Small mod to my P93

[crust]

I removed the original bridge and added a roller bridge. Haven't broken a string (yet) as had happened with the original bridge (after a moderate amount of playing time and vibrato bar use). It looks pretty cool too.

 

 

Next small mod, remove the pickup covers (will do that on the next string change).

[i Can Tuna Guitar]

Next small mod, remove the pickup covers (will do that on the next string change).

...and replace them with what?

[crust]

...and replace them with what?

 

 

Nothing,

I have read that the covers are made of painted steel (not plastic) and removing them improves the pickup performance, I think I read that here or at Harmony Central (can't find the thread). I think It would be interesting to see what happens.

[i Can Tuna Guitar]

Nothing,

I have read that the covers are made of painted steel (not plastic) and removing them improves the pickup performance, I think I read that here or at Harmony Central (can't find the thread). I think It would be interesting to see what happens.

You obviously haven't looked underneath yet - not the same as with humbuckers. It'll look like crap. I believe some kool-aid drinkers have replaced with plastic covers.

[jerrymac]

Nothing,

I have read that the covers are made of painted steel (not plastic) and removing them improves the pickup performance, I think I read that here or at Harmony Central (can't find the thread). I think It would be interesting to see what happens.

 

 

You obviously haven't looked underneath yet - not the same as with humbuckers. It'll look like crap. I believe some kool-aid drinkers have replaced with plastic covers.

 

In the late '60s I played a ES-330 and I removed the chrome covers. They look like Soapbars with little tabs on the side. In fact, a few years ago I had a Sorrento, the pickup were too low with the chrome so I got black plastic covers with spacers to raise them closer to the strings. The problem was the spacer would fit under the neck pickup because it was too close to the neck. So I just put a couple of rubber grommets under the tabs and left the pickup uncovered. Here's a photo:

 

[kiddakidda]

You obviously haven't looked underneath yet - not the same as with humbuckers. It'll look like crap. I believe some kool-aid drinkers have replaced with plastic covers.

 

Absolutley right,

 

Crap, Crap, Crap (1 for each pickup!) I own the Riviera P93, good quality covers. Keep em on!

[bynapkinart]

You obviously haven't looked underneath yet - not the same as with humbuckers. It'll look like crap. I believe some kool-aid drinkers have replaced with plastic covers.

 

Alright, well number 1: yes, they do look like crap naked. Number 2, I'm one of those "kool-aid drinkers" I guess, because I changed my covers from metal to plastic and got incredible results. I've heard the thing about the painted metal covers from other places too, and think that replacing those covers with plastic covers would have the same sonic result. Especially as the P93s have been very underwhelming to me sonically.

 

My advice is, do research on metal vs plastic P90s. Some people don't have a clue what they are talking about, but pickup builders such as Jason Lollar and Lindy Fralin both agree that plastic covers open up the pickup quite a bit and allow it to "breathe" the highs and lows that the metal covers stifle by conducting too much. In my experience, if it means anything, the good P90s that came with my Casino became incredible once I got them out from under all that metal. Plastic cannot carry a current, therefore it can't alter magnetic fields, and it can't have any effect on the way the pickup was designed to function. Metal screws with the pickup a ton. I highly, highly recommend the switch if it turns out that those covers are indeed painted metal. There is a good reason why no one designs a P90 with chrome covers anymore (if you don't count GFS humbucking sized 90s).

 

Heck, even Gibson doesn't put metal covers on, the ones that are chrome are chrome-covered plastic! IIRC, the only reason they ever use them is to make it look nicer...I think they look killer just black tho.

[ryan7olson7]

Alright, well number 1: yes, they do look like crap naked. Number 2, I'm one of those "kool-aid drinkers" I guess, because I changed my covers from metal to plastic and got incredible results. I've heard the thing about the painted metal covers from other places too, and think that replacing those covers with plastic covers would have the same sonic result. Especially as the P93s have been very underwhelming to me sonically.

 

My advice is, do research on metal vs plastic P90s. Some people don't have a clue what they are talking about, but pickup builders such as Jason Lollar and Lindy Fralin both agree that plastic covers open up the pickup quite a bit and allow it to "breathe" the highs and lows that the metal covers stifle by conducting too much. In my experience, if it means anything, the good P90s that came with my Casino became incredible once I got them out from under all that metal. Plastic cannot carry a current, therefore it can't alter magnetic fields, and it can't have any effect on the way the pickup was designed to function. Metal screws with the pickup a ton. I highly, highly recommend the switch if it turns out that those covers are indeed painted metal. There is a good reason why no one designs a P90 with chrome covers anymore (if you don't count GFS humbucking sized 90s).

 

Heck, even Gibson doesn't put metal covers on, the ones that are chrome are chrome-covered plastic! IIRC, the only reason they ever use them is to make it look nicer...I think they look killer just black tho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

just pounded some kool-aid, and yes the cheap brass/copper/tin covers on the riviera p93 kill the tone. now if the covers had been made from "german silver" like higher quality paf's then that is a different story, it seems to sweeten the highs a bit. bit yes, a metal/tin/brass cover muffles and kills highs because it act like a capacitor on the pickup. plastic does not. i vote for plastic and grape kool-aid!

[brianh]

Haven't tried it yet myself, but I'm willing to bet there is more science and less colored corn syrup to the plastic / metal urban legend.

 

Jason Lollar has this to say about it, and I am willing to bet a set of Sperzals that he has more experience with P-90 pickups than anyone on this forum (no offence if any hotshot pickup winders are reading):

 

"Your first decision is whether or not you want to use the chrome covers. Something to consider is that with plastic covers the pickup will have a little more high end—the metal covers will reduce the top end a little bit. Also, the metal covers have a tendency to feed back microphonically, even if the pickups are potted to an extreme."

 

http://www.lollargui...ar-sizing-notes

 

In the late '60s I played a ES-330 and I removed the chrome covers. They look like Soapbars with little tabs on the side.

House, I could be wrong but aren't soapbars and dogears the same pickup type just with different covers?

[Darrell999]

As I mentioned in the other thread about the P93, I changed the metal covers to plastic ones from Stewmac.com ($9 for the three of them), and the guitar sounds much better--it sounds significantly brighter and clearer to me. Adjusting the pole pieces helps, too. The covers come off really easily.

 

Since we're talking about mods, does anyone know if the bridge spacer comes off easily, or is it glued on? I'm wondering about sanding it down just a bit.