Gibson SG Classic P90

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12bar
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Re: Gibson SG Classic P90

Post by 12bar »

I don't do much mods on my guitars and I'm happy my strat makes it easy (opening my Sheraton will be horror) but one last alternative is always to pull all electronics out and start from scratch. Or do it the ElMano way. :big_smile:

We all know: the older, the better (guitars, too)! :wink:
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VikingBlues
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Re: Gibson SG Classic P90

Post by VikingBlues »

Blindboy wrote:Wow! :yikes:
Exactly that! The yikes smiley is a perfect picture of what my mind did when I opened up the control cavity!
Blindboy wrote:Doesn't look anything like the cavity in my 1969 SG (which I have been into altogether too many times...)
Gibson has done a number of things lately that I find sketchy... This, the robot tuners on some guitars, etc...
I'm afraid I have to agree with you. Thoughts that I've often had over the past few years. Remember their Hendrix guitar fiasco? The fact that I've had these thoughts makes me feel even more foolish about this mistake though. Seems like I'll need to check the control cavities of guitars when I try them in shops now - what else can be changed that we take for granted I wonder. A PCB on an alleged quality brand just doesn't sit right for me.
Blindboy wrote:Maybe you should look at a nice jazz box like the Ibanez guitars that Tytleblues and I play, or an Epiphone Emperor or some such...
I had started out on this road ... tried a few Ibanez hollow bodies just a few months back. Rather wish I'd pursued that line of enquiry now instead of being distracted by a brand icon. :shy:
12bar wrote:one last alternative is always to pull all electronics out and start from scratch.
I've seriously considered this. And I've asked Gibson Customer Service what effect this has on the warranty (and also asked for instruction on how to change items on the PCB). I'm not sure I really expect a reply though. If it does invalidate the warranty then this will definitely be the last Gibson guitar I buy new.

But ... looking at the costs. If I take the costs of a good conventinal wiring job with good quality pots and capacitors etc, I'll add £150 onto my costs. If teh pickups are still disappointing I guess it'll be another £200 for good quality pickups being installed. I strongly suspect at that stage I'd have a guitar very similar in sound (and not quite as good in "feel") to the PRS SE - but at twice the price. :wall:

....................................

I think it's very much coming down to a sale scenario. :sad: Trade in price would be a huge hit, sale on commission would also be painful. Private sale seems the only option, though it is a hassle. Need to work out the minimum I can accept and use that as a starting price.
Then I just take the pain and try not to make such a major mistake again. :mercy:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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VikingBlues
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Re: Gibson SG Classic P90

Post by VikingBlues »

A reply staggered in from Gibson.
"We would not advise making any modifications on a new guitar as this will void your warranty." As expected.
I'd already had the answer from Andertons, who I asked as I was fed up with waiting. 1 hour from sending query to a reply with Andertons BTW.

So that's pretty clear then. Odd. Not unlike a car manufacturer saying if you take out the radio (which is designed in a different way to 99% of other cars radios) and put a new radio in instead, then you void the warranty on the engine. I'm not convinced that changing a PCB in the control cavity should have any influence on, say, a problem in later years with the neck ... or the bridge ... or the tuners ... or the frets. :sad:

I've made the point to Gibson that something as out of the ordinary as a PCB in the control cavity should be worthy of a specific mention in the main advertised specifications.

Ask anyone to draw what they expect to see in a guitars control cavity and I don't think many would be drawing a PCB damn it!

BUT - No response in the reply to my request for information on how the PCB is wired up and how it can be amended. I did get from them a source of supply for the pickup connectors that I asked for .... Hmmmm - the supplier is not in the UK - acroos the North Sea in HBLs fair land!

Basically I think someone's going to get a bargain out of this SG. Essentially a brand new guitar at a knock down used price. They'll be able to mod the hell out of it and they won't feel they've lost out on losing a warranty 'cos they've not paid through the nose for one in the first place.

So - quite possibly the last higher price new guitar I'll ever buy, and definately the last new Gibbie.

Do I sound a tad peeved? :angry: (to the power of 6)
Mostly my own stupid fault though. :shy:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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weelie
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Re: Gibson SG Classic P90

Post by weelie »

I had a brand new limited Epiphone ES-335 pro for week or so (a few months ago). Great guitar for the money I say! But well, it was a heavy guitar and somehow wanted rid off. It was easy to sell, only loss was the shipping of 12€ I had paid on it, or something like that. Anyway, I read that it has circuit board in it instead of regular wiring, didn't check though.

On the other hand: I have a Epiphone Alleykat that sports a GFS minihumbucker (7.5k) at the neck position, and I dig it!
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