Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Twinfan on March 15, 2007, 11:11:25 AM
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I've just scored a used Les Paul copy and want to install some pickup covers. Can I just buy covers and solder them on in a couple of places (like the old PAFs)?
Will I get squeal issues if I don't have them potted, or does that only apply to the coils?
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You can just solder them on like you said, but make sure you get covers that will actually fit that brand of pickup - "standard" polepiece spacing seems to be anywhere between 48 and 50mm, depending on the manufacturer. :?
And squeal could definitely be a problem, probably more so than with open-coil unpotted pickups - the cover itself will vibrate/resonate at certain frequencies.
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You can pot pups yourself too.
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Thanks Philly. Thought that might be the case. I'll measure up the pups when the guitar arrives, order some covers and see what happens. I guess if I get problems I can see if someone can pot them for me.
Here's the guitar - a 1970-1972 Pearl Les Paul made by the same factory as the Ibanez lawsuit guitars (Matsumoku or Fujigen Gakki). Set neck too, no bolts! I'm going to get some chrome pickups covers and some witch hat knobs for that late 60s/early 70s vibe :D
(http://www.wizardguitars.com/products/pearl-les-paul.JPG)
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Cool, especially the set neck! Dare I ask how much?
If you're keeping the Japanese pots, I've got a set of witch hats you can have if you like - I ordered them without confirming whether they were for US or metric pots.
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Yep, I'll be keeping the Japanese pots. I'm going to keep it original save for the knobs (which I'll keep) and replacing the lost original pickup covers. Are your witch hat knobs the gold or silver insert type? Do they say VOL or VOLUME? PM me with the details and how much you want for them if you don't mind? :)
The guitar, plus a new hard case, plus postage to me was £350 all in. I've been after a guitar the same(ish) age as me for a while and this seemed too good to pass on. I've done some digging and it certainly seems identical to an early seventies Ibanez Les Paul. Got to be a good score at the price I paid?
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Ha! The singer in my first band used to have one of those in black. Played like a dream, and was overall excellent, except for the fact that his strings were 2 years old and my fingers smelled bad for hours after playing it - which is why I stopped doing it :shh:
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Ha ha - thanks for that Hunter!
The bolt-on neck ones by Ibanez/Antaria etc crop up all over the place and go for £150 to £250. The set necks are incredibly rare from this period so I think I got a good price.
Thanks to Phil for the offer of the the witch hats, and a PM has been despatched your way ;)
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That's a sweet looking axe bro!
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Cheers Dude! I thought so too, that's why I bought it! Can't wait for it to arrive tomorrow here at work. Might have to wait until I get home to open it though :(
I reckon with silver top witch hats and chrome pickup covers it'll look the bomb :D
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Ha ha - thanks for that Hunter!
The bolt-on neck ones by Ibanez/Antaria etc crop up all over the place and go for £150 to £250.
I've got a Lawsuit firebird and it was free :guitar4:
No hardware or pups though and it looks like it's had a hard life. Been rebadged CSL.
I love it, but I've not played it yet (like my Patrick Eggle), it's nearly enough to make me cry :cry:
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That is indeed a great looking guitar and it will look better with the covers for sure.
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Is that from a certain guitar shop in Sheffield?
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Yup - it is. You seen it/played it?
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I may have a set of chrome humbucker covers from an Antoria SG (built in the late 70s I think)
If you want I can hunt them out (providing the wife hasn't thrown them out)
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seen not played is it ok?
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Cheers Kilby! I'm PM'd you.
sgmypod - dunno yet mate, it's due to arrive today. Did it look OK in the flesh?
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yup pretty sweet, was going to try it next time I went *L*
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Beat you to it then eh? ;)
The guy on the phone was raving about it, aas was the guy at Doncaster that I spoke to first. Fingers crossed it's as nice as it seems :D
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yeah like them at that shop the mad welshman at sheffield and the scarely knowledgable kid at doncaster....going there makes me want to buy a guitar
and yes think you did beat me to it....thought you were downsizing *L*
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I thought I was downsizing too! I've been looking out for a guitar that's as old as me and this is (maybe a toouch older) and reasonably priced. Just trying to work out if I need to sell something else to restore balance!
