Peter Green Modding My Goldtop

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This is a very easy mod as long as you take your time. I hope this vid helps. :)
0:00 Hello
2:20 Lets Modify
9:59 Did It Work?
24:21 Out 2 Phase

[@alaoismusic]

This is exactly the kind of content I signed up for

[@ianmaclennan4189]

and what a stonking heartfelt ending solo sir !

[@texmex697]

If you just slacken the 4 screws a couple of turns you can push the magnet out from the wires end. Also if you mess around with the volume pots you get better results. Try the bridge on 8.5 and the neck about 4 whilst playing around the 8 to 12 frets, you should find a sweet spot.

[@Fisch269]

You can loosen both the 4 screws on the backplate and the 6 pole pieces without taking the backplate fully of, and can then swap the magnet around. Less risk of ripping those tiny little wires :) After I did the mod, I adjusted the pick up heights so both bridge and neck have about the same volume, and it sounds exactly how it should in the middle position :)

[@katherinenewsome7246]

Hi Dave. Trev Wilkinson's reference to 'changing the wire' on the neck humbucker on Peter Green's Les Paul may well, I believe, not refer to replacing a the hook-up wire on the pickup from the original braided cable to a PVC covered cable, but to the type of wire with which one of the coils was rewound after developing a fault. The rewind was carried out by Sam Li, a well known London guitar repair guru of the 1960s. By all reports Sam was a wonderful craftsman, but his electronics skills sometimes left a little to be desired and I've heard some tales of his slightly dodgy soldering. The story goes that when rewinding the broken coil , instead of using 42AWG guage plain enamel coated wire (the correct spec for Gibson PAF pickups), Sam rewired the coil with heavy Formvar coated wire (as used for Fender pickups of that era) and may possibly have used slightly thinner 43AWG gauge wire. The result of this anomaly, together with the inadvertent reversal of the magnet may well be what resulted in the pickup's unique tone.

[@lonpollard902]

That would make a lot more sense. The wire running from the pickup to the controls couldn't have affected the sound. The distance is too short for any differences in resistance per foot, or capacitance per foot, would be negligible. But the wire the could is wound with, a definite difference. That's a very long length of wire, and the differences would be such as to be apparent.

[@SidBonkers51]

Love this mod and have done it a few times myself but Ive never taken the screws right out of the bobbins, I just loosen then enough to slide the magnet out and turn it round, I use a screwdriver to push it out. In fact I didnt know you could take the screws right out so I might try it next time. ps. mind those thin wires, I ruined a Gibson Burstbucker doing this!! pps. a tip when taking the strings off, just loosen them place a capo on the first fret and then simply take the stop bar off, leaving the strings wound on to the machine heads.

[@bluesrocker91]

Varying the volume controls for each pickup is really important for nailing Peter's tone too. It's a while since I played a Les Paul with this mod, but I seem to remember the closest approximation to the Peter Green sound was with the neck pickup turned up to about 7 or 8, and then gradually bringing in the bridge up to about 4 or 5. I remember there was a definite sweet spot for the volumes where it just sort of all fell into place.

[@alparotti]

I did the exact same mod to my epiphone les paul. Peter Green tone is unreal.

[@Dad-Gad]

You have always put out fantastic content imo , but just recently it's gotten even better which I didn't think was possible , thanks for everything Dave 👍

[@mrskint55]

I modded one of my guitars to get the Peter Green sound and I love it . I did mine much differently with the help of six string supplies I have a push push pot which activates the out of phase. I thought it was a safer option rather than flipping the magnet.

[@Ronno4691]

Six String Supplies ARE excellent

[@mrskint55]

@@Ronno4691 They certainly are excellent.

[@Jwp1967]

Brilliant! I have wanted to do this with one of my Les Pauls but have been afraid to do it......until now. I follow your instruction and wow! Its awesome. Thank you for everything Sir. You are a true gift.

[@LanceJean02]

Dave, you are a brilliant guitar/amp mad scientist! Love your channel...

[@paulmcginley1147]

Superb video. Love hearing you play and I hang off your every word.

[@rudranath_bln]

I was today's years old when through your vid I found I wanted my Les Paul to sound like this. So I did this mod spontaneously while watching and "Good Gravy!" does it sound cool! Not only Green-ish, but vintage warm in general. Great! Thanks!

