Slartibartfarst42 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I have a 2013 Les Paul Studio and I absolutely love it. I expected to change a number of things about the guitar almost immediately such as pickups, pots and caps but having played it for a while, I'm now not so sure. The guitar resonates so much more than any other guitar I've ever owned, it sustains forever, for some reason it's louder than my other guitar even though the pickups on my PRS are hotter and it just has this unique Gibson 'vibe' about it. As a result I'm very wary of changing anything in case I lose what the guitar already has. Let me break this down more: Pots I expected to immediately change the pots for 500k units as I've always felt they were better for humbuckers and I was under the impression Gibson use 300k but the guitar is reasonably bright anyway and surely 500k pots will make it brighter. Caps Again, I usually use caps I get from Bare Knuckle and they're generally an improvement but I'm loathed to change in case it loses what makes it great. Wiring Initially, I wanted to use one tone pot to coil split both pickups and wire the other one to put them out of phase for the Peter Green tone. Generally speaking this is easy enough but when I took the back off the Gibson, instead of finding the loose wires etc. I find in my PRS and other guitars I've used, the Gibson wiring is all on a PCB and the pickups plug in rather than being soldered. I had no idea where to start so I just abandoned the idea. This raises a couple of questions. Firstly, how on earth do I make the alterations I just mentioned? Secondly, if I were to change pickups, would I need to rip out the PCB and install all new wiring like my PRS? It seems to me that if I do that I'm introducing a lot of variables to the tone. Pickups Before I got the guitar, loads of people told me that the 498T and 490R are awful pickups and I should change them immediately but I actually quite like the 498T. It does pretty much what I want and although it's a bit microphonic, I still love the tone. If I were to replace it with something from either Bare Knuckle or The Creamery, I'd be basically looking for an improved 498T. The 490R isn't as impressive. It's very bright, it's brittle, the clean tone is absolutely terrible, it's microphonic and the ultimate tone is nothing at all to write home about. It improves a bit if I keep the tone down at 6 or 7 but I know I can buy better than this. The trouble is that such a move would bring me back to the wiring issue. The Gibson pickups simply plug into the PCB but replacement pickups won't so I assume I'd have to strip all that out and will changing pickups also destroy the 'Gibson' feel the guitar already has? Does anyone have any experience of any of this and can offer some advice? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veeman Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 If you like the way it sounds now, dont change it. I usually do the same things, but this last LP, a Faded Standard, I'm leaving alone. For now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfarst42 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Yes, I agree but like you, it's the 'for now' part that has me asking the questions. I kinda suspect that sooner or later that 490R is going to irritate me enough to want to change it and then it's like dominoes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I agree that if it ain't broke..... But, if you do change anything start by removing the PCB and do it right, point to point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 ...start by removing the PCB and do it right, point to point... This ^ And decide how you would like it to sound and wire it up accordingly - whether '50s; '60s; or anything else that takes your fancy. 490 / 498 shouldn't be an issue. They have constituted one of the fundamental LP tone profiles for decades. I don't know how much experience you have and so on but I'd strongly suggest that if you can't dial-in what you want then you should address your amp profile before swapping p'ups. Love your sign-in name, BTW... P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Love your sign-in name, BTW... P. Well we all know the answer... Its 42 of course ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Yes, I agree but like you, it's the 'for now' part that has me asking the questions. I kinda suspect that sooner or later that 490R is going to irritate me enough to want to change it and then it's like dominoes! That's my absolute favorite neck position pickup! I'd not change a 490R for anything short of an original PAF! They are heavenly in a Les Paul! What's in the bridge position? A 498T? If so that's a perfect combination and I would dream of changing it... My next Les Paul is going to have that combination! I wouldn't change it if you're getting super sustain and a tone that makes you like playing it! As for the pots/caps, the make entire board kits to swap-out with different pots/caps attached, I believe you can possibly find the combination you're looking for and if you don't like it you can swap the original pot/cap/capless board back in... If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Sutherland Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I have a 2013 Les Paul Studio and I absolutely love it. I expected to change a number of things about the guitar almost immediately such as pickups, pots and caps but having played it for a while, I'm now not so sure. The guitar resonates so much more than any other guitar I've ever owned, it sustains forever, for some reason it's louder than my other guitar even though the pickups on my PRS are hotter and it just has this unique Gibson 'vibe' about it. As a result I'm very wary of changing anything in case I lose what the guitar already has. Let me break this down more: Pots I expected to immediately change the pots for 500k units as I've always felt they were better for humbuckers and I was under the impression Gibson use 300k but the guitar is reasonably bright anyway and surely 500k pots will make it brighter. Caps Again, I usually use caps I get from Bare Knuckle and they're generally an improvement but I'm loathed to change in case it loses what makes it great. Wiring Initially, I wanted to use one tone pot to coil split both pickups and wire the other one to put them out of phase for the Peter Green tone. Generally speaking this is easy enough but when I took the back off the Gibson, instead of finding the loose wires etc. I find in my PRS and other guitars I've used, the Gibson wiring is all on a PCB and the pickups plug in rather than being soldered. I had no idea where to start so I just abandoned the idea. This raises a couple of questions. Firstly, how on earth do I make the alterations I just mentioned? Secondly, if I were to change pickups, would I need to rip out the PCB and install all new wiring like my PRS? It seems to me that if I do that I'm introducing a lot of variables to the tone. Pickups Before I got the guitar, loads of people told me that the 498T and 490R are awful pickups and I should change them immediately but I actually quite like the 498T. It does pretty much what I want and although it's a bit microphonic, I still love the tone. If I were to replace it with something from either Bare Knuckle or The Creamery, I'd be basically looking for an improved 498T. The 490R isn't as impressive. It's very bright, it's brittle, the clean tone is absolutely terrible, it's microphonic and the ultimate tone is nothing at all to write home about. It improves a bit if I keep the tone down at 6 or 7 but I know I can buy better than this. The trouble is that such a move would bring me back to the wiring issue. The Gibson pickups simply plug into the PCB but replacement pickups won't so I assume I'd have to strip all that out and will changing pickups also destroy the 'Gibson' feel the guitar already has? Does anyone have any experience of any of this and can offer some advice? Thanks RS Guitarworks makes preassembled wiring harnesses (http://store.rsguitarworks.net/), not exactly plug and play, but they are quality products and fairly easy to install if you have the right tools and a little soldering experience. If you must swap neck pickup, I like a 57 Classic in the neck, or a BurstBucker 2 (for Gibson pickups). Good luck, and please let us know what you decide to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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