My first ever pickup swap...

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I know. Pretty pathetic. All this time and I've never swapped pickups myself. Truth is I'm pretty cack-handed at most practical stuff. I have the craftsmanship and skill of a stunned mongoose on acid. Luckily I'm really good at making things up, so manage to make a living.

But I figured it was time I did some grown up stuff. Now soldering, apparently something that is really simple to do, has always been a particular pain in the ass. I know the theory. I know the theory of the execution. I also know that my usual execution ends up in needing a grown up to fix it again.

I picked up a 2003 Gold Top in a trade, but the pickups seemed a bit brash. To be honest it was an easy justification to get an order in to Mark at OX4. An OX4 Les Paul is currently my favourite set up - although I'm interested to see how the Oil City Tube Snakes I have on order work in my Classic. This time I've gone for a set of Hot Duanes....

Anyway. Guitar stripped. Pickups in. Guitar put back together, restrung and playing in 30 minutes. No problems. No cock ups. Just job done. Proper chuffed! And it sounds phenomenal. Quite trebly for a Les Paul, but responds fantastically to using the tone pots. Nicely differentiated from the rest of the herd. Great pickups!

So I whipped the microphonic pickups out of the Greco 59-60 and replaced them with the humbuckers taken out of the Gibson - and that worked too! Turned it into a bit of a beastie too!

Here's the Gold Top, post surgery ( @Legionreturns look away now...):


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Comments

  • You tagged me in this because you want me to have it. Right? 

    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • ellwoodellwood Frets: 1113
    You tagged me in this because you want me to have it. Right? 
    Not at all. Not for sale.

    I tagged you in it just for lols. Bantz. I know how much you like my goldtops ;)
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  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3129
    edited January 2018
    The neck stage is swapping magnets in pickups, it’s a bit cheaper than a whole new set and by most accounts has quite an impact...it’s my current line of pickup improvement thinking.

    Well done by the way, never too late to learn a new trick!
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    Good work.

    Though there should be no shame in getting someone to swap pickups for you if you don't want to do it yourself.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • ellwood said:
    Not at all. Not for sale until At the earliest, Sunday.
    FTFY

    Also, I prefer my gold tops with p90s... I'm not convinced buckers look right. 

    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3129
    ellwood said:
    Not at all. Not for sale until At the earliest, Sunday.
    FTFY

    Also, I prefer my gold tops with p90s... I'm not convinced buckers look right. 
    Yeah but the new Classic with p90s has a shitty thin 60s neck. :(
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  • ellwoodellwood Frets: 1113
    The neck stage is swapping magnets in pickups, it’s a bit cheaper than a whole new set and by most accounts has quite an impact...it’s my current line of pickup improvement thinking.

    Well done by the way, never too late to learn a new trick!
    Steady on...let’s not get ahead of ourselves!!
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    ellwood said:
    This time I've gone for a set of Hot Duanes.
    Somebody missed a trick there. Shoulda called 'em Hot 'Lantas. :)
    Be seeing you.
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