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I hate the bridge pickup in my 73 deluxe..what should I do?

Norlinhoarderman

By Norlinhoarderman
in Gibson USA

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Norlinhoarderman

Norlinhoarderman

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone. I have a 73 goldtop Les Paul that I have had for years and years. I hate the mini humbucker in the bridge position..neck one sounds ok. I was wondering if anyone has tried a seymore Duncan or other mini pickup in one of those. I hate the feedback I get from it and it just doesn't sound good to me but I don't want to cut up the guitar..it's pretty nice otherwise. What is a good pickup to try to swap into it? I like that it sounds like a telecaster in some ways but I think I want to try a different pickup someday. Thanks for any responses.

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charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
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I had the same problem, with my '76 Deluxe, a few years ago. They had gone

"microphonic!" I thought about replacing them, but a Luthier I knew suggested

just wax potting them, instead. I had him do that, for a real reasonable fee,

and they've been outstanding, ever since! They didn't have to do anything else

to them. They now sound better, than they did, when they were new! [thumbup][biggrin]

 

So, if you know someone that can do that, for you...I would suggest you at least

try that, first! Replacement is always an option, later, if that doesn't help,

or solve the problem.

 

Good Luck,

 

CB

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L5Larry

L5Larry

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Just to add a historical perspective to this conversation, options and fix-its have already been discussed.....

 

The problems above are EXACTLY what was being said about the mini's in the Deluxe when the model was introduced in the early 70's. The problem, from a consumer standpoint, was that between 71-75, if you wanted a new sunburst or goldtop LP, you had no other choice than the "Deluxe". Gibson sold something like 30,000 Deluxes during that period. Sunbursts and Goldtops were flying off the racks to people who thought they were going to sound (and look) like the 57-60 vintage LP's of our heroes.

 

The Deluxe was originally introduced to use up Epiphone pickups, that had been acquired in the Epi buyout, after it was determined that with slight modification to the pickups (the plastic "surround"), they could make them fit a P-90 hole for which they already had "tooling" (some say they may have even had some leftover P-90 routed LP bodies laying around).

 

By 1977, production numbers of the (recently re-introduced) "Standard" had surpassed that of the "Deluxe". But, in the meantime, many Deluxes were re-routed and fitted with full size humbuckers by their owners.

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Jimi Mac

Jimi Mac

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I love the tone in my Y2K Deluxe LE/reissue.

 

The pickups work and sound phenomenal and I wouldn't change a thing!

 

If your issue is feedback, definitely go the re-potting route and I think all will be well!

 

If you don't like the tone, well chaging pickups to another MFG will likely be very similar. (to the tone of a properly potted original mini-bucker)

 

You may find yourself wanting to route & replace with full sized pickups if the minis just don't do it for you or you may want to sell it for a standard...

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ksdaddy

ksdaddy

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In my case, I think there was something physically wrong with my pickups. They had a weird rattle that would come though the amp. Imagine if one (or more) of the polepiece screws were rattling loose and what it might sound like through the amp. That's what mine were like.

 

I think I've had close to 20 LPs. The vast majority had stock pickups; a few had been hotrodded. The DiMarzio DLX pickups in this one leapfrogged right over the full sized stock pickups in my opinion. I've never owned or played a LP that comes close to this one, tone wise.

 

I've typically picked up an LP, kept it maybe a month (tops) and then it's on the block. No love, no lust, quickly bored, toss it up on ebay. By contrast I've had this one 17 years.

 

1971_Les_Paul_1.jpg

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pauloon

pauloon

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In my case, I think there was something physically wrong with my pickups. They had a weird rattle that would come though the amp. Imagine if one (or more) of the polepiece screws were rattling loose and what it might sound like through the amp. That's what mine were like.

 

I think I've had close to 20 LPs. The vast majority had stock pickups; a few had been hotrodded. The DiMarzio DLX pickups in this one leapfrogged right over the full sized stock pickups in my opinion. I've never owned or played a LP that comes close to this one, tone wise.