[@bluesmonkey4463]

As always Dave AWESOME INFORMATION, I have every album of the original Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green when he Ruled the stage......absolutely love them !

[@waynebridger4998]

Dr Dave does it again. Top quality video, from my favourite youtube artist. I see that we both have the same sonic experience, when it comes to dual humbuckers. Much prefer them out of phase, in the middle position. When I've done this, I often remove some of the wax, to give a more vintage feel. And the other joy of it, is that you can have 5 sounds from it, by rolling off one of the volumes, cancels the out of phase and brings volume back up (to my ears)

[@buzzburb1]

WOW, brilliant Dave, considering the same mod to my brand new 50`s standard gibson lp what a difference cheers for this man, love to hear you play the bluesy stuff rather than the heavy sounds not really my bag . keep erm coming dave the world would be a poorer place without you👌🎸

[@johnreidy6053]

Brilliant playing fantastic sound...... luv it😊

[@bluessumlin...7067]

Awesome sounds great… just got to do this! 🎸 thanks Dave!🙂👍🎸

[@DavidDotson-lo6rp]

Hi Dave, been away for awhile glad to see you progressing. Always enjoyed you enthusiasm and heart felt content.

[@TheLowest]

That angled pickup idea is actually a really clever one, good eye to pickup on that if you'll excuse the pun.

[@SafeHandsProductions]

❤️😊👍 great stuff. Nice insights. I never knew about the pickup angle before. Nice one Dave. 😊👍

[@dogblack64]

Bare Knuckle Pickups do a set of Peter Green modded humbuckers. The PG Blues set. Tim Mills of Bare Knuckle agrees with Trev Wilkinson that Fender standard Formvar wire was used on the neck pickup as part of a repair. Pictures apparently exist of Greeny minus neck pickup. I'm not sure, but the direction of the wire wounding might be the opposite direction. I agree with you, Dave, that although the magnet flip works pretty well, the BKP and Lemon Drop pickups are a little closer. (I own a set of PG Blues and a Lemon Drop)

[@mrtn2842]

👍 Yep I hear the difference when tilt vs then flat…. I really like this video Dave and great tones. .. Dang!!! Every famous guitarist got their own settings achieved for success !

[@anthonypeterjackson1588]

Very informative as usual. Thank you. Take care.

[@gregmock6808]

Great video Dave! I'm going to do this to one of my neck humbuckers now!

[@robcox2553]

Another great one, Dave! Good stuff.

[@Zosomatt]

Beautifully done sir 👌

[@chriscampbell9191]

Just wanted to say this is a great vid, and Mr. Simpson, you have a great way of showing how this is done. Peace.

[@stevegroves]

Ah Dave thank you so much! This is a great video my friend, and your playing well just awsome! Great stuff

[@johnnorth9355]

Dave talking Peter Green ? I'm in ! If there is one person I would trust to point me in the right direction it's Dave. Must go and dig my Vintage V100 out and mess.

[@ozzyfarrow9872]

The feel you have in your playing is amazing mate Could listen to this all day Great video

[@mrbigdaveyb]

I enjoy watching videos of expensive gear being reviewed and played but I love it when you show us how to improve our affordable gear and how good it can sound in the right hands especially at the moment when money is tight for most of us 👍

[@You_Are_Avocadorable]

Love all your content, it’s entertainment value is 10/10

[@alistairmilton6007]

Beautiful piece at the end😊

[@COLDMKULTRA]

Excellent stuff Dave! ... This should be a factory optional mod on all Les Paul's 👍👍👍

[@rocknutters52]

Great playing again Dave I'm definitely going to try this mod 👍

[@ianryan5727]

sounded good that mate, nice one!

[@malcolmbenn1051]

Brilliant video. I did this mod 20+ years ago but I wasn't aware of the different wire aspect or I suspect the more important angling of the pickups ... off to find a screwdriver to add that change ... many thanks.

[@dwightwalls8970]

Absolutely loved the outro!

[@mortonwilson795]

OK, great! Will be coming back to this one for sure, many thanks!

[@dave.harmon]

Don't doubt yourself mate, your videos are great. Can't wait to see my old Jr on the channel

[@MISSREEB]

Just wonderful in every way

[@christophervincent8420]

1st off! This sir is an amazing video! I want to do that to my Deluxe Tele. Lol. It's a Squier affinity version so it didn't come with the wide range pickups. So I swapped them for some Tonerider PAFs. So I'm flipping the magnet. 2nd! Thank you! Thank you for showing that pristine Fender amp playing. I can listen to that all day. You ROCKED THIS OUT OF THE PARK. with the Blues of course. Cheers bud.

