Anyone know much about replacing guitar pick ups?

[Tunes 666]

Hi folks

I am thinking of putting a Seymour duncan pick up inside my Gibson SG.... But the Gibson pick up it attached vie a plastic plug that the wires are installed in... so this is quite a task to do.... Although I am thinking if I simply cut the wires off of the Gibson pick up and then weld the SD pick up wires to the already attached wires, would this be sufficient?... it sounds like it should work but was worried there might be something I am over looking...

any feed back would be appreciated ta!

[BlackestEyes]

is the pickup in the SG a Gibson pickup or an EMG? I know EMG's have a plug for ease of switching pickups.

[bishopthomas]

You're on the right track but you need to find the wiring diagram for the pickup that is currently installed. This will tell you which wire does what so that you will know which ones to connect to the new pickup. Honestly, if you aren't very familiar with this process and aren't skilled at wiring and soldering you should probably just take it in to a guitar shop. They should be able to do it quickly and for a decent price (sometimes if you buy the pickup from them you will get a discount on the installation).

[Tunes 666]

Originally Posted by BlackestEyes

is the pickup in the SG a Gibson pickup or an EMG? I know EMG's have a plug for ease of switching pickups.

The pick up in already is a Gibson, sounds ok but the SD will have more edge I think ..bit more gain.

bishopthomas
Yes I have been thinking if i should risk it but i am ok with a soldering iron... and know my way around a guitar a little.... for me its just making sure i am looking at the right wires... and making sure i would attach them to the right ones...

they seem to be color coded so it this is why I am temted to save the money...

Also the Gibson has a scrach plate over the pick up holes.... so in order to change the pick ups you pretty much have to take the hardware off the front of the guitar so who ever does it would really have to be paid for a set up as well ...so im probebly looking at about £50 really... pluss I allready own the pick up i want in....

[bishopthomas]

Yeah, I certainly understand. Don't go by the color-code alone, though; you need to have a wiring diagram. Call Gibson if you can't find one online. The new pickup should have come with one.

[Tunes 666]

Yeah here are the diagrams for both pick ups (humbucker) I think i can see what wires I need to cross but there are a few difference... once i can work out which wires match, then it should not be a problem really...


http://www.gibson.com/Files/Download.../PUPwiring.pdf

Progressive - Duncan Custom™ SH-5 and TB-5 - Seymour Duncan/Basslines

[bishopthomas]

There you go, you're basically there. After doing the wiring and before putting it all back together do a quick check by tapping the pickup poles to make sure you are all set. (Of course you will have to plug it in to a guitar amp first.)

[Tunes 666]

I will remember that mate cheers...

its seems the semore duncun has the "clear and the "bare and the green" wire going to the "control" while the Gibson Red is going to the control...

I was wondering it that's cool connecting the two wires to the one....

I think I will do this but just want to cover it all first

thanks again..

[bishopthomas]

On the SD pickup the bare and green should be soldered to the chassis of the potentiometer. And by the way, all pots and switches should have their chassis tied together as well as the ground of the 1/4" jack then all that tied to the bridge. Maybe something to check, especially if this guitar has ever had 3rd party electrical work done to it. So that's your ground, then all you need to do is solder the hot wire onto the volume pot where you took the stock pickup off. The wiring diagram is showing it as a black wire but you're calling it "clear." Make sure you know the difference between "clear" and "bare." But if you pick wrong then the worst that can happen is it just won't work and you try again. Good luck, but it seems like you probably have a handle on it now.

[Tunes 666]

done it.

I put the pick up in yesterday evening and when I cut the plug from the old Gibson one ... the wires were different to what was in the digram!..

so stopped and thought I would take it in and except defeat.... but later that night i was just about to go to bed and i thought man its only 2 wires there that need attaching... the thing is the Gibson wire is like rapped around the plastic wiring like a cover.... so i just bit the bullet and ripped it back and twisted it around... welded the green to green and the other to the other and it works fine.... and a fine pick up it is too!

saved me 30-40 quid!

thanks for the help.

[bishopthomas]

Excellent work! Enjoy the new sounds.