How to brighten the sound of my Gibson Explorer (w/ Painkillers)

[Ivan]

Hi all,

My Gibson Explorer has Painkillers in, and it sounds too dark and chunky for my tastes.

I used to have the Painkillers in an SG (which I loved), so I know that the darkness is coming from the Explorer.

Anyone have any tips on brightening the guitar?

[gingataff]

First I'd check the pots, are they 300k or 500k? If they're 300k get some 500s in and see how that goes, if they're 500k you can try 1Meg pots.

[Philly Q]

A change to the acoustic tone which can also translate into the amplified tone - try replacing the tailpiece with a lightweight aluminium one.  It might give the guitar a bit more sparkle and zing.

It seems to suit some guitars and not others, but it's easily reversed.

[Copperhead]

Cap value on tone pot?

[Ivan]

Thanks for the replies.

So which solution would have the biggest impact?

[Will]

The pots would be my priority, sometimes they can be 300k, which takes a lot of the brightness off of humbuckers.

[Philly Q]

Yep, pots are a good place to start.

[MDV]

1M pots, straight to jack with a killswitch, treble booster, brighter strings.

[hunter]

So, on top of the mentioned ones:

1. Alu Tailpiece
2. Higher pot valuer (300=>500 or 500=>1000)
3. Brighter strings (try Blue Steel or Full Steel ones)

You could also try:

4. Change wiring from "modern" to "vintage" (different way to connect the tone pot to the vol pot)
5. Disconnect tone pot, if not used
6. Remove pickup covers, if any
7. Bring PUs closer to strings

[Ivan]

Thanks for all the advice.
I think I will try the pots first as it's the cheapest option and seems to be the most obvious.

[gwEm]

i've had the problem in the past:

i would try in this order (some of these points already suggested):

* change any 300k pots for 500k
* remove tone pot from bridge pickup (I've done this in a couple of my Flying Vs)
* change 500k pots to 1M

might also look at:
* lighter string gauge - particularly on bass strings
* pickup height - less muddy further away - but then again its less output

frankly if none of that works I would look at other pickups. double screw adjustable polepieces give you the chance to brighten things up quite a bit too on the bridge. pickups which will definitely work on your guitar are stormy mondays or riff raffs. now these aren't very metal pickups necessarily, but the riff raff will handle it ok. miracle man will probably work, but might sound a bit scooped. cold sweat again an option, but the bass can be ill defined on a dark guitar

philly q and hunter suggested an aluminum tailpiece. knowing thye endorse that solution would be enough for me personally to try it.

[FELINEGUITARS]

So, on top of the mentioned ones:

1. Alu Tailpiece
2. Higher pot valuer (300=>500 or 500=>1000)
3. Brighter strings (try Blue Steel or Full Steel ones)

You could also try:

4. Change wiring from "modern" to "vintage" (different way to connect the tone pot to the vol pot)
5. Disconnect tone pot, if not used
6. Remove pickup covers, if any
7. Bring PUs closer to strings

Good stuff Hunter

Also - raise the polepices of the adjustable coil - will add more bite
I do it so they follow the curve of the fingerboard - leaving the outside ones almost flush with the top and raising the middle 4.

This unbalances the humbucking nature of the pickup slightly and gives a slightly more open sound , which can be good on an explorer, especially with Painkillers, which are beefy, midrange full pickups

[MDV]

i've had the problem in the past:

i would try in this order (some of these points already suggested):

* change any 300k pots for 500k
* remove tone pot from bridge pickup (I've done this in a couple of my Flying Vs)
* change 500k pots to 1M

might also look at:
* lighter string gauge - particularly on bass strings
* pickup height - less muddy further away - but then again its less output

frankly if none of that works I would look at other pickups. double screw adjustable polepieces give you the chance to brighten things up quite a bit too on the bridge. pickups which will definitely work on your guitar are stormy mondays or riff raffs. now these aren't very metal pickups necessarily, but the riff raff will handle it ok. miracle man will probably work, but might sound a bit scooped. cold sweat again an option, but the bass can be ill defined on a dark guitar

philly q and hunter suggested an aluminum tailpiece. knowing thye endorse that solution would be enough for me personally to try it.

Double screw pole will work against him here - its already not trebly enough, and while you could EQ it back it with the DSP, it will by default be quite a bit bassier.

[gwEm]

i've had the problem in the past:

i would try in this order (some of these points already suggested):

* change any 300k pots for 500k
* remove tone pot from bridge pickup (I've done this in a couple of my Flying Vs)
* change 500k pots to 1M

might also look at:
* lighter string gauge - particularly on bass strings
* pickup height - less muddy further away - but then again its less output

frankly if none of that works I would look at other pickups. double screw adjustable polepieces give you the chance to brighten things up quite a bit too on the bridge. pickups which will definitely work on your guitar are stormy mondays or riff raffs. now these aren't very metal pickups necessarily, but the riff raff will handle it ok. miracle man will probably work, but might sound a bit scooped. cold sweat again an option, but the bass can be ill defined on a dark guitar

philly q and hunter suggested an aluminum tailpiece. knowing thye endorse that solution would be enough for me personally to try it.

Double screw pole will work against him here - its already not trebly enough, and while you could EQ it back it with the DSP, it will by default be quite a bit bassier.

will bow to your superior DSP experience. though in the case of my V, i must say i could adjust it between quite a rumbling tone, to a tone similar in brightness to early van halen.

[MDV]

Oh, it gives quite a bit of control, no doubt, its why I use it, but one of its main strengths is you can add bass, and if theres too much to begin with then single screw is all you need.