Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Markdude on December 11, 2013, 04:40:08 PM
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I've got a set of BKPs on the way in reverse zebra. I haven't really looked at a whole lot of pictures, but now I'm suddenly feeling paranoid...are they going to match the cream pickup rings/pickguard on my 2013 Gibson Les Paul Signature T or will they be a noticeably different shade?
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Just checked my 2008 standard against some zebra mules and the pickup rings are slightly darker, but they could have aged a little. I've also just got the original pick guard out that has never been fitted and that is a different colour to the pickup rings. So I wouldn't worry too much.
Cream goes with anything, even cream!!!
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Sorry to disagree with Bandmaster, but I always find BKP cream bobbins are lighter in colour than the cream plastic parts used by Gibson (and most other manufacturers). I am very fussy, I can't deny, but it's something that really gets on my nerves.
The Gibson parts have almost a "pinkish" colour, whereas the BKPs are more "ivory", I'd say.
I've reached the point where I'd probably only use BKP zebras with black rings... although in fact they match the new-style rings on my 2011 PRS quite nicely.
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That's what I said mr Q, the pickup rings are darker than the bobbins!!
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Yeah, of course, I meant a disagreement in emphasis rather than a completely contrary view.
I thought you were being nice and reassuring to the OP. :)
Whereas I wanted to steam in and say "yes, there is nearly always a very noticeable colour difference!"
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Sorry to disagree with Bandmaster, but I always find BKP cream bobbins are lighter in colour than the cream plastic parts used by Gibson (and most other manufacturers). I am very fussy, I can't deny, but it's something that really gets on my nerves.
The Gibson parts have almost a "pinkish" colour, whereas the BKPs are more "ivory", I'd say.
I've reached the point where I'd probably only use BKP zebras with black rings... although in fact they match the new-style rings on my 2011 PRS quite nicely.
Funny thing is that PRS nowadays calls their whitish pickup rings Ivory. The cream ones are still for sale, but for their older models.
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Funny thing is that PRS nowadays calls their whitish pickup rings Ivory. The cream ones are still for sale, but for their older models.
Yeah, that's exactly right. It's the "ivory" ones which are closer to the BKP bobbin colour.
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Ah, rats. I suppose I could buy a set of aftermarket pickup covers and have a tech wax pot the pickups and install the covers, right? Sorry, I'm not very familiar with pickups.
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Hmm, I forgot about bobbin toppers too. Maybe I could get black ones (and put them on both bobbins per pickup just to be sure the shades of black match). Anyone have experience with them? I found these in an old thread - http://pickguardparadise.com/accessories.html (http://pickguardparadise.com/accessories.html) - but no one seems to have experience with them. Do they look cheap in person, or make the pickup a lot taller? I don't want it to get in the way of picking.
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Are you in the UK? BKP will fit covers for you, and only charge for the cost of the covers, not the fitting.
I never actually saw any bobbin toppers, but I can't imagine they look anything other than cheap.
Anyway, you never know, the bobbins might match your pickup rings better than I'm predicting. Gibson plastics don't seem to be 100% consistent in colour.
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Unfortunately, I'm in the US, and I'm also really anxious to start recording with my new guitar and new pickups, so I'd prefer to not have to wait extra time shipping them back to the UK and waiting for them to get here again. I'd rather just pay a little extra to get some covers myself and have a tech install them (since I'm getting the pickups installed by a tech anyway).
I've always been under the impression that if a pickup is uncovered, it doesn't need to be wax potted. Is that true, and does that mean if I add covers I'll need to get these potted as well?
EDIT: Of course, you're right...it may end up matching pretty well. But I'm OCD, so if it stands out, I'd like to do something about it. :P
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I know what you mean about the OCD thing! :lol:
Uncovered pickups are usually potted, because the component parts can still vibrate and make the pickup microphonic. But yes, it would (arguably) be best to get the covered pickups potted, especially for higher-gain applications.
If you do decide to get covers I'd recommend trying/measuring them against your pickups before buying - if you can - because different manufacturers don't all use exactly the same polepiece spacing.
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Yeah, of course, I meant a disagreement in emphasis rather than a completely contrary view.
I thought you were being nice and reassuring to the OP. :)
Whereas I wanted to steam in and say "yes, there is nearly always a very noticeable colour difference!"
Yeah I was trying to placate him of his creamy conundrum!
It's funny, I've got zebra bkp's in my Lp custom and 335 both of which have black pickup rings. It was only after seeing this thread and holding up a zebra mule to my Lp standard that I noticed how contrasting the colours are. Luckily I had decided to put covered pickups in that guitar.
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Thanks for the feedback and advice, guys!
I did a fair bit of searching (both on here and other forums) and my results were inconclusive. I found some photos of BKP-equipped LPs that look incredible and some where the colors are distractingly different. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
If they are different enough that I want a cover, I'll e-mail BKP and ask for advice about what brand/size covers would work. If it comes down to it, I wouldn't mind sending it back, but I'd prefer to do something quicker. :P
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Thanks for the feedback and advice, guys!
