Epiphone Les Paul Custom Silverburst.

[Iggo]

Nice guitar for the dough (was $600...got it for $500). Real pretty. Wish it wasn't so thick up around the cutaway, but hey, not like I didn't know that going in...

Anyway, My bridge PU is cutting out and I gotta pound my guitar on the hip to get it back...sometimes real hard and more than once. I realize this is not good. I'm thinking it's a loose wire somewhere in the chain...and I've decided I'm goin' in! Here's the thing: I was thinking, "Ya know, since I'm going in anyway, maybe I could upgrade to better pickups and switch them out myself...you know, save a few bucks." So I picked up a couple of guitar repair books and I bought all the tools and supplies they recommended. I've bookmarked a couple of online video demonstrations. I did a two year stint at DeVry, so I know which end of a soldering iron is which.

I guess what I'm really looking for here is for someone to tell me it's not all that difficult and it's going to be okay.

What do you think, boys and girls? Is it as easy as I imagine? Any dire warnings from someone who's tried it and failed?

[here_is_to_hope]

1. Me! Me!

Hey, I have swapped out maybe 30 of these Les Pauls from Epi cuz face it, you get real pick ups in there and they are Les Pauls without the worry.
Basically, you got your two leads, match them up and have at it...
But dont use a soldering iron, use a soldering gun-cant control the heat with an iron!
And while you are in there...
Lots of my customers swap the wiring out too for something heavier (26g to 14g) and change the jack to a Switchcraft.
I have been putting in Burstbuckers for most of the 30 I have done, with the Zebra running a close second. For that classic Les tone though...498's, thats what I run in mine.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. What Here Is To Hope Said!

It's not that big a deal, as long as one is decent with a soldering iron.

I'd also mention that the "cutting out" thing may be caused by a loose solder joint on one of the pots. Those things are usually just a glob of solder on the pot body, and if the solder was a little too hot can pucker and leave the contact loose.

So, even new pickups won't help that unless it's fixed too.
The Professor

[dbt]

2. And now for something completely heretical:

Gibson P-90 pickups 'stead of humbuckers. You do know that God plays P-90s, yes?

:evilgrin:

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Heretic!

P90's?!? Pshaw! If you want single coil sound, play a Fender or Rickenbacker!

Guess i told you, huh?
GAC

[Iggo]

5. The kid at GC is pushing "Dimebuckers."

Him: "Dude! You like Dimebag, right? Dude, these Dimebuckers are the same kind Dimbag used."

Me: "Wow, really? Hey, that's neat! So those are the ones Dime used on his 7-string?"

Him: "Yep. Same ones!"

LOL...salesmen. You gotta love 'em.