Gibson Les Paul with "bassy" bridge pickup

[rm5153]

I have a Gibson Traditional with Floyd Rose. This guitar comes equipped with the printed circuit board/quick connect system. For some reason this guitar is very bassy when using the bridge pickup. I have the 57 classics in it and have tried some of the other Gibson pickups with the quick connects and all are real bass heavy. I recently wired in a EVH Wolfgang pickup using a quick connect and the same results. I run the EVH Wolfgang pickup in the bridge position in 5 other guitars and no problems. My question how do you eliminate the bass? Is this due to the Gibson printed circuit boards and the pots only being 300K? I am thinking of eliminating the board and going with 500k pots and the traditional caps etc. Will this help eliminate the problem? Suggestions?

 

[napalmdeath]

I have a Gibson Traditional with Floyd Rose. This guitar comes equipped with the printed circuit board/quick connect system. For some reason this guitar is very bassy when using the bridge pickup. I have the 57 classics in it and have tried some of the other Gibson pickups with the quick connects and all are real bass heavy. I recently wired in a EVH Wolfgang pickup using a quick connect and the same results. I run the EVH Wolfgang pickup in the bridge position in 5 other guitars and no problems. My question how do you eliminate the bass? Is this due to the Gibson printed circuit boards and the pots only being 300K? I am thinking of eliminating the board and going with 500k pots and the traditional caps etc. Will this help eliminate the problem? Suggestions?

I had a Traditional that was flab city, especially with the '57 Classics. I hate those pickups.

I eventually settled on a Duncan Custom. That guitar was a heavy beast, with a baseball bat fat neck. I think it was pushing 10.5 lbs. It was the one year they had no clambering, no weight relief, and it was still a bit muddy with the Custom. I ended up selling it.

Maybe try a bright pickup with some sizzle. Maybe a Pearly Gates? 500T? I'd definitely eliminate that PCB.

 

[romanianreaper]

Do you think there could be something wrong with your tone knob/connections? Sounds like the tone you would get with a tone knob turned down.

 

[LP Freak]

It has everything to do with the 300k pots (is that what’s in there?) If you swap them for 500k you’ll definitely get some high end back. I’ve got a similar situation with my SG.

 

[rm5153]

It has everything to do with the 300k pots (is that what’s in there?) If you swap them for 500k you’ll definitely get some high end back. I’ve got a similar situation with my SG.

Yeah that is what I am finding out based on the research that I am doing. All my other guitars with EVH pickups sound great through my BE100 rig or my EVH Stealth rig but this Les Paul sounds terrible. Have to turn the bass on the BE100 way down.

Quick connect board is going to be removed and standard pots w/caps installed.

 

[rm5153]

It has everything to do with the 300k pots (is that what’s in there?) If you swap them for 500k you’ll definitely get some high end back. I’ve got a similar situation with my SG.

Yeah that is what I am finding out based on the research that I am doing. All my other guitars with EVH pickups sound great through my BE100 rig or my EVH Stealth rig but this Les Paul sounds terrible. Have to turn the bass on the BE100 way down.

Quick connect board is going to be removed and standard pots w/caps installed.

And yes those Gibson PCB boards have 300K pots

 

[Findthetone1]

Weird, my Trad Pro Floyd doesn’t sound bassy at all and it’s all stock. Curious to see how the pcb removal does.

 

[skullfxr]

I have on some gibsons I have fitted 500k pots for the same reason.

 

[rm5153]

I have on some gibsons I have fitted 500k pots for the same reason.

Taking it to the tech today to see what he says. Oddly, I have 6 other guitars with the same EVH pickup in the bridge position and on 3 of my amp rigs I am dialing in more bass. With this Les Paul Traditional I have to drastically reduce it. Sounds nice and full don't get me wrong but way too bass heavy. I will post back after I talk to the tech.

 

[skullfxr]

Ok. Curious to hear the result.

 

[Speeddemon]

DiMarzio Norton will be a nice swap in a Les Paul too.
Medium/high output, Alnico V magnet. Tight low-end, awesome mid-crunch and harmonics.
In some respects it's the pickup that the JB aspires to be.

 

[scottosan]

Yes, this..... I can't understand why they do this. 300k and humbuckers are a hot mess

 

[glassjaw7]

Had the same issue. Swapped the 300k pots for 500s and problem solved

 

[splatter]

yes its the 300k pots