Putting new pickups in my guitar. So I need anything else?

[Thisisme]

Hello so I have a Gibson SG guitar and I’m taking out my 490 pickups and replacing them with classic 57s.
So what I plan on also doing is changing the wiring so that I’m only using one volume, one tone for both pick ups so the other volume and tone knob do nothing. Simplicity is king!
Anyway apart from the wiring, is all I need to do is change the pickups? Or are there any other components that I need/

[jseth]

Well, it depends on what you're after...

I have a '75 ES-345 that has been severely altered, but in the perfect way for me... when I switched the pickups out with Seymour Duncans, I also had coil taps put in, so I could get a single coil tone when I wanted; I find this mod to be VERY useful for me. I also had the tech put in different tone and volume pots, not sure what sort they are but I believe they are more tapered in their response than the standard ones that Gibson uses...

I had a bunch of work done on the guitar in 1983, and I have not yet found reason to change anything! Good luck with your project!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Thisisme

Hello so I have a Gibson SG guitar and I’m taking out my 490 pickups and replacing them with classic 57s.
So what I plan on also doing is changing the wiring so that I’m only using one volume, one tone for both pick ups so the other volume and tone knob do nothing. Simplicity is king!
Anyway apart from the wiring, is all I need to do is change the pickups? Or are there any other components that I need...

My thoughts - in order:

• Good idea : IME the '57 Classics are more versatile - leave the 490's to the straight-ahead hard rock crowd;
• That said, the '57 Classics are capable of many interesting tones when used in combination, dialing in subtleties of tone color with the individual volume/tone controls, and speaking as the past/present owner of several single volume/tone 2- and 3-PU guitars you might want to give your decision some more thought - which leads me to:
• This is a popular mod for twin-humbucker Gibsons, and while most players opt to have both pickups rewired this way a one-of-each approach (how you choose to do it depends on your style, amp, effects, etc.) could yield some highly toneful results, while still keeping things relatively simple in the control department:

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/0...modern-wiring/

Again, it all depends on what you want/need from your guitar: I'm a straight-ahead guitar-cable-amp guy (no effects other than built in 'verb/trem/OD), and with one exception - a Godin CW II dual P-90 jazz/rockabilly box that I bought specifically for that '50s tonal/visual vibe (and I wouldn't change a thing ) - I've needed either individual on-off pickup switching, coil taps/splits, or a 5-way blade switch with different pickup/tone cap combinations to get the sounds I'm after from a single volume/tone guitar...

As with everything else, YMMV...

[rmp]

it's your decision of course, but just another opinion

I wouldn't remove the separate volume and tone for each pickup

part of the magic of a two-humbucker setup with this wiring configuration is blending the neck and bridge pickup in the middle position, where the volume favors one verses the other.

You'll loose that, and to me, that's a big sacrifice.

[Thisisme]

Originally Posted by jseth

Well, it depends on what you're after...

I have a '75 ES-345 that has been severely altered, but in the perfect way for me... when I switched the pickups out with Seymour Duncans, I also had coil taps put in, so I could get a single coil tone when I wanted; I find this mod to be VERY useful for me. I also had the tech put in different tone and volume pots, not sure what sort they are but I believe they are more tapered in their response than the standard ones that Gibson uses...

I had a bunch of work done on the guitar in 1983, and I have not yet found reason to change anything! Good luck with your project!

Cheers. Interesting about the coil tap. I was considering that (not the biggest fan of coil taps. I prefer single coils that’s why I got my tele)but I gather in order to coil tap it will change the tone of the natural sound of your humbuckers when in humbucking mode?

[Thisisme]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

My thoughts - in order:

• Good idea : IME the '57 Classics are more versatile - leave the 490's to the straight-ahead hard rock crowd;
• That said, the '57 Classics are capable of many interesting tones when used in combination, dialing in subtleties of tone color with the individual volume/tone controls, and speaking as the past/present owner of several single volume/tone 2- and 3-PU guitars you might want to give your decision some more thought - which leads me to:
• This is a popular mod for twin-humbucker Gibsons, and while most players opt to have both pickups rewired this way a one-of-each approach (how you choose to do it depends on your style, amp, effects, etc.) could yield some highly toneful results, while still keeping things relatively simple in the control department:

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/0...modern-wiring/

Again, it all depends on what you want/need from your guitar: I'm a straight-ahead guitar-cable-amp guy (no effects other than built in 'verb/trem/OD), and with one exception - a Godin CW II dual P-90 jazz/rockabilly box that I bought specifically for that '50s tonal/visual vibe (and I wouldn't change a thing ) - I've needed either individual on-off pickup switching, coil taps/splits, or a 5-way blade switch with different pickup/tone cap combinations to get the sounds I'm after from a single volume/tone guitar...

As with everything else, YMMV...

