I only use the two conductor, braided shield and cloth Gravitt push-back wiring in my guitars....
Possible NGD. Wish me luck!
- Thread starter Gahr
- Start date
I only use the two conductor, braided shield and cloth Gravitt push-back wiring in my guitars....
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Et tu, Brute???
I am not sure it makes an identifiable difference but I like what its giving me in terms of tone and RFI/EMI insulation.
That kind of wire does have a nice vintage-y character about its appearance, but it isn't giving any real benefit over a regular PVC-jacketed wire with a foil shield and drain wire. The foil shield actually provides a more complete shield than the comparatively loose braid in cloth wire.
I did use the braided cloth wire in my own LP Studio build simply as a vintage-y throwback thing...and I fully-shielded the guitar. I also liked having the exposed braid to tack a ground connection onto the wire at any point without having to strip back to expose a shield. But, I know full-well that there is nothing special about it from a performance perspective.
But, outside of guitar cavities and vintage amp builds, you never see cloth wire in professional audio equipment, anymore. Cloth existed as an insulation material for wire simply because back then the development of plastics was in its infancy.
jtcnj
Ambassador of the Crossroad
I keep meaning to do this with one of my 2 HB guitars but have not as of yet.
I dont use the middle position much anyway but that is more due to my lack of experience with it and blending the 2.
" 'cause there's.....
something inside of me.....
And it just wont go away."
I dont use the middle position much anyway but that is more due to my lack of experience with it and blending the 2.
" 'cause there's.....
something inside of me.....
And it just wont go away."
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
DO IT!
That’s a Danny Kirwan number, btw. He was a great guitarist too. Lovely fast vibrato.
jtcnj
Ambassador of the Crossroad
That the guy who looks like he is about 15 years old in the videos?
Good points taken. I think, at least in my case, I suffered from so much EMI/RFI in my Gibson initially, (it actually picked up a local radio station when i first got it) along with the desire for a particular tone, I started looking for a solution that was more vintage in nature, as opposed to modern.
What's interesting is how quiet the SG became, despite archaic wire and the K40Y PIO tone capacitors. I have subjected it to every test possible with zero noise or interference.
More interesting is the overall tonal spectrum with the K40Y's. Even rolled all the way to zero, the tone is still clear and useable....
Smitty,
I even shielded the wire tunnels, rolling copper into place with wooden dowels, so all cavities have full continuity.
I even applied black tape to the back of the Gibson PCB and tested it with full copper shielding as shown.
The guitar contained to pickup up cell phone conversations and radio programs - even switch amps and cables. It also behaved this way in the recording studio in another city.
Once the vintage harness went in, the noise stopped.
I don't disagree with you at all!
My only point is that there is nothing about cloth as a wire insulator that is better than plastic insulation.
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Yup, that’s him. He was 18 when he joined Fleetwood Mac.
Agreed!!!
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
I couldn't help myself, so I swapped pickups today. The Goldtop got the set of Throbak PG-102s form my Derek Trucks SG, and I put the SD Seth Lover/57 Classic combo in the SG (with a new volume pot as well for the SG, as it stopped working on me a couple of days ago).
The Lester sounds extremely nice with the PG-102s! I get a slightly fuller out of phase sound than in the SG. I think the set will stay in the Les Paul. Most likely I'll use the Derek Trucks more for slide from now on. I'll probably mess around with the pickups more in the SG, probably installing something with A5 magnets (or swapping the magnets in the pickups that are in it at the moment. I like messing around with stuff like this, I'm having fun whenever the soldering iron is out. I'm still crap at soldering, but at least I'm getting better...
The Lester sounds extremely nice with the PG-102s! I get a slightly fuller out of phase sound than in the SG. I think the set will stay in the Les Paul. Most likely I'll use the Derek Trucks more for slide from now on. I'll probably mess around with the pickups more in the SG, probably installing something with A5 magnets (or swapping the magnets in the pickups that are in it at the moment. I like messing around with stuff like this, I'm having fun whenever the soldering iron is out. I'm still crap at soldering, but at least I'm getting better...
Awesome!
My i-pad videos don't have really great quality, but I want to send you a demo of the SLE-101's in my guitar.
Its not just a different tone when I switch positions, its a totally different guitar in each position.
Do you feel that way about your Thro-Bak's???
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
I wouldn't say it's a totally different guitar, but they are definitely versatile, I get really nice "honk", especially with the bridge pickup (not to mention in the middle position, given the flipped magnet), and the neck pickup is sweet and rounded without losing it's edge. They are relatively hot as far as PAF-style pickups go, they drive the amp nicely, but they clear up and exhibit bell like qualities with the volume turned down. Kid Andersen's demo of the PG-102s show their versatility really well. I forget what amp he's playing here, but using the tone and volume controls has much the same effect on my little Gibson amp:
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
@Robert Herndon, I'm considering getting another Throbak pair for the SG (when my finances will allow it...), but I'm not sure I'll get PG-102s again, so any demo of your SLE-101s would be very cool. I know you play with a lot more gain than I normally do, but that doesn't really matter. I like hearing how versatile pickups are, both with or without gain.
Will do!!!
I ordered my USB interface pre amp, mikes, cables, stands etc., everything I need to compliment my Audacity recording software. Then I can really post something you can hear.
I might post a clean i-pad video later for you just for fun...
@Gahr - I still have the GFS Classic II's (Alnico II PAF clones 8.0k/7.8k) in my SG. I always liked them, until I got these Thro-Bak's.
I plugged the SG in last night for the first time in quite a while ' and compared to the Doublneck, its just totally uninspiring.
The tone is much ess defined...very "Mono" so to speak. When you switch positions on the SG, the tone doesn't change much. But on the Doublneck, it literally sounds like a different guitar in each of the 6 switch positions (both necks)
Now I wasn't...and ive never been a fan of expensive pickups, but my buddy, Fil Oliveri (Solo Dallas) recommended them and I must admit that i was very, very skeptical.
The two sets of SLE-101'S used in the Doublneck retail for over $1,000USD, and although I have foolishly spent much more than that on vintage Gibson pickups years ago, I can't see spending € if there is nothing there other than bragging about how much they cost.
I have to say, these SLE-101's were worth every penny!!!
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
I was skeptical too, when I decided to get the Throbaks. But there is definitely something about them! And even if I might have a hard time justifying the cost, the fact is that the pickups really inspire me. If it's the cost or the sound that does it, it really doesn't matter in the end; they make me want to play more, and that's definitely an important factor in a good instrument. So, yes, I agree, they were worth every penny, indeed.
You said almost exactly what i was thinking...the inspiration....the satisfying tone....exactly