Re: Hardware shopping for Les Paul

[William Walker <billwalker@baymoon.com>]

Microphonic pickups can be caused by a couple of things most likely a  
lack of wax potting or the potting has drifted over time with heat and  
gravity, also loose covers and or lack potting between the cover and  
pickups can cause that too.  i actually like pickups that have some  
micro phonics, as they pickup more of the wood tone and are actually  
very controllable with medium overdrive, but will squeal like little  
piggies with heavy distortion . Its possible to have pickups half  
potted for the best of both worlds. oxidation over time will make  
switches noisy. and it sounds like everything is maybe not  
particularly well grounded. A good repair guy could cure all of those  
issues, re-potting the pickups cleaning and or re-soldering switches  
and pots.
again. regarding Gibson in the 70's the spiral downward in quality had  
as much to do with how the bodies and necks were  put together, four  
piece bodies became 6 piece bodies, 1 piece necks became 5 piece necks  
(if you count the headstock wings.), all things that were well in  
effect when your guitar was made, regardless these guitars will go up  
in value and already have, and the more components you remove the less  
stock it is and less valuable if you choose to part with it someday.  
keep your components, Don't let a repair guy talk you out of them for  
a discount on his work or new components, he will turn around and sell  
them for a profit,  or use them for a restoration project on a guitar  
that some else modified the value out of. vintage parts are vintage  
parts, even if they are from 1976.
Bill