 

I've typically picked up an LP, kept it maybe a month (tops) and then it's on the block. No love, no lust, quickly bored, toss it up on ebay. By contrast I've had this one 17 years.

 

1971_Les_Paul_1.jpg

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............................................................................................nice.

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Norlinhoarderman

Norlinhoarderman

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I've had probably 20 Les Pauls too...Mostly customs.. Some were super nice. Ironically the one I've always liked the most and will probably always have is a 92 standard that was once sunburst and has had the top sanded down and painted probably 6 times now..maybe it's worth 700 bucks lolimage-22.jpg

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deeman

deeman

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In my case, I think there was something physically wrong with my pickups. They had a weird rattle that would come though the amp. Imagine if one (or more) of the polepiece screws were rattling loose and what it might sound like through the amp. That's what mine were like.

 

I think I've had close to 20 LPs. The vast majority had stock pickups; a few had been hotrodded. The DiMarzio DLX pickups in this one leapfrogged right over the full sized stock pickups in my opinion. I've never owned or played a LP that comes close to this one, tone wise.

 

I've typically picked up an LP, kept it maybe a month (tops) and then it's on the block. No love, no lust, quickly bored, toss it up on ebay. By contrast I've had this one 17 years.

 

1971_Les_Paul_1.jpg

 

Love the guitar

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deeman

deeman

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image-21.jpg Thanks for the responses! I just put some new strings on it and am going to see about the wax potting when I take my Dove in for a new nut hopefully soon. Maybe I'll try out some aftermarket ones too. Thanks again

 

Take that to a good tech and bring it back to its glory. What a nice looking guitar.

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Jimi Mac

Jimi Mac

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In my case, I think there was something physically wrong with my pickups. They had a weird rattle that would come though the amp. Imagine if one (or more) of the polepiece screws were rattling loose and what it might sound like through the amp. That's what mine were like.

 

I think I've had close to 20 LPs. The vast majority had stock pickups; a few had been hotrodded. The DiMarzio DLX pickups in this one leapfrogged right over the full sized stock pickups in my opinion. I've never owned or played a LP that comes close to this one, tone wise.

 

I've typically picked up an LP, kept it maybe a month (tops) and then it's on the block. No love, no lust, quickly bored, toss it up on ebay. By contrast I've had this one 17 years.

 

 

Wow, I've never seen Minibuckers with that configuration looking like a P90 cover...

 

They actually look really interesting and I may wanna try 'em some day...

 

I've instantly had my curiosity roused!

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ksdaddy

ksdaddy

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Yeah, that's basically why I chose them, so I didn't have to rout or alter anything. Had I not found a "drop in" replacement I would have seriously considered a set of P90s. I don't even know if DiMarzio makes these anymore; I remember seeing them in advertisements back in the late 70s... I think. I bought these in the late 90s, and they were New Old Stock. I paid $30 each and then sold the minis on ebay for $100/pair.

 

I'm not one to change pickups much. Some people are COMPELLED to rip their stock pickups out and put in Seymour Duncans on Day One because stock pickups can't possibly be any good! (sarcasm) I leave things alone unless there's some serious suck factor. Which describes those minis.

 

Disclaimer to mini fans: the next set I try might be glorious. Just talking about this particular set.

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L5Larry

L5Larry

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...serious suck factor...

 

Now there's a descriptive term with real meaning, can I use that? Maybe it should be made into an acronym for abbreviated usage...SSF.

 

I like it!

 

PS: Yes, I know this adds nothing to the original discussion, but I couldn't pass up the comment.

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Norlinhoarderman

Norlinhoarderman

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Yeah some minis might be ok but my minis do have the SSF going on. It sounds good with both pickups on playing clean..sounds like my gretsch. Sounds good with both pickups on...gain cranked up on my marshall..with the neck volume rolled back just a hair it has a pretty good tone actually. With just the bridge pickup on under power it's ear piercing shrill and clean it makes you wish it had a b bender because chicken picking telecaster style crap is about all it's good for.

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