Making a 2013 Gibson Les Paul better! Worth it???

[jonthomas83]

Hi all,

I bought myself a nice 2013 Gibson Les Paul last October and recently realised that it needs to have a bit of a setup to lower the strings. A bit of advice that I got given a few years back was to change stock pickups on any guitar I buy, the guy actually recommended BKP. He was preaching to the converted, however, as I'd previously put some Cold Sweats in an old Epi Les Paul - I fell in love with them, so naturally, I agreed with his sentiment.

SO, long story short, while I'm getting the setup sorted... I want honest opinions on whether I should swap out the BurstBucker Pro's that are in there and look at upgrading any parts, if necessary. I also need honest opinions on whether this will be detrimental to my investment? However much I love BKP, I love my guitar more and don't want to ruin its aesthetic nor decrease its value if I start messing with stock electronics.

Further advice would be good on pairing a Cold Sweat in the bridge with a Stormy Monday humbucker or a PG Blues humbucker in the neck - I love blues and want something nice an warm in the neck but need screaming rock in the bridge.

The current configuration on the 2013 models allows for all sorts of tones using push pull mechanisms, I'm unsure of all the different combinations but I need to research so that I can maintain that setup when I install the new pups. So finally, I need honest opinions on whether the electrics inside need upgrading? Will it be worth it? (I assume so, but it was an expensive guitar, I'd like to think there's no junk inside it!). Looking at the following:
- Jensen BKP 0.022μfd capacitor
- BKP Custom Audio Taper 550K CTS standard shaft pot - but I guess I'll need push/pull versions.
- Switchcraft stereo jack socket

Anything else I'm missing?

Should I use shielding?

Sorry, loads of questions, but like I said, it's an investment that I don't want to ruin - this is my baby! ha.

Here's a pic, just because...


Many thanks for your time!

[Dave Sloven]

My advice to you would be to set it up the way you want, but in a way that retains the value of the instrument.

For example, you might choose to install a TonePros locking bridge and tailpiece set like I have on my 2011 SG Standard.  It required no modifications to the body of my guitar and I simply placed the stock ones in a bag in my drawer.  If my top-wrapping scratches the tailpiece that's no big deal because I wouldn't sell it with that set in it anyway; I would remove it and reinstall the unscratched stock components to keep the good stuff for another tune-o-matic equipped Gibson.

Similarly I removed all of the electronics from my SG Standard, placed them in a box and installed BKPs and a custom wiring harness made of quality components by Switchcraft, Mojotone, etc.  If I ever sell it the PCB and stock pickups will go back in.  The only part I damaged was the bridge ground wire but I suspect that could be easily replaced as it is simply a standard length of plain wire.

I don't have strap locks on that guitar.  I just use Grolsch bottle grommets, which are cheap, effective, and require no mods.

I have considered replacing the corian nut with a Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut - which would be a permanent, if visually difficult to detect mod - but I doubt that would have a negative impact on the resale.  Otherwise I tend to stick to mods that aren't permanent

The one mod I have made to some of my guitars that is permanent is shielding paint. You could use foil instead, which is a bit more fiddly but can be removed if desired.

I don't know much about neck pickups but from what I have seen the Emerald neck might pair well with a Cold Sweat bridge.

[ericsabbath]

I never had to swap anything but the pickups to make a Gibson great

not that better hardware isn't worth it or that they would decrease the value of a new guitar at all

I'd only be worried if I had a 50's or 60's guitar

the only things original in my '73 les paul custom is (probably) the nut and the tailpiece
although it's a great guitar, it's not worth over 2500 USD like most resellers tend to ask these days
it's not like I'm devaluating a real vintage that will drop 10k-20k just for a few non-original parts

I also have a '73 marshall JMP that only has a few original parts, like the transformers, the actual ptp board (not the parts in it) and some of the pots and the big capacitors
it's an amazing amp and I'd never think of modding it back to "original parts"

[gwEm]

Guitars are tools and I never thought about resale value too much.