[@hafstrat]

Simply wonderful. ☺️Thank you. ❤👍🏼🎸

[@darrellminx5459]

I'm glad you did this because often times you channel Greenie anyways. Cheers from Hawaii!

[@youren8]

Ouch! That would hurt my back to work in that position for very long. You must still be young!

[@johntodd96]

I also did this to my V100 and use the middle position most of the time. There is a great variety of tones available by adjusting the volume knobs

[@MichaelTeichgraber-ro7mc]

Thanks for showing how to do that. I‘ve been thinking of doing the oop mod to my Ibanez AS 53 for a while now, but was insecure about it. After seeing this Video I think I‘ll give it a try. Great playing.👍🏻

[@bobboitt3126]

Genius. The sound comes by changing polarity. Two ways you can do that, either rewire or flip the magnet. I'd rather just flip the magnet, no soldering involved. Thanks Dave!

[@07parachute]

need your love jam in the end was excllent! Thank you!

[@Novotny72]

this is pretty much the best video you've ever made

[@leegosling]

For some reason I have the lines ‘The ghostly green top rattling in the darkness of the night… Daaaaveeee!…. And he served the bestest gravy in the land” in my head. Cheers again, Dave!

[@BOTx5]

Glad to see Dave stepping production up too. Cuts in the video. Edits. Goofy subtitles every now and then. Good show, sir.

[@ddugan64]

awesome! very informative

[@radaget3459]

Love the video Dave. The guitar sounds fantastic the way you play it. I'd love to see someone do an insane mod to the Rapier 44 or Revelation guitar to see how many diverse sounds (splitting, reversing etc) are possible. Make it happen please :-).

[@TNTales]

Great stuff! You're videos are always cool. Some neat things I've learned about the Green sound: If you're not comfortable with doing the mods and you have the money Seymour Duncan makes a Peter Green set (Green Magic) and they're just drop in replacement. I stuck them in my LP and it's great. Also whichever pickup is set to higher volume on the pots will become the primary tone. The greater the difference the stronger that tone will be. So you can have a much bassier sound if the neck is higher or a much more cutting sound if the bridge is higher. If they are the same volume you won't hear the out of phase sound near as much. It's how I discovered my pots aren't equal tolerance. The neck is slightly louder.

[@akwamarsunzal]

Thanks Dave, definitely going to have a crack at this on an old humbucker guitar I have got kicking around. Only comment, it would have been great to see a before and after sound demo.

[@AyliffeSmith]

Loved the outro jam very much

[@MTBTexasBikeRider]

I love the Gold Top it sounds Amazing 🤩

[@BrodM]

Every one should do this to at least one guitar, I PG'd my Dean ML (Dime-Time & Dimebucker combo) and my trusty ES 135 (57 classic & Rebel90 combo). Really gave them something fun, and unorthodox in the middle. Top Notch!!

[@Rem1Gnova]

Brilliant. Thanks Dave. So I just need to put a duff wire in

[@johnhotz1400]

Thanks!

[@adiohead]

I fitted a push/push OoP switch to my Midtown Custom for that Peter Green tone.

[@salort2934]

That’s a beautiful Chibson.

[@Paul-ce7jl]

hey dave great stuff love your blues playing please share the backing track for us to play cheers

[@Snartifartblast]

V100 owner here. Just off to adjust my pickup angles. Thanks Dave.

[@waynebridger4998]

Useless.....Never. Uninformative.....no chance. Dave, you are an absolute legend mate. Bout time Dan and Mick, got you on TPS

[@thedavesimpson]

That’ll never happen.

[@joshuabraasch9174]

The wire Sam li put in probably had a different capacitance compared to the gibson braided wire hence a different sound. I can attest to this being true as I ordered a 30ft roll of cloth covered wiring the same wiring fender used in the 1950s-60s precbs days to use for some wiring jobs. When I installed the wire I couldn't believe how much the sound changed there was a better signal flow,more presence and a clearer high end. If you get a guitar and you don't like the sound try changing the wire inside.

