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Modifying a Jimmy Page Signature Custom Black Beauty

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
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682
I recently acquired one of my dream guitars, the Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul Custom with factory Bigsby and 6-way selector switch. Now I am a huge Jimmy Page fan, as most of us are, but this is an exceptional guitar regardless of the name attached to it! I had played it years ago and made it my mission to somehow end up with this specific guitar. I am very grateful to own such an incredible instrument.

I am wondering if anyone out there has had the audacity to take apart their JPC and install different pickups into the already established wiring system. Make no mistake, I enjoy the "Page Buckers" that are factory installed from Gibson, and they definitely achieve a very "Zeppelin" vibe - but I am plagued by curiosity.

I have a nice collection of exceptional humbuckers stored away; I would like to install three of my prized Tom Holmes into this thing. I have a zebra 2-conductor, a doublewhite "Peter Green" out of phase, and a double black 4-conductor which I can still split to single coil. The pictures of Jimmy Page with his Custom have shown the covers removed from the pickups thus revealing their bobbin colors, I'd like to remain true or as close as possible to the original guitar as far as aesthetics go.

My theory is that with the 6-way switch, I'll be able to retain a normal Les Paul "standard" operation with the 1,2,3 positions being N, NB, and B. And then for the 4,5,6 positions, the out of phase pickup would be involved for a NM (out of phase), NMB, MB (out of phase).

If this was your guitar, would you consider the pickup change? Or would you simply leave it stock considering the name and value attached?
I'd like to hear your opinions, thanks!
 
Last edited:

Arnold M.

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Mar 29, 2018
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you answered your own question, yes ... leave it stock considering the name and value attached ... buy another guitar to conduct experiments on ...
 

ADP

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The thing is, you can't just buy a 6-way switch and install it - furthermore the switch cavity is routed to accommodate it. Only the Jimmy Page comes this way - so to attempt what I'm suggesting on a '57 Reissue "Black Beauty", intense modification would be required. Whereas on the JPC, only desoldering the original pickups and installing the Tom Holmes would be minor to it's originality.

But I hear what you're saying - from a collectors stand point. I, however, play this guitar daily and plan on keeping it for a long time.
 

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
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I guess I've answered my own, question - regardless. I don't want to be hated by the community for effectively "ruining" my factory original Jimmy Page Custom. I am just curious if anyone else has modified theirs.
 

Tim Plains

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Aug 1, 2013
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795
I don't care about broken solder joints but most of the people who can afford these guitars do and want mint examples. Modifying it will likely reduce your future buyer pool, then again, so will any wear. If you bough it to play, then who cares what others think, do what makes you happy.
 

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
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I get the argument, that an original guitar with unbroken solder joints are more valuable to the collector. But in this case that argument seems a little silly to me. It is a replica of a guitar that WAS in fact modified. So I think you could argue, that modifing it, will in fact bring in closer in spirit to JP´s guitar.
I have never heard the pu´s that are standart on your guitar, and as far as I know, I have not heard Tom Holmes either, so I have no idea whether they will be an improvement or not. But if you think that the Tom Holmes pu´s might improve it, then I´d say go for it. And you would probaply need to unsolder the current pu´s anyway, if you want to remove the covers, as Page had done by the time the guitar was modified. Also I think, it would probaply hurt the value more, if you removed the covers from the original pu´s.
And while your at it, replace the horrible looking modern Grovers with the correct "milk bottle" (102v series) style Grovers. Both modern style and milk bottle are avalable today. I simply can´t understand why Gibson still used the ugly modern style, when the correct model is available.
To be clear, I wouldn't be modifying the original pickups, just desoldering them. I already have the covers removed on the Tom Holmes and have a gold cover on the middle pickup, the pickups I'd be installing would be just like the pictures. The original "Page Bucker" pickups on the JPC seem to all have normal magnet orientation - while the flipped magnet Tom Holmes in the middle position (selectable only in 4,5,6) I think would add a real out of phase honk, that tone, that you can't otherwise achieve. And that is the main question of tone in my head.

BUT what I mostly took from this response is in reference to the "spirit" of the guitar, which I related to the mojo or magic of it as a sum of all it's parts. And it really does rock! I'm pretty good at retaining the mojo when working on any guitar and I still may just swap em in there, but I was seeing if I didn't have to be the guinea pig. As for the Grovers, I know what you mean... but the look doesn't bother me too much. The guitar stays in tune even when wankin on the Bigsby so I won't mess with those.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
I wouldn't. All the Page Reissues have increased in value steeply and it's bound to continue. I would not risk my investment. You say it sounds fine yet you seem bound to alter it no matter. You're gonna do that thing you do, but if it was me, I wouldn't.
 

JPP-1

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Jul 11, 2006
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I would have absolutely no problem buying a JPC with broken solder joints provided I was reasonably certain the original pickups were in fact, the original pickups. To me, weight would be a bigger issue and I would likely pass on any custom over 9.5 lbs.

You could take clear and detailed photos of the original pickups with the solder joints intact as this might provide “reasonable proof” should you wish to sell it.

I’m not a huge fan of burst buckers. Even custombuckers, while for the most part are very good, feel and sound a little soft next to my favorite boutique pickups from OX4, Rewind, Wizz, Stephen’s Design etc.

Ideally though, a less collectible instrument would be a better platform for experimentation. If you have the means, I’m sure you could get a custom easily modified with a 6 way switch. That is the route I would go.
 

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
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All things considered, I have all of the original stuff with it and the guitar is still 100% original (minus strings). Even the banner from G.C. Therefore, retaining the original solder joints is the right call out of respect to the guitar itself.

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I think the discovery of the modern day "Freeway Switch" has really solved the problem for me. I'm sure I can find another 3 pickup guitar that has already been modified for a lot less. My main concern was I wanted to avoid physical modification or routing into an instrument. Though I am still curious to know if any one has ever modified their Jimmy Page Custom.
 
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Mar 6, 2018
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The thing is, you can't just buy a 6-way switch and install it - furthermore the switch cavity is routed to accommodate it. Only the Jimmy Page comes this way - so to attempt what I'm suggesting on a '57 Reissue "Black Beauty", intense modification would be required. Whereas on the JPC, only desoldering the original pickups and installing the Tom Holmes would be minor to it's originality.

But I hear what you're saying - from a collectors stand point. I, however, play this guitar daily and plan on keeping it for a long time.
You can. It's a freeway switch available on Stew Mac. No extra routing, etc... required. I've had it installed on 2 3 pickup 57 historic customs I've had.
 
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