On the other hand, I am sensitive when I mod older instruments to try and keep the character. I even modded some 60s, 70s and 80s guitars to my preferences without a shred of guilt. But yes, the more radical mods are saved for the 90s guitars and onwards

"I never had to swap anything but the pickups to make a Gibson great"
This is basically true for me also. Sometimes I needed to have a fret job done, or I did some rewiring extra.

[richard]

Is there anything you don't like about the Burstbuckers ? I've never used them but plenty of folks seem to like them. No need to change unless you feel they're not right for you.

[fdesalvo]

I'd do an Abraxas set and set up split coils on a single switch.

LPs weakest points can include roughly cut saddles, poorly cut nut, and lousy tuners.  A nicely cut nut may negate the need for more expensive tuners.

[ericsabbath]

Is there anything you don't like about the Burstbuckers ? I've never used them but plenty of folks seem to like them. No need to change unless you feel they're not right for you.

I find the burstbucker pro quite dead sounding
a riff raff or mule set is a great improvement over them in the same ballpark

[Lucas]

First of all I must say it`s killer looking guitar, looks amazing!

Getting to the point, once it`s your 'baby' I would say it`s worth upgrading as much as you can or as much as you can afford.
For example I upgraded absolutely everything in my Dean Caddy (apart from wood):

-locking Sperzel tuners,
-bone specially cut nut
-Buzz Feiten tuning system
-I changed even markers to abalone ones
-stainless steel frets
-BKP Nailbomb/CS
-Jersen caps
-BKP pots
-wires
-Switchcraft jack
-3 way pickup selector
-Graphtech Resomax bridge
-Graphtech tail piece
-Shaller strap locks
-copper foil shielding

it took me nearly a year to do all of those things and quite a bit of cash, but in my eyes it`s worth it

but on the other hand, Gibsons are supposed to be a better quality overall.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I sympathise with your quandary as I'm in a similar situation. Mine is only a 2013 Les Paul Studio but I love it and suspect tuners aside, there really isn't much I want to change about it. In the past I've always changed all of the electronics in a guitar but with the LP I'm wary of taking out the PCB in case the guitar then loses some of its mojo. In time I will change the pickups for something or other and I may well upgrade the tuners and nut but that's all. Whatever pickups I get, they will be wired to the PCB.

[CommonCourtesy]

I've got a 2010 LP studio, and when I first got it I only had it set up for drop c# tuning, so that meant the nuts and saddles filed and the intonation tweaked. I left it at that for a year or so and never really did much to it. Then 2-3 years later I had to set it up again for drop c tuning, going up a string gauge and more filing. Played for about a year with it before realising it wasn't sounding the way I wanted to, kinda weak and muddy. So I looked at installing a new bridge pickup, initially started with an Aftermath, had Earvana nuts installed an replaced the stock tailpiece for a lighter aluminium one. Made a world of difference! About a year later I switched out the AM for a Ceramic Nailbomb, and quite happy with that. Have recently disconnected the tone pot too which has improved the sound.

Still looking to upgrade the neck pickup at some point, and maybe change the tuners. Hell I may even just get rid of the neck pickup altogether and tone pots and just have one pickup into the volume!

I never really like selling guitars (only ever sold one) and don't think about the resale value cos I won't be selling it!

[Telerocker]

The question is: do you like the BurstBuckers yourself?

[neikeel]

I did what Agent Orange did to my 2013 R0:
-removed the pick ups, pots etc intact and installed a new harness with BKP 550 pots (push-push on tone for coil taps), Jensen PIO caps and a pair of BKP 4-conductor Mules with Nickel covers.
Strap locks and amber tophat knobs, saving all the old stuff in the case for later.
I think the standard nut is fine, as is the fret work, it has the lightweight stop bar and the ABR on this is fine.  If it did not involve drilling the guitar I would have installed nickel grovers but I wimped out.
I use an old brown/pink fluffy lined  Gibson case which is much more sturdy than the Lifton Replica (cardboard??).
So yes I say go for it and get it to suit you.
This has become my main gigging guitar