[@philipbrougham6360]

Superb and to the point explanation .Your theory about the wire change may be correct ,using different speaker wires on a good hi fi set up does change the sound ,not radically but just noticably ,so it could produce the same with guitar pickups!

[@theaxe5150]

Nicely done Dave. I would also suggest adjusting the height of the pole pieces. It made a noticable difference when I did this mod on my Les Paul.

[@nickd3895]

Bro, you are a gem. I hope you know that

[@samparker1637]

Hi Dave I finally plucked up the courage to do this mod on my epi studio and it's fab the biggest pain in the Rs was removing the pup covers so.much solder cheers😊

[@LicksoftheLegend]

It actually blew my mind how much of a diffrence that simple mod made.

[@5150show]

Big Greeny fan too , I put some Monty bethnal Greens in my 19 Les Paul , I wanna do this on one of my Greco's mate , thanks heaps

[@LanceJean02]

This is going to get a little nerdy. As electrons move through a wire, at a constant, the thinner the wire the slower they move and the thicker the wire the faster they move. Also, the composite of the wire, potted or unpotted, the age of the pick-up, the metallurgy of the parts, the windings, and even the plastic composite will contribute to this pickup's tone and sound. Your note of pickup angle is brilliant! All of what I wrote you are just a few engineering ideas that I have for you. These contributing factors are miniscule, but togerther contribute to the Peter Green pickup. No company, no pickup manufacturer will ever get the sound 100% perfect! There is only one Peter Green Les Paul guitar. Dave, you hit the nail on the head with your wonderful video on how we can come very close to the tone we keep searching for!

[@jsnowdendavies]

I hate writing this comment, but a pickup has no "sound" - it only has the ability to contribute to the composite sound that's a chain between the player and the amp. If we could get hold of the Greeny LP, and plug it into the correct amp, with the correct cables, and switch it on at the correct voltage, it would make no music...until someone played it. Then you have to consider how the player is going to play it - they may react to the contribution the pickups make to the overall sound, but on its own a pickup has no "sound". I saw Metallica last week and Kirk was playing a Greeny, very possibly THE Greeny. But it sounded nothing like Peter Green in Fleetwood Mac. Welcome, indeed, to pedants corner, where I am aware I may seem annoying

[@Blues-man.]

I changed mine last week on my schecter LP last week glad I did.

[@jonathanclayton3600]

Hey up Mr s found this video interesting as hell...got the bug and had to try so I modded my epiphone Les Paul 1959 outfit...took a while to do😂😂my first time modding....works a bloody treat can't play like Mr green but sounds awesome...cheers dude

[@daveelson213]

Well my original comment to my nephew ☝☝☝ was removed... probably cuz I said HEY!!!!! stop the fokkin car man ya peter green looking mofokka ya... do you have these in taupe... Well we will see how long this reply to my nephew ☝☝☝ stays... babafukkingow

[@I.M.Guitar-Nerd]

Bring it!

[@TheSavagederek]

When my son bought his Harley Benton Les Paul , the seller had done this as he was a big Peter Green fan , and it does sound good .

[@ianmacdougall8812]

Just did this mod along with placing the neck pickup on backwards and string wrap around the bridge. The middle position has a great tone but seems like a little less output than the other two positions.

[@L.J.W.98]

Just did this to my V100 (pre-crap one 😂) It’s subtle but if I turn the neck volume down slightly then it sounds full Greeny!

[@cave1970]

same i just done it to my v100 lemondrop 2015 and it sounds sweeeet

[@eertje01]

I have this mod as standard on my Epi Les Paul Muse via push pull. Really nice feature to have! Coil splitting is also standard on my epi, but I have no love for split humbuckers 😂.

[@ronnie5129]

Dave, A Great video here, you did a good job Man, I did the same thing to my 1960 Les Paul, It came out Good, It is A Great day when i see a video on my Hero, I got to see Peter when he was still with the Mac, when I was 16 years old, At the Eastown Theater in Detroit, The next year the Mac came back to the Eastown, The Kilnhouse album just came out, That is what the Mac played that night, I did not know that Peter had left the Band, I was wondering Where Is Peter? What's going on, anyway they played a Great Show, but I went home Brokenhearted, Cousin Figel

[@ronnie5129]

Dave, I don't mean to boast here, but this is my life story on British, Guitar players, I am showing my age here now, I saw the Beatles first American Tour, The Stones First Tour, Led Zeppelin, The Who first one, Jethro Tull was my Favorite in 1969, Humble Pie Was always Awesome, I Really Miss Mr. Steve Marriott, He had it all, That Voice was from the Soul Man, and he could play a Mean Guitar, I feel that he Is Forgotten in todays world, But Peter Green had a different way of playing and his Voice was Great, That touched me in a different way Keep on Rockin , Cousin Figel

[@mikerauter1859]

Sounds better and killer Dave

[@maidenman74]

The Stratiest Les Paul ive heard yet!

