• 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!

Replacing Pickups in a 2013 Standard

Desmosedici

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
8
Hi
I was wondering what method everyone uses to replace the BBPros.
The options for Quick Connect are very limited.
Is it normal practice to gut the circuit-board and rewire everything if fitting, say, SD Pearly Gates?
what do you guys do?
cheers (first post)
 

Karldoog

New member
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
132
I'm replacing my 2010 Les Paul Standard pickups with DiMarzios. No push-pulls, just standard controls for that year.

In this case, I"m ripping out the circuit board and putting in a RS Guitarworks superpots setup, just scrapping the board. Some guys will tell you to keep it, that you can just put the connectors on the end of the new pickups but I'm just going to replace it and keep the old guts in case I ever decide to sell it. The pot values are the same in the RS setup.
 

Grayd8

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
58
I always gut the electronics, but I have specific pots that I like to use due to feel and taper. Right now I have 6 of them sitting in my parts bin in a Ziploc bag with a silica gel packet. Whenever I build a new harness I buy about 6 of them measure them out and build a harness with the best matched set I can come up with. I also have a dozen unused OD caps, some NOS 192 pacers and a few other oddballs I've acquired over the years.

For me its no big deal, but I have a fairly significant investment in soldering gear.
 

clearmudd

Active member
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
499
Hi
I was wondering what method everyone uses to replace the BBPros.
The options for Quick Connect are very limited.
Is it normal practice to gut the circuit-board and rewire everything if fitting, say, SD Pearly Gates?
what do you guys do?
cheers (first post)


I don't know if the SD Pearly Gates are 2 wire or 4 wire, if they are 4 wire you can pig tail them on to the pick-up plug, 2 wire you won't have use of all the switching that you have now.
 

Desmosedici

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
8
Thanks fellas.

i think I will replace all wiring (& put some nice paper/oil caps).
I never felt the need to split/tap anyway, so the push/pulls will go in place of standard 500 pots.


.....can't imagine ever putting it back.

Its a Lefty 2013 if anyone wants the board.




i really think Gibson went down this connector path alone and nobody followed.....sort of backfired I think.
 

Desmosedici

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
8
All done!
The circuit board is gone, replaced by 500pots & .22caps
The pickup selector & lead jack have been replaced and wired with braided.
The pickups are now SD APH-2
......the guitar is, after 4 years of ownership, finally brilliant, like a gutsy Les Paul should be.
 

talonmm

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Messages
179
All done!
The circuit board is gone, replaced by 500pots & .22caps
The pickup selector & lead jack have been replaced and wired with braided.
The pickups are now SD APH-2
......the guitar is, after 4 years of ownership, finally brilliant, like a gutsy Les Paul should be.

I had three newer les pauls with the silly-looking three knobs and each having a circuit board. I had my local guitar tech take out the boards, install the second tone knob where the phase or coil selector was located, install new pots and caps and was amazed how two of the guitars sounded so much better. The third, which I had purchased used came with better pickups, and that guitar sounded even better, and those pickups came alive, after the wiring was redone.
 

Desmosedici

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
8
The neck pickup was the most obvious improvement!
the Burstbucker Pro always sounded muddy and/or Boomy. I just couldn't get it to sound nice, whatever the height or setting. The SD is just amazing tho.
The Circuitboard/quick connect concept limited my choice of pups (really dumb idea, Gibson) but finally I took the plunge and I'm so glad I got out of that .......now I can compare the old with new setup I can attest to the BUrstbucker Pros being really weak, thin, and just overall crappy.
 

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
The neck pickup was the most obvious improvement!
the Burstbucker Pro always sounded muddy and/or Boomy. I just couldn't get it to sound nice, whatever the height or setting. The SD is just amazing tho.
The Circuitboard/quick connect concept limited my choice of pups (really dumb idea, Gibson) but finally I took the plunge and I'm so glad I got out of that .......now I can compare the old with new setup I can attest to the BUrstbucker Pros being really weak, thin, and just overall crappy.

Now that its rewired how about trying the BB Pro's again?

I'd be curious about that now that those cannibal snake eaters are gone from the body cavity.

And what amplificadore' are you pushing?


Salute'.
 

Desmosedici

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
8
I've pretty much 'over' the BBPro experience..... just had enough of those things.
Even if I wanted to give them another chance, I can't easily do that because Gibson decided to put a 5 pin plug on them for 'easy' (and obviously inevitable) replacement on a Circuit board.
I guess I shall just sell them as is.....or burn them...whatever
My Amp is an Orange OR-15 into a PPC112 & PPC OB212
 
Top