After reading your post and the other one I am most likely not going to change the current volume/tone knob configuration. One of the reasons I moved from a Strat to a telecaster is due to its simplicity. I don’t own but I love a pro jr amp due to having just a tone and volume knob. I’m a simple guy when it comes to EQ How ether I may get more used to the Gibson configuration. It takes a while to really know your instrument and how it behaves

Yea for Shure 57s are just more versatile and dynamic. Low output all the way! I can be similar to you, sometimes just guitar to amp and volume and tone knobs. Sometimes I use some pedals but it depends on the situation.

I’m really looking forward to putting these pick ups in!

[Thisisme]

Originally Posted by rmp

it's your decision of course, but just another opinion

I wouldn't remove the separate volume and tone for each pickup

part of the magic of a two-humbucker setup with this wiring configuration is blending the neck and bridge pickup in the middle position, where the volume favors one verses the other.

You'll loose that, and to me, that's a big sacrifice.

Cheers for the reply. I’ve decided to keep its current configuration

[Steve DeRosa]

Just noticed that you seem to favor single-coil pickups - don't know if you're after a twin-humbucker guitar for the sake of variety, but did you ever test drive any of these:



https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electri...Vintage-Cherry



https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electri...Vintage-Cherry



https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electri...e-Cherry-Satin



https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electri...Vintage-Cherry



https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electri...Burgundy-Satin

[Thisisme]

Ah the p90s. I’ve played on p90s a couple times and they sound good. Can be pretty noisy apparently and havnt given them much of a chance. The guitar I got is a Gibson special 2003 with dotted frets so looks similar to the first picture but with 490 pickups. I guess I do favour single coils but it’s nice to have a good humbucking guitar and sometimes i prefer the humbucking sound. Depends what I’m in the mood for. I think single coils sound better at low volumes in your bedroom than humbuckers but at jamming/gig volumes it’s hard for me to say which I Prefer. There just different

[rmp]

P90s are their own thing, no humbucker or even a strat/tele pickup will ever sound like them. But the noise can be distracting.
with any kind of "gain" at all on the amp settings, a good noise gate in front of the amp is almost essential.

as to your question about coil taps, changing the sound even when they are not engaged?

I've always read that they will slightly change the sound, since it's just added "Stuff" for the single to pass thru. Can we actually "hear" that, I have no idea.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by rmp

...As to your question about coil taps, changing the sound even when they are not engaged?

I've always read that they will slightly change the sound, since it's just added "stuff" for the signal to pass thru. Can we actually "hear" that, I have no idea.

I've owned an '82 Yamaha SSC-500 for the last 40 years, 25 of which it served as one of my two go-to gigging guitars (along with a MIJ '86 Fender/Squier Strat) - three tapped single-coils (which take it from a blistering P-90 rock tone to classic Strat/Tele cleans, and everything in between), individual on-off switches, and single volume/tone controls - and I never had issues with either loss of tone (quite the contrary) or excessive noise (good shielding plays a major part)...

YMMV...

[Matthew Sarad]

I took.out the ThroBak Humbuckers and put in Z90s made by HarmonicDesign.
https://www.harmonicdesign.net/allpages/gibsons.html
™


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User Comments

[rmp]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

I've owned an '82 Yamaha SSC-500 for the last 40 years, 25 of which it served as one of my two go-to gigging guitars (along with a MIJ '86 Fender/Squier Strat) - three tapped single-coils (which take it from a blistering P-90 rock tone to classic Strat/Tele cleans, and everything in between), individual on-off switches, and single volume/tone controls - and I never had issues with either loss of tone (quite the contrary) or excessive noise (good shielding plays a major part)...

YMMV...

Oh yea, I've had plenty of guitars with the coil tapes, and phase wiring.

However,

I was kind of working at the question on whether changing the wiring, to ADD the coil taps would alter the current sound from the Old config to New config.

seemed that was the ask. maybe not..


I was considering that (not the biggest fan of coil taps. I prefer single coils that’s why I got my tele)but I gather in order to coil tap it will change the tone of the natural sound of your humbuckers when in humbucking mode?

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by Matthew Sarad

I took.out the ThroBak Humbuckers and put in Z90s made by HarmonicDesign.
https://www.harmonicdesign.net/allpages/gibsons.html
™
. . . .

So, have you used them enough to form an opinion? The ad copy sounds good, but most ad copy does, and I've often found myself disappointed after believing and acting upon the ad copy.

[Matthew Sarad]

I have HarmonicDesign pickups in my #1 Tele, PRS McCarty, and now, the SG.
I find that they are extremely articulate and respond well to both the volume and tone controls for sonic shaping from a rumble to a roar.

My favorite humbuckers?

The mid 60s T Top Gibsons in my Melody Maker and the three Dimarzio super distortion Humbuckers in my PRS SE..The PRS is my West Coast Jerry Garcia inspired Frankenstein
with push pull pots, six position switch, and OBEL. Amax8ngly sweet and clean tone.

HarmonicDesign have been around since the mid 90s. They are one of the first to make P90s.

I use 2 Tweed Deluxe amps, either the old Fender or the 20 year old Victoria.