[@mikestroud9969]

Reminds me of Tennessee whiskey by Chris Stapleton 😊😊. Of course with the DS twist added. Hehehe When Dave gets into the zone Watch out Good stuff. 👍💯🎸🎸

[@johnwylde8232]

I picked up an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro at Cash Convertors at a bargain price with split pots. Middle split is an excellent Greeny sound.

[@robchaloner7534]

I thought for second you where going to sell it suspiciously cheap to Gary Moore?! 😉 I've flipped the magnet in my Epiphone '59 and it a great mod for a beautiful Midnight Blues/ Need Your Love So Bad tones 😊 ETA: that was one of my favourite pieces you 've done, absolutely smashed the Moore/ Greeny feeling with a nice dose of Simpson :D

[@twopoms]

I’m late to this post 🙄. This mod is great - so was Peter Green! I have done this to a Chibson and to an Epiphone Casino - P 90’s. With soldered on humbucker covers care must be taken not to warp the bobbins of the pickup. I did that and destroyed an Epiphone pickup - that was in the Chibson. I was gobsmacked it had a pair of Epi pickups in it tbh! 😳. I have a Tokai LP goldtop 50’s style P90’s. Broke one of the fine wires. I couldn’t be arsed trying or getting it fixed. So bought a set of Lollar 50’s replicas made out of phase. Superb pickups made that guitar unsaleable now or doubled its value depending what way the wind is blowing on the day - if ever I decided to sell it - not in my lifetime I don’t think! Btw - probably just my OCD but it is better with the pickup turned around - cable length permitting of course! I have a Gordon Smith dual humbucker semi hollow LP shape - maple neck - I wanted to ‘Greeny’ but those pick ups are epoxied or gooped beyond wax! I tried just turning the pick up around plenty cable - no out of phase without the magnet flip. I’m too stupid to know how or if it is possible to Greeny it via an alteration to the wiring so it is back as it was originally!🙄🫣🤣😂. Love your work Dave - you are making guitar nerds all over the globe happy! Long may you prevail we are lucky to have you! You’re on my list of dream people to have a pint with or a meal with - my shout if ever you make it to my yard / stomping ground…👍👏👏

[@joecarstens5201]

I so dig Ye Olde Floor Troll Luthiery Workshoppe!

[@ronnienose8608]

You git the Peter Green tone by simply swapping the the neck and ground wires on the neck pickup. So much easier.

[@smurfisevil]

I bought the Monty guitars version of the peter green pickup a few months ago ... I just need a guitar to put them into, thinking of buying a les paul tribute honey burst. But that gold top guitar sounds great

[@ryanbabcock7503]

The goat 🐐

[@guitarste]

The Greeny mod on the V100 Lemon drop was wired out of phase electronically (hot wire swapped to ground) instead of the magnet flip. Some people think it is exactly the same but it isn’t, you don’t get the same volume drop with the magnet flip and the honk sounds closer to Kirk’s original

[@Zoso981]

Great video Dave, I have a 2017 Gibson Les Paul Classic that's just begging for this mod. But my level of mechanical aptitude dictates that I will either: A: Completely destroy my guitar, or.. B: Lose a thumb

[@A14b19]

You see it works … mine is a Harley Benton same type of wiring Wilkinson pickups .sound great. And Peter turned his amp up load so I guess pickups down 🎉

[@paulmckeown5672]

Very interesting! I thought the pickup was just wired in the other way around, I'd never heard of switching the magnet around.

[@thedavesimpson]

Peters was but this is an easier way than rewiring my pickup. Its not quite 100 percent but it’ll do. :)

[@paulmckeown5672]

@@thedavesimpson Ah right, got you!

[@Teleman73]

Tbone Walker was another one with the out of phase sound.

[@30smsuperstrat]

Tiny Wires would be a great band name😁