Replacing Stock Legacy PUPS with Dual Blade HB PUPS

[reevus]

Good morning. I have a (hopefully) easy question for the Forum. With regard to a standard USA Legacy - is replacing the stock alnico pickups with dual blade humbucking pickups (say G&L dual blades) a relatively, simple task for a competent luthier. Or, alternatively, is there some rewiring that would need to be done that is significant due to differences in the nature of the pickups.

Thanks much for any insights.

Steve P.

[Craig]

Good morning. I have a (hopefully) easy question for the Forum. With regard to a standard USA Legacy - is replacing the stock alnico pickups with dual blade humbucking pickups (say G&L dual blades) a relatively, simple task for a competent luthier. Or, alternatively, is there some rewiring that would need to be done that is significant due to differences in the nature of the pickups.

Thanks much for any insights.

Steve P.

Hi Steve,

The wiring of the Legacy and Legacy Special (blade pickups) are the same.
It should be a simple task for a competent luthier.
See the Gallery:Instrument Manuals and Wiring Schematics section for the Legacy and Legacy Special Picture Diagrams.

However, the pickup openings in the pickguard will likely need enlarging.
I think the blade pickups are wider than the single coil pickups. I only have
my Legacy here in San Jose. I will be going down to my Paso Robles home later this afternoon
and will check my Legacy Special to confirm this.

Hope this helps.

[supereiv]

Funny, I just rewired my legacy special back to its original state last week, those pickups are really good, I like them set up quite low actually, and now I have some wonderful BIG strat tones, I'm happy, that guitar seems to breathe again. By the way I wonder how Craig and BoogieBill set those pickups in their specials, just curious.

Oh... And it's really a simple job, I hadn't did a solder since... Ouch... 1995, time flies ! I did de-solder the area dimarzio pickups and solder the gotoh blades back without any problem, so I'm sure a tech would do it in 10 mn including strings change

[Craig]

Funny, I just rewired my legacy special back to its original state last week, those pickups are really good, I like them set up quite low actually, and now I have some wonderful BIG strat tones, I'm happy, that guitar seems to breathe again. By the way I wonder how Craig and BoogieBill set those pickups in their specials, just curious.

My Legacy Special is just as the factory set it up. I have not tried any other settings
and I very happy with it as is.

[reevus]

Thanks much for the replies. I see the reference to "Gotoh blades" - are those the pickups that G&L puts on the Special? I thought the blades were proprietary to G&L, but maybe not?

Steve

[supereiv]

So it's quite high isn't it ?

[SouthpawGuy]

Good morning. I have a (hopefully) easy question for the Forum. With regard to a standard USA Legacy - is replacing the stock alnico pickups with dual blade humbucking pickups (say G&L dual blades) a relatively, simple task for a competent luthier. Or, alternatively, is there some rewiring that would need to be done that is significant due to differences in the nature of the pickups.

Thanks much for any insights.

Steve P.

I have a set of Gotoh Blades from a Legacy Special and a spare scratch plate ( thanks Alf ! ) and I just tried them ... they fit no problem.

I have a couple of Legacy Specials, on one I have the pickups set high and on the other they're set low. I like them both ways, up high they absolutely kill for high gain rock or metal. Down low they do have some really good fat strat tones and a lot more quack in the in between positions. Those Gotohs are great pickups, I like them so much I got another set to put into an S500 Deluxe.

[Craig]

Thanks much for the replies. I see the reference to "Gotoh blades" - are those the pickups that G&L puts on the Special? I thought the blades were proprietary to G&L, but maybe not?

Steve

They are Gotoh made, to G&L's specs. See List of pickups used in G&L guitars.

I also verified that the blade pickups are the same size as the single coils so no modification to the pickguard is necessary.

Hope this helps.

[Boogie Bill]

By the way I wonder how Craig and BoogieBill set those pickups in their specials, just curious.

I'm like Craig, I have mine set pretty high; with the bridge highest and the middle slightly lower and the neck set the lowest.

And just like my Legacys, I set the PTB controls to T-10, B-5; with the volume at 7-8. When i switch from the stock Legacy to the LS you really notice the thickness. If I want a tone closer to the Legacy, I roll the Bass down to 0-2, and drop the volume to about 5-6. Gain is a big factor in how these pickups sound.

The neck pickup on the LS through the Mesas' Lead channels is really something to behold. I think Carlos would dump his PRS if someone ever put one of these in his hands. And the bridge pickup is pure rock.

Oh, and I have a set of LS pickups coming out of a guitar that I'm going to sell....

Bill

[reevus]

[/quote]Oh, and I have a set of LS pickups coming out of a guitar that I'm going to sell....

Bill[/quote]

Bill, thanks for the info - are you saying that you might have a set of LS pups you'd consider letting go of? If so, I'd be interested in following up with you somehow (not sure how to do here, but my email's sspnly@gmail.com).

Hopefully I'm in keeping with Forum rules asking that.

Steve P.

[Craig]

Oh, and I have a set of LS pickups coming out of a guitar that I'm going to sell....

Bill[/quote]

Bill, thanks for the info - are you saying that you might have a set of LS pups you'd consider letting go of? If so, I'd be interested in following up with you somehow (not sure how to do here, but my email's sspnly@gmail.com).

Hopefully I'm in keeping with Forum rules asking that.

Steve P.[/quote]

Look at the bottom of Boogie Bill's post and you should see the PM and EMAIL links.
Use those to communicate with him off the board.

Hope this helps.