I think it's arrived here at work...
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BLOODY HELL, i'M EXITED FOR YOU. (Goddamn Caps Lock :evil: )
How is it?
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easy now twinfan or you'll have nothing left *L*
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Well it's here! Got it home and had a tweak of it tonight.
Condition is a bit worse than it looks in the pics, but it's nicely (and naturally!) aged. It's worn in with a few chips here and there - bit like myself really! The gold speed knobs were fairly knackered so I've put my old Epi SG knobs on for now with a set of dial pointers. Thanks to Philly Q I've got a set of witch hats on the way (cheers again!) so I'll get them on when they arrive. I've got to fix the snapped lug on the bridge tone pot with a blob of solder tomorrow morning too.
It plays really well - very low action, lovely straight neck. The body seems a bit thinner than my other LP but I'm going to compare them tomorrow. I initially thought the pickups were REALLY hot then I realised they were about 0.5mm from the strings(!). I've lowered them to my preferred 2mm-ish and they sound pretty good for 30 year olds from Japan! For the sake of the guitar's "character" I'm going to leave them in. My Gibson Les Paul has Mules on order so that one will get the BKP treatment :D
Overall I'm quite impressed! A nice little guitar that's the same age as me. :)
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oap guitars, whatever next *L*
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The body seems a bit thinner than my other LP but I'm going to compare them tomorrow.
That's a good thing AFAIC. Is it nice and lightweight?
Overall I'm quite impressed! A nice little guitar that's the same age as me. :)
The problem for me, being (ahem) a few years older than you, is that buying a guitar my own age becomes an expensive business. I've got one a year younger than me, and that's going to have to do!
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I've had both LPs out today to compare them and here's the findings:
Pearl - 10mm thinner body than the GIbson, neck angle is shallower, neck volute, wider late 60s style headstock, weight is 4.6kg (10.1lbs), it has a light and airy biting sound. There is quite a bit of shrinkage around the neck joint which has cracked the finish, and possibly the wood(!). The joint seems stable though so I'm not concerned. I'll keep an eye on it. I'll get some chrome covers to add to the witch hats (which look great!) to finish it off.
Gibson - weight is 4.7kg (10.4lbs), heavy and dark sound. I've got some unpotted Zebra Mules on order which will finish it off nicely :)
Here are the two LPs side by side:
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/DSC02293Small.jpg)
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Ya have 2 beautys there bro!
I have the same color Standard and I was considering Zebras or regular nickel covers for it. Please post a pic with the zebras after you install them. 8)
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Will do! I wasn't sure whether to go covered or uncovered, so the wife made the decision for me :D
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Both look great :D
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Cheers matey! Can't wait to get the pickup covers!
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Lovin' those witch hats! :wink: Seriously though, they do suit the guitar very nicely.
And your missus made an excellent choice for the Gibson, I like covers as a rule but zebras will look great on that. I'll definitely be getting zebra pickups for my honeyburst V (in due course).
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Cheers Phil!
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cool looking guitars...*S*
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PEARL!!!! as in pearl drum kits? sweet
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Cheers sgmypod!
Yep, metal_god, as in drum kits. They dabbled in guitars for 2 years from 1970 to 1972.
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oooh sweet nice find then
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Cheers sgmypod!
Yep, metal_god, as in drum kits. They dabbled in guitars for 2 years from 1970 to 1972.
REALLY? i never knew that..... so it's good quality?
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Yeah - very good quality. It plays and sounds pretty good and is relic-ing nicely. They were made by the same factory that made the other 'lawsuit' guitars by Greco, Burny, Ibanez, Tokai etc.
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I ordered some covers from Axes'R'Us and they arrived today. Couldn't get the solder to stick to the pups or the covers so I've just slotted them on. I think they look great with the top hat knobs...
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/DSC02296Small.jpg)