I did a fair bit of searching (both on here and other forums) and my results were inconclusive. I found some photos of BKP-equipped LPs that look incredible and some where the colors are distractingly different. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
If they are different enough that I want a cover, I'll e-mail BKP and ask for advice about what brand/size covers would work. If it comes down to it, I wouldn't mind sending it back, but I'd prefer to do something quicker. :P
You could put black pickup rings on as another possibility
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I thought about it, but I love the way the cream looks against wine red.
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Slightly mismatched cream pickup rings will look far better that black pickup rings IMO.
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wasn't aware it was a wine red and yep it should have cream on it.
i've just put that zebra mule up against my standard again and you know, the colours are not a million miles away. i would chuck em in there and start playing it. you'll soon forget about the slight variation!
a slightly different senario, but when i got the abraxas set for my lp standard in raw nickel, i was slightly worried that it would look a bit odd against the chrome hardware, but i enjoy playing it so much i don't really notice any more.
what pickups did you get out of interest?
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i would chuck em in there and start playing it. you'll soon forget about the slight variation!
a slightly different senario, but when i got the abraxas set for my lp standard in raw nickel, i was slightly worried that it would look a bit odd against the chrome hardware, but i enjoy playing it so much i don't really notice any more.
It's true that you can easily forget about things after a while.
But I also totally understand Markdude's OCD! I have a set of Emeralds with gold polepieces and I'm absolutely determined that they must go in a guitar with gold hardware.... but I don't have a guitar with gold hardware....
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i would chuck em in there and start playing it. you'll soon forget about the slight variation!
a slightly different senario, but when i got the abraxas set for my lp standard in raw nickel, i was slightly worried that it would look a bit odd against the chrome hardware, but i enjoy playing it so much i don't really notice any more.
It's true that you can easily forget about things after a while.
But I also totally understand Markdude's OCD! I have a set of Emeralds with gold polepieces and I'm absolutely determined that they must go in a guitar with gold hardware.... but I don't have a guitar with gold hardware....
you can send them to me. i'll put em in my lp custom and send you a photo! :D
but yes, i can totally understand the "its got to look right" way of thinking.
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Simple solution is to swap the rings
Here are some BKPs in cream rings from Allparts fitted to our 20th anniversary Lions
That way the bobbins are not close enough to mismatched cream to annoy
The binding may still be a bit pinkish, but it is far enough away from the pickups to not upset too much in my opinion
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/20th%20anniversary%20Lion/20thanniversary2-1_zps59fbd6f6.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/20th%20anniversary%20Lion/front/5_zps6237b6d9.jpg)
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Yep, it's wine red. Here's a photo:
(http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1268381_10152139661350625_1632386675_o.jpg)
My favorite color for guitars! I'm also replacing the truss rod cover with a blank one. I told you I was picky. :P
The longer I play guitar, the pickier I get about looks. I'm progressing backwards!
I think it would be drop dead gorgeous with properly matching reverse zebra bobbins.
FelineGuitars, I'm considering that as well, although I'd have to get a pickguard too, but that's no biggie. So you're saying the Allparts ones match the colors of BKP cream bobbins? Any specific part numbers you could guide me to?
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Oh yeah, and the pickups are a Ceramic Nailbomb in the bridge and a Cold Sweat in the neck. Also got BKP pots and caps. Push-pull, as well. I LOVE the way the stock pickups sound coil split and I'm sure the BKPs will be even better.
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That is a nice colour for an LP.
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I found this picture on the forums of a 1996 Standard with Black Dogs. Looks like a perfect match here, and it doesn't hurt that the finish looks pretty much exactly like mine. My plastics seem to be on the bright side of the cream spectrum, so I've got my fingers crossed!
(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii87/LAARS_photos/Photo0251.jpg)
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Does this help? Pickup rings and scratchplate by Allparts when I had Mules in the LP.
(http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k402/keith-h-08/DSC00347_zps8438ce19.jpg) (http://s326.photobucket.com/user/keith-h-08/media/DSC00347_zps8438ce19.jpg.html)
cheers
Keith
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Does this help? Pickup rings and scratchplate by Allparts when I had Mules in the LP.
(http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k402/keith-h-08/DSC00347_zps8438ce19.jpg) (http://s326.photobucket.com/user/keith-h-08/media/DSC00347_zps8438ce19.jpg.html)
cheers
Keith
That looks great! Looks like a perfect match to me. Has the toggle switch ring been replaced too? That's the only part that looks off to me.
How is the fit on the Allparts pickguard? I did some Googling and read that quite a few people had problems getting them to fit their LPs properly, but hopefully that's been sorted out now.
The postal service tried to deliver the BKPs today but I was out of the house, so now I have to wait until Monday. I guess I'll see how it matches then!
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They match practically perfectly! They look a tiny, tiny bit off in this picture but that's mostly because my hand and body were in the way of the light source, making the pickguard look darker. But in person you'd be hard pressed to tell any difference at all. Can't wait to get them installed!
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Good to hear, man! :) Don't forget to post final pics.
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I'm glad it worked out OK! :)
....and I apologise for being the voice of doom in this thread. :wink:
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Yay!
And more positivity from you mr Q :lol:
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Yay!
And more positivity from you mr Q :lol:
Well, y'know, new year (almost)..... new me. :P