duane v Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 ... After picking up my bag of freshly plated gold stuff, I took them to my Luthier and as he was pre-fitting the pup covers, I found out the bridge versus the neck pup poles have different spacing:-s ...... I never new that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 My guess is that they are slightly wider apart on the bridge. Am I right? JIm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 That's what I was told Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 The great Duane didn't know about this already? I'm slightly shocked to be honest. I'm no expert but I presume it's because the strings are further apart at one pickup than the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 ... After picking up my bag of freshly plated gold stuff' date=' I took them to my Luthier and as he was pre-fitting the pup covers, I found out the bridge versus the neck pup poles have different spacing:-s ...... I never new that... [/quote'] They were the same spacing on the vintage Gibsons, something odd like 1 15/16". At some point, the gave a little wider spacing on the bridge pickup to better align with bridge, just a touch over 2" if I remember correctly (maybe 2 1/16"). Humbuckers made for Fenders or guitars with Floyd Rose (F-spaced or Duncan Trembuckers) have an even wider spacing, somewhere around 2 1/4" for the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 The great Duane didn't know about this already? I'm slightly shocked to be honest. I'm no expert but I presume it's because the strings are further apart at one pickup than the other. I'm a player, not a Tech or a Luthier...... Even when I gigged heavily through the 1980's, I had a full time tech that took care of everything..... Hell I just started figuring out what serial numbers were all about..... As most young players in the 70's and 80's (at least the ones I jammed with), we never worried about stuff like that.... But I can change strings and intonate..LOL It's musicians like me that keep the guitar Luthier/Tech business alive, and I have no shame in that..... I'd rather have an expert look over my gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 +1 to that, Duane! I am learning things about the guitar from these forums that I didn't know in my previous (almost) 40 years of playing! IMHO, there are the "players" and the "tinkerers". Obviously, the best of both worlds is to strike a balance between the two. I think I'll always lean more towards playing ... if anything gets really dicey, off it goes to the professional to get sorted out! JIm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 This is what they are referring to on Gibson pickups with the 'T' and 'R' suffixes. So a Gibson SG Special has two 490 pickups, a 490R in the neck (rhythm) position and a 490T in the Bridge (treble) position. They're identical pickups except for the pole spacing. Seymour Duncan also offers a line of pickups that are 'F spaced', basically they have the ultra wide spacing to match the string spacing found on Strats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 I was talking to my Luthier today, and there was discussion about the neck binding in regards to the fret change, but that's another story. So for kicks, I asked him to measure the outer to outer poles on both pups, so he did and said that both pick-ups are both identical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsideMan Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 So for kicks' date=' I asked him to measure the outer to outer poles on both pups, so he did and said that both pick-ups are both identical.[/quote'] So, what it your conclusion from all this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 +1 to that' date=' Duane! I am learning things about the guitar from these forums that I didn't know in my previous (almost) 40 years of playing! IMHO, there are the "players" and the "tinkerers". Obviously, the best of both worlds is to strike a balance between the two. I think I'll always lean more towards playing ... if anything gets really dicey, off it goes to the professional to get sorted out! JIm[/quote'] And then there are poseurs (like me) who use their guitar as a prop and a bit of rythm playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 So' date=' what it your conclusion from all this?[/quote'] well if I could talk to Jim Flere (I think that's how it reads on the reciept) the GC Sales Rep that sold me the guitar 28 years ago, I might be able to get some answers..LOL.... My Luthier told me don't worry about it... He's still at a loss as to why I'm re-fretting a guitar that doesn't need one....... But I hate low wide frets. It's funny to look at my Warranty Card and original receipt after all these years, even my Luthier found it pretty incredible I saved these items..... I'm still really proud that I was able to acquire a $1167.10 guitar at the age of 16 by working at Jack in the Box, delivering the Herald Examiner, and mowing lawns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5er driver Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Yeah, I found out the expensive way. I bought a Dimarzio Super Distortion for the bridge of my LPC, should have got an F spaced one. Oh well, it still was a definite improvement and I got the '70s sound that I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Yeah' date=' I found out the expensive way. I bought a Dimarzio Super Distortion for the bridge of my LPC, should have got an F spaced one. Oh well, it still was a definite improvement and I got the '70s sound that I was looking for. [/quote'] I found even more information about the Gibson stamped pickup covers. They were only produced from 1970 to 1978, and were only fitted on guitars direct from the factory from 1970 to 73.... and the pole positions were the same on both rhythm and treble position pup covers. However, the covers are different in how the "Gibson" is stamped, so they are position sensitive. The "Gibson" on both pup covers are supposed to run in the same direction as the headstock logo. So my conclusion is GC in Hollywood changed out the pups to allow the stamped Gibson pup covers to work... Even when I first brought the guitar to my Luthier, he pointed out that it's a 1980 LPC and not a 81 as I though it was. He also stated just because GC sold it as a Randy Rhoads model, and it states this on the receipt. Gibson did not release a Randy Rhoads model Gibson guitar that he's aware of.... He also when on further to state that guitar stores back in the late 70's and early 80's changed parts on guitars and sold them as specialty models to move inventory, because of the rising popularity of Charvel guitars that Eddie Van Halen made instantly popular with young players. Whatever the case, I can't wait to get her back because the poor guitar has been in a case unplayed since about 1990, because I just couldn't get used to the type of frets that came on LPC's..... I only purchased the guitar based on it's physical beauty and the guitar player it represented.... which even today is still one of my all time favorite guitar players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ef_in_fla Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I'll present a fat Christmas goose to anyone who can actually hear the difference in something like pole spacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Here's the image of my receipt and warranty card LOL!!! I wonder if Gibson still has the warranty card on file?????:- I blocked out some of the serial # for reasons I hope you will understand. 8xx70xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hi Duane' date=' if this is from your LP Custom (I'm not sure with the handwrighting) you should show this to Mr.Nelson aka Gregzy (on the other forum). Maybe then he will finally believe that you own that mysterious LP Custom. Peter[/quote'] Please excuse me if this comes off a little rude, but why would you or anyone else begin to care about what that individual thinks about me or what I own. Certain individuals need to get a life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 :- No worries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 My Luthier was nice enough to give me the stamped PAT number on the base of the pickup.... "PAT. NO. 2,737,842" with an additional ink-stamp of "137580" Both neck and bridge pickups read the same..... Any info would be great Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5er driver Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I'll present a fat Christmas goose to anyone who can actually hear the difference in something like pole spacing. I don't think there is a sonic difference, but optically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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