PCB In Gibsons:

118 comments on the topic means we all have preferences. I guess thats what this is about. The ability to customize by swapping out pots for different values, etc... PCBs make that more difficult. It could be worse. They could use "micro" electronics like many Behringer pedals. It's tough to mod them too, and the electronics can be much worse.
 
Robert Herndon said:
So, the Gibson tech I spoke with believes the pickups are the culprit ...
Click to expand...
Could he replace the pup if you mailed it to him ?

gibson-x-ray-jpg.1486

You have mice holes in your guitar ! ! !

Robert Herndon said:
So the ground is used on the tailpiece stud on the SG too?????
Click to expand...
Should be the same.
 
Robert Herndon said:
... but I think I should rule out a circuit board issue first...
Click to expand...

It would be HIGHLY UNLIKELY to suspect the PCB. You say you have issues when lightly gripping the neck pickup, right? When doing so, you are in no way manipulating the PCB.
 
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Biddy,

citymgr@californiacity-ca.gov
smitty_p said:
Gibson uses a standard Molex connector for the pickup leads. These are available online super cheap. Try www.onlinecomponents.com.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the correct part number for the five-pin pickup lead connector in Robert Herndon's pic is 538-43645-0500. Is some portion of a part number stamped onto the connector, itself?

Ideally, you'll also need the correct crimp tool. The connectors come with a set of sockets that crimp onto each wire. Then, those sockets are inserted into the plastic connector body. You could try to crimp the wires using a needle nose pliers, but that can be a little tricky.
Click to expand...


OK,

Where do I get them????
 
The connectors?

Using the part number you can probably find them at Mouser Electronics.

I would google the crimp tool based on the part number of the connector. Mouser may carry those, too.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Both pickups...
Click to expand...

Either way, the pickups are not fastened directly to the board. Their connecting leads plug into it. When you grasp the pickups, you aren't flexing the board, or anything.

I suppose there could be some sort of defective solder joint on the PCB. I have seen that on other PCBs. I have an amplifier that had a bad solder joint with one of the effects loop jacks where its leads were soldered to the PCB. I fixed that by must reflowing the solder. But, the board, itself was fine.
 
Found this great iformation....

Standard Gibson pickups with 4 conductor capabilities have 5 conductors (including screen or shield). They are manufactured with this coding...

Red - Hot or +ve
White - upper coil finish ( connects to green in 2 conductor installs)
Green - lower coil finish (connects to white in 2 conductor installs)
Black - Ground or -ve
Shield - Connect to black or ground

The quick connect board and connector have these color codings...

Neck - Pin 1 - Shield / Pin 2 - Black / Pin 3 - Red / Pin 4 - Green / Pin 5 - White
Bridge - Pin 1 - Shield / Pin 2 - Green / Pin 3 - White / Pin 4 - Black / Pin 5 - Red

So the neck circuit is looking for Red/Black as the positive and negative and the bridge is looking for White/Green.
(Note: This is the circuit for both of my 2013 LPJ's and a friends 2013 Studio with the same pups and QC board)

So when I hooked up the pickups to the quick connect pigtails and observed proper color coding it actually put the pickups out of phase.

To rectify you have to forget about connecting proper colors to proper color and just give the board what it is looking for...
Again note... this is only for the Bridge... the Neck is color coded properly.

For the bridge pigtail...

Connect Red from pickup to White on pigtail
Black from pickup to Green
White from pickup to Red
Green from pickup to Black
Shield to shield

If you do not connect it like this, it will still work but there will be a noticeable power loss in the middle position because the pickups will be of out of phase.
This can be verified with clip leads if you are skeptical.


Gibson PCB 1.jpg Gibson PCB 2.jpg
 
smitty_p said:
Either way, the pickups are not fastened directly to the board. Their connecting leads plug into it. When you grasp the pickups, you aren't flexing the board, or anything.

I suppose there could be some sort of defective solder joint on the PCB. I have seen that on other PCBs. I have an amplifier that had a bad solder joint with one of the effects loop jacks where its leads were soldered to the PCB. I fixed that by must reflowing the solder. But, the board, itself was fine.
Click to expand...

I wonder if perhaps the board may have a short, which could be affecting the pickups....
 
Well,

My master plan now is to add the Molex connectors to the GFS Classic II pickups and plug them into the Gibson PCB and see what happens...
 
Y'know, I'm beginning to think I should buy one of these PCBs. I wouldn't actually use it, but it would be fun to play around with it.
 
FYI--- the issue with mine WAS THE CONNECTOR---
NEw pickup (with new connector) worked fine-- and the old pickup I CLIPPED the connector--- and it got wored ""old school" and IT WORKED FINE

the weak point in the equation for me any way WAS THE CONNECTOR.........I repeat WAS THE CONNECTOR


still I dont like robo tuners---I dont like PCB boards---I love shepherds pie and Guinness
 
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