the cavities including the back of the pickguard and the cover for the control cavity. Then just wire it up like any SG, Les Paul, etc. Here's a hint that works great on Fender's too. That copper shielding you put in the cavities is the only ground you need. I solder the ground from the input jack directly to the shielding. Plus they have everything back *** wired on this guitar. You would think the thicker black wire coming from the pickup would be the groung wire. Wrong it's the green wire. Then they have a green wire going to the hot position on the 3-way switch and a black wire going to the groung lug. Completely opposite of the pickup wiring. You could also solder the rest of the grounds to the shielding but it's easier to just solder them to the top of the pots. The pots are grounded when you install them because they are touching the copper shielding that you're using for ground. On you're Fenders when you're not touching the strings the guitar hisses or hums and when you touch the strings the noise goes away. Then if you get on a forum these people respond by saying that's normal. Wrong it's not normal. Every Fender I have sounds the same whether you're touching the strings or not. If you shield the guitar (very important) and wire the input's jack ground to the shielding you will never hear any noise when not touching the strings. Also on this SG Classic just like on a a Fender you can hear little ticking and popping noises coming from the amp. If you take some spray adhesive and cover the back of the pickguard twice with aluminum foil that noise will go away. Just overlap the copper shielding on the cavities so the aluminum on the pickguard will touch it. Donations accepted.

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AlanH

AlanH

Posted
Posted

im prolly not going to sell the stocks, but im more into metal so im probably putting in dimarzo super distortion

 

Phew! Fortunately you already have the type of pickups metal music was created with- PAF style. 490Ts have great bite and clarity and will take whatever gain you throw at them.

 

Get yourself a nice little valve amp and start collecting a few more pedals like overdrive, delay and chorus and you'll have an ideal rig for metal. A lot of metal players either use an overdrive like a Tubescreamer clone to push an already clipping valve amp, or they play their amp clean and use a distortion pedal (as has been suggested already as a solution to your pedal problem.) A touch of chorus and delay will give you more of an '80s metal sound if you don't want an early '70s metal tone.

 

Alan

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This_Dying_Soul

This_Dying_Soul

Posted
Posted

hmmmmm....

 

I wonder if that's the same kind of clip that is used in the Les Paul Push Tone?

 

If so I now have a choice to swap out my stock 498's in my '08 SG Special for a pair of Burstbuckers or P94's that are in my LP Push Tone.

 

The Push Tone was supposedly first Gibson to have that PCB in it then they started using it in the rest soon after. I think it basically makes installing the electronics easier at the factory, but it's a pain in the @ss for anyone wanting to swap out stuff. Especially if you want to modify the wiring of he pots in any way.

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