Need a few bits for a Chibson

Danny1969

I managed to score a set of Gibson P90 pickups for my Chibson LP, a mate hacked out the holes a bit as they were humbucker sized. What I'm after now is some kind of surround to neaten it up a bit around the pickups. Also what's the best tuners in terms of holding their tuning ? 

TheMarlin

The Grover locking tuners are great, and usually a drop in replacement. Take a photo of back of headstock to be sure. 

If you want to mod more, Sperzels are good. Bit lots more choice for locking tuners there days. 

mankytom

Looks real nice that. I like the mods so far

Funkfingers

Lo, and on the ninth day, God created humbucker-sized P90s. 

Google for images of early Seventies Gibson Les Paul Deluxe guitars. On some examples, sloppy cavity routing obliged Gibson to disguise the gaps around the P90s with a sheet of specially cut plastic. (Commonly referred to by dealers and collectors as "goof hiders".)

darthed1981

Funkfingers said:

Lo, and on the ninth day, God created humbucker-sized P90s. 

Glad it wasn't just me thinking that!

Funkfingers

It is possible to purchase a flat plastic surround that combines the same outline as a dogear cover with the aperture for a soapbar version.

From a distance, this would look less "wrong" than the Norlin-era goof hiders.

Danny1969

I was told, but this may be wrong that most humbucker sized P90's don't sound like Gibson P90's. Having played and loved a few guitars with Gibson P90's in them I wanted those exact pickups. I'm not overly fussed if I can't buy something that will cover up the botch but thought I would ask. 

I don't really know much about guitars and don't enjoy f#cking around changing parts so the plan was fit the pickups I know will sound Gibson P90's .
I had Gibson P100's in there first but even those didn't sound as sweet as a P90

SteveRobinson

Here you go:
https://reverb.com/item/7061841-mini-humbucker-deluxe-style-goof-rings

You might balk at the price though!

OilCityPickups

Danny1969 said:

I was told, but this may be wrong that most humbucker sized P90's don't sound like Gibson P90's. 

You were told wrong. 

Kittyfrisk

Possible source of goof rings mentioned by @p90fool in this thread.
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/202886/on-a-70s-kick-warning-goof-ring-content#latest

Danny1969

SteveRobinson said:

Here you go:
https://reverb.com/item/7061841-mini-humbucker-deluxe-style-goof-rings

You might balk at the price though!

Christ yeah ... I think I will try and bodge something up myself.

Funkfingers

SteveRobinson said:

Here you go:
https://reverb.com/item/7061841-mini-humbucker-deluxe-style-goof-rings

You might balk at the price though!

If only everything in life were as reliable as Steve Robinson.

Danny1969 said:

I had Gibson P100's in there first but even those didn't sound as sweet as a P90

They do not and, indeed, they cannot.

The colossally overwound coils in the Gibson P100 have to be connected in parallel to cancel hum and RF interference whilst still working out at a nett 7.5k. Consequently, they never sound right.

It is possible to convert the P100 output conductor cable to four-conductor + shield but this does not improve matters.

Seymour Duncan STKP-1 Stack pickups are constructed along similar lines. IMO, they sound fractionally more believable than Gibson P100s.

In either brand, switching from parallel to series mode brings an increase of volume and midrange. This might prove handy for soloing or you might consider the series mode sound muddy.

Even assuming that you acclimatise to the sounds produced by a stacked coils P90-style pickup, the moment you try a single coil P90 through the same amp and pedals rig, you will want to revert to the real deal.

•

I am aware that both Seymour Duncan and Oil City Pickups currently offer triple coil P90 replacement pickups. I don't know who launched theirs first. Doubtless, the lawyers will take an interest.

OilCityPickups

Funkfingers said:

I am aware that both Gibson and Oil City Pickups currently offer triple coil P90 replacement pickups. I don't know who launched theirs first. Doubtless, Gibson's lawyers will take an interest.

Hofner launched theirs first years and years ago ... then Seymore Duncan ... so I'm way down the pile for Gibson's lawyers. 
My own triple coils have a few  marked differences to the others in fiddling with wire gauge and coil size to get the exact P90 sound. 

p90fool

Kittyfrisk said:

Possible source of goof rings mentioned by @p90fool in this thread.
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/202886/on-a-70s-kick-warning-goof-ring-content#latest

This. I can't remember the price but it wasn't remotely significant even for a cheapskate like me and Glen is great to deal with. If you get some I'll post you a handful of the correct sized rivets. 

And yes, HB sized P90s don't sound like P90s, don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise. 

OilCityPickups

p90fool said:

And yes, HB sized P90s don't sound like P90s, don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise. 

Okay.... have you actually tried my P90 HB sized?  ... because frankly that comment which was obviously directed at me - is offensive and worse rubbish! 

I spent a long time working out why HB sized P90s didn't sound right and the largest reason was because pretty much all the ones on the market have nickel covers. Pretty much all soap bar and dogear P90s have plastic covers which are completely transparent to magnetic fields. None of my HB sized P90s have tops for that very reason. Many HB sized P90s have undersized bobbins or are wound with finer wire to save space. Not so with mine. The coil is absolutely identical in size (width, depth etc) to a conventional P90 and wound with the same wire ... I do this by hand producing the bobbins on our own machinery in house. 

digitalscream

Maybe try somebody you know with a 3D printer?

I'd volunteer, but my printer's busy for the next few weeks.

OilCityPickups

digitalscream said:

Maybe try somebody you know with a 3D printer?

I'd volunteer, but my printer's busy for the next few weeks.

If you don't mind black fibre (you can spray them cream with rattle can) ... I'd cut something that should do the job on our workshop laser. You may have a couple of week wait mind ... we are busy 

p90fool

OilCityPickups said:

p90fool said:

And yes, HB sized P90s don't sound like P90s, 

don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise

Okay.... have you actually tried my P90 HB sized?  ... because frankly that comment which was obviously directed at me - is offensive and worse rubbish! 

I'm not going to get into a discussion about it because half the forum will pile on with "No wonder we drive manufacturers away", but disagreeing with someone about something as subjective as how differently-constructed P90s sound is not "offensive".

It's a subject on which I feel perfectly qualified to be allowed to have an opinion, thanks. 

OilCityPickups

p90fool said:

OilCityPickups said:

p90fool said:

And yes, HB sized P90s don't sound like P90s, 

don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise

Okay.... have you actually tried my P90 HB sized?  ... because frankly that comment which was obviously directed at me - is offensive and worse rubbish! 

I'm not going to get into a discussion about it because half the forum will pile on with "No wonder we drive manufacturers away", but disagreeing with someone about something as subjective as how differently-constructed P90s sound is not "offensive".

It's a subject on which I feel perfectly qualified to be allowed to have an opinion, thanks. 

Well firstly you can only be 'perfectly qualified'  if you have tried my HB P90s ... and in fact to make such a sweeping statement ... every other manufacturer's HB P90s as well. On that point I will ask you again Have you tried my HB P90s? 

Adding the 'don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise' was offensive and simply trolling. You are certainly living up to your screen name. 

Roland

OilCityPickups said:

… 'don't let the people who sell them tell you otherwise' was offensive and simply trolling. .. 

I don’t think that bit was aimed at you. 

Danny1969

Well I got a friend to rough cut the surrounds out of a piece of scrap plastic then I used a stanley blade and files to shape them until they fitted well and looked roughly right. 
Quite happy with it now.