new gibson ccontrol cavity circuit board CRAP

[fieldwrangler]

Why would Gibson bother to make a guitar easy to change parts on? That's not part of their plan on building guitars. They expect you to use what came in the guitar.

I sure don't build instruments assuming that someone is going to change the pickups I put in it. If I had my way I'd use totally unique parts that don't have direct replacements. This is not to dissuade people from changing parts, but because it would be truer to the design of the instrument. I really hate having to use parts some other company designed.

I think people got used to their being a lot of after market pickups in common shapes, but no manufacturer makes their products with the intent that someone is going to change the pickups or whatever. These were proprietary parts when Gibson first made them, and there were no direct replacements. Same was true of Fender. Now these are "standard" size parts, but that wasn't the plan.

I'm taking the opposite approach with a current order for a pair of guitar pickups (with an optional outboard dedicated interface.) My unusual pickups are packaged in standard sized humbucker housings so that the customer can do whatever he wants if his tastes or needs change somewhere along the line (or if intriguing new pickups come to market.)

Admittedly, this is for a custom instrument that I'm not building.

Bob Palmieri

[big_teee]

Here's a picture of the bare board.
Terry

So Much for Split Coils, Push-Pulls, and 4-wire Connections.

[CRU JONES]

I recently purchased a Les Paul with this setup. The Gibson pinout is on .100" spacing which is what I use anyway, so my pickups drop right in. The "locking" mechanism they use is really strange and I ended up yanking it out the first time I tried to "disengage" the lead wires.

In order for anyone to make this system "Quick Connect" all they would need to do is buy a Crimper, female molex connectors, and find the shroud that Gibson uses...

This could actually be REALLY good for pickup winders. Changing your pickups is as easy as changing your strings

I have used a system like this on all my guitars for a few years now. Many of my customers use it too.

Cheers,
Ethan

I'll post part numbers if anyone is interested.

[David Schwab]

So Much for Split Coils, Push-Pulls, and 4-wire Connections.

Well then you have to remove all the parts, but you would have pretty much done that anyway, right? And the stock pickups don't have 4/conductor wiring.

Thats how it always is when you mod a guitar.

I'm sure we all remember drilling holes for switches before the push/pulls were common.

At least this way you can switch to back to stock if you need to.

[David Schwab]

This could actually be REALLY good for pickup winders. Changing your pickups is as easy as changing your strings

Then you want something you can connect without crimping on a connector...

For testing I do this:

[frankfalbo]

This could actually be REALLY good for pickup winders. Changing your pickups is as easy as changing your strings

Liberator - change your guitar pickups using only a screwdriver



Rather than crimping connectors onto everything, why not do away with the need for a connector? Bare wire lockdown: works with anything, single or four conductor. Keep your phase/coil/parallel/whatever switches on the guitar. I really thought I'd get gift baskets from all of you guys for this thing by now, for your test guitars. I can check with shipping but I don't think they've received anything yet.

[David Schwab]

I can check with shipping but I don't think they've received anything yet.

Yeah, we were waiting for the Liberators in the mail too!

It is a cool idea though... better than alligator clips too.

[big_teee]

Better Idea than my small Wire Nuts I have always used for Testing!
But, Costs a Lot more than the little Orange wire Nuts.
T

[frankfalbo]

Yeah, we were waiting for the Liberators in the mail too!

Haha sorry you actually have to buy them. Businesses are strange that way!
Step 1. Make cool stuff
Step 2. Get money
Step 3. Use money to make more cool stuff
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until retirement or death.

Without step 2 the whole thing falls apart.

When it comes to soldering I'm lightening fast at it and I like to do it. I had to design the Liberator to work for people outside my element (fear of soldering, poor soldering skills, etc) I wanted something I'd be proud of as a "pro" that still worked for the newbie. As I fitted our test guitars with them I really started loving the screw terminals. They're rock solid. Now I put a Liberator anywhere I can, whereas I thought I'd design it and never really use it.

The Gibson thing is pretty much the exact opposite of all the aforementioned design motives and therefore the exact opposite result. This thread is mild compared to the amount of flaming on other forums about their board and connectors.

[big_teee]

Haha sorry you actually have to buy them. Businesses are strange that way!
Step 1. Make cool stuff
Step 2. Get money
Step 3. Use money to make more cool stuff
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until retirement or death.

Without step 2 the whole thing falls apart.

When it comes to soldering I'm lightening fast at it and I like to do it. I had to design the Liberator to work for people outside my element (fear of soldering, poor soldering skills, etc) I wanted something I'd be proud of as a "pro" that still worked for the newbie. As I fitted our test guitars with them I really started loving the screw terminals. They're rock solid. Now I put a Liberator anywhere I can, whereas I thought I'd design it and never really use it.

The Gibson thing is pretty much the exact opposite of all the aforementioned design motives and therefore the exact opposite result. This thread is mild compared to the amount of flaming on other forums about their board and connectors.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned about your Liberator.
If it takes the place of the Volume Control.
I presume the Vol. Pot is built in?
If so What is it, 250, 500k ?
And, if the Pot is built in, and I have a Pot failure is my 25-30 Dollars down the Drain?
Just trying to get all the facts straight.
I looked it over on the SD Site, and Info is pretty Light on the Particulars of it!
Thanks,
Terry

[frankfalbo]

Aside from the 2-minute pickup swap, there are two more detailed videos about it where I geek out (part three contains the most Klingon)

The pot is Bourns, 250 and 500k available. Long shaft are on the way. The terminals get soldered to the board and the can soldered to a ground pad. You could swap out the pot I you wanted to.

You need something to anchor it, and the pot made perfect sense to me. Tons of guitars out there with garbage pots anyway. Its a good value add.

[Joe Gwinn]

It is a good idea. The terminal blocks are widely available. Phoenix Contact (in the Allied Electronics catalog) has many types. What may work for retrofit in existing guitars is the totally enclosed screw terminal strips. I use these for low-voltage wiring all the time. One can cut the strips to length, and they don't need to be attached to anything.

Euro 2-row enclosed barrier strips look like this: Block Master Electronics Inc. [PA8,PA10,PA12,PA14]

The above has 8mm min spacing, but 5mm is also available, and may be better suited. The Euro block terminals are available in 2.5mm spacing, for lower voltages.

[David Schwab]

Haha sorry you actually have to buy them. Businesses are strange that way!

I've actually wanted to pick some up to check out, so I guess I'll have to get around to doing that now.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

At least it looks like they're using quality components - sturdy wire, good connectors, etc. If such components were inherently flawed, they wouldn't be commonly used on computers and such. Although, having worked on more vintage instruments than I can keep track of, I'm imagining myself taking one of these apart in 10-20 years and having to finely clean the connectors one by one because they've corroded and are making a poor connection. Guitars are meant to last a lifetime, and a solder joint just does that better than a physical connection.

Gotta remember, guys like us get aroused by the smell of burning flux in the morning, but in many realms soldering is a thing of the past. It used to be every guy in a garage and handy housewife could wield an iron... these days I meet engineers who don't know basic heating and tinning practices. Sign o' the times, I suppose.

[David Schwab]

At least it looks like they're using quality components - sturdy wire, good connectors, etc.

Here's the better version:



It is ironic that they use cheap ceramic caps in both, but then sell fake and expensive bumble bee caps.