• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Modified '60s Tribute Les Paul

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
A while back I bought this 2013 '60s Tribute LP with Humbuckers.
The only LPs that I had at the time were Historics/Custom Shop, so I wanted an inexpensive LP to carry around.
Normally I would start with changing the pots and caps and '50s wiring.
When I opened up the control cavity I saw that everything was boards and quick connect plugs.
I noticed that the Burstbucker 1/2 pickups were 4 wire, but there were no push/pull pots for coil splitting.
WTF- what would it have cost to put a couple of push/pull pots in, maybe $5 or so?
That really annoyed me, and it seemed like a marketing opportunity lost for Gibson too.
I was going to cut the connectors off the pickups and put in some pots for coil splitting.
Then I decided to take out all of the electrical components and leave the connectors alone.
That meant everything- switch, jack, pickups, board.

The pickups are a bit unusual.
The neck pickup is a vintage cream colored T-top that has slightly narrower spacing than a vintage Gibson T-top, so I doubt that it was a Gibson pickup.
Also it was substantially higher output than a Gibson T-top.
The pole spacing is perfect for a neck pickup.
I noticed that Jared Brandon of Brandonwound pickups was advertising reproduction cream colored T-tops, vintage Gibson spaced.
I sent him my pickup and had him rewind it to ~7.75k ohms.
I had him wind a bridge pickup to ~8.10k ohms.
The color of his new bobbin is a perfect match for the old one.

I initially had the Jimmy Page wiring setup, but then I decided to go all the way on pickup switching.
The pickup rings are Seymour Duncan Triple Shot Rings which have slider switches to control each coil separately.
Then I put in Bournes push/pull volume pots- one is for series/parallel switching, the other is for in-phase/out-of-phase switching.
The tone pots are CTS 500k, with Orange Drop caps.
New Switchcraft switch and new jack.
The number of tones that you can get out of this setup is amazing.

The bridge is a nickel plated ABR from a 335, converted from Nashville.
The tailpiece is nickel plated aluminum.
Changed the truss rod cover to a plain one too.
Weight is around 8 pounds 6 ounces.
Total outlay for the modifications is around $250 or so, and well worth it.

20160627_082519.jpg


20160627_082721.jpg


20160627_082558.jpg
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Fantastic!!! Love the switching rings and the pull knobs for options. I use the rings with a pair of P Rails and they are cool, but I must have phase switching for combined pickups as well as series/parallel and you hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the great idea, I will be trying it out on one of mine. The guitar looks great by the way, very nice!!
 
Last edited:

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
Fantastic!!! Love the switching rings and the pull knobs for options. I use the rings with a pair of Prails and they ate cool, but I must have phase switching for combined pickups as well as series/parallel and you hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the great idea, I will be trying it out on one of mine. The guitar looks great by the way, very nice!!

Thanks Al.
If you need it, Duncan has the wiring diagram for this setup on their website.
I don't know why these rings aren't more popular- they are very easy to install.
I love the Prails - I have a project in mind with them.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I cannot say enough good things about the Duncan P Rails. Fantastic pickups with very useful tones for those outside the box. But I never was smart enough to think about combining the switch rings with push/pull pots. FACE PALM!!:laugh2:

You are gonna love the P Rails.
 

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
I'm thinking of doing a small pickguard SG Standard with Bigsby.
Neck pickup will be either a Phat Cat type single coil or a humbucker sized TV Jones Filtertron.
No wax potting on the Filtertron, which i prefer.
The Prail will go in the bridge position.
Switching TBD.
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
Very nice, and very versatile rig Lou!

Would you recommend Brandonwound's T tops, how close do they come to the originals? (my FAVORITE pickup, ever)
 

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
Very nice, and very versatile rig Lou!

Would you recommend Brandonwound's T tops, how close do they come to the originals? (my FAVORITE pickup, ever)

My favorite pickups too- I couldn't begin to count how many I've owned, both in guitars and loose.
I have what are the earliest set of T-tops that i've seen- pickups, covers, rings and springs from a '65 SG.

Jared Brandon has done several repaitrs, rewinds, and custom orders for me in the past.
I have never been disappointed in his work.
I think that his pickups sound great, and are very reasonably priced.
I think that his pickups are as good as the ones that cost $500-$600 a set.
His T-top reproductions sound great, and he will do them any way that you want them.
I don't think that you will be disappointed if you try them.
Send him an email if you're interested.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
My favorite T Top is very early. I found it in an old Mom and Pop store still in it's original cardboard box. It has on T coil and one PAF coil!!!!!! The thing sounds good. Way back when I used to get all kinds of flack around here about how good I thought they were. No one wanted them and there was no love for them or anything Norlin Era at all.

P90's, MiniHums and TTops were like Kryptonite around here!:laugh2:
 

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
My favorite T Top is very early. I found it in an old Mom and Pop store still in it's original cardboard box. It has on T coil and one PAF coil!!!!!! The thing sounds good. Way back when I used to get all kinds of flack around here about how good I thought they were. No one wanted them and there was no love for them or anything Norlin Era at all.

P90's, MiniHums and TTops were like Kryptonite around here!:laugh2:

Still are to some people, as are SGs.
My first electric guitar was a late 1966/early 1967 SG Standard bought new almost 50 years ago.
I've been a T-top guy for almost 50 years now.
I'm getting old, but the pickups aren't- they're still great.
 
Top