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Let me try this again: vintage LP Special question, someone's got to know

hogy1

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
361
Let me try this again: vintage LP Special question, somebody must know this

I'm restoring a '55 Special. Somebody deepened the bridge pickup cavity, I'd like to plug and rerout it. I should know this, but I've never paid attention: were the P-90s mounted directly onto the wood with wood screws (like a '50s Goldtop) or were they mounted on a metal bar with machine screws and foam in between to be height adjustable? I know I've seen this on '70s RI Specials.
I would think they were mounted onto the wood, but on this Special the wiring channel runs right where one of the woodscrews would go, so there's nothing to screw into.
Come on y'all, all you have to do is take one mounting screw out of the bridge PU of your vintage Special and tell me whether it's a wood screw or a machine screw. Of course, a picture of the cavity would be even nicer.
Thanks, hogy
 
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Tonefiend

Fiendish One
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
7,656
Hogy,
I have built some Specials, and a Junior, as well as worked on some old ones.
The pickups are bolted right to the wood. You need to route the cavity to the right depth to get the pickup to the right height.
If you make it a bit deeper, you can use wood shims to get it to the proper height.
I used old guitars to make mine.

If you need a pic of what I did let me know I can get you one.
 
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nicholas

Prince of Darkburst
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
1,648
Im a dumbass !:lolspin
 
Last edited by a moderator:

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,803
Straight into the wood. I get mahogany blocks thickness sanded to different thicknesses and use them as shims in this sort of repair. Route the cavity to an even depth, shim it up to the proper depth and redrill the pilot holes for the pickups. The same sort of shim stock does wonders for filling in the edges of a P-90 rout that has been widened for a 'bucker. After cutting shims with the right grain orientation to fit, reduce the cavity to smaller than stock with the shims and route to the proper shape.
 

hogy1

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
361
Thanks for the input. As I said, the wiring channel that runs diagonally from the pickup selector to the output jack is right where one of the pickup mounting screws should go. Nothing to screw into. I'll take a pic tomorrow for you guys to look at.
Anybody want to pull out their bridge pickup and shoot a pic for me? hogy
 

BCR/Greg

Les Paul Forum Member and Host of Guitar Shop
Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
2,803
I can do that. Re read the above post, you can fill in from the edges and re route to the proper shape. The Dogear can hide a lot of sins!
 

hogy1

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
361
BCR/Greg, it's a Special, not a Junior. No dog ears. Two pickups. Pickup selector switch. Hence wiring channel running diagonally across the body, factory drilled fom the output jack hole. This channel intersects with the bridge pickup cavity right where one mounting screw goes. Therefore no wood to screw the screw into (again, this is not a dog ear P-90, but one with the mounting screws through the bobbins). If you fill it in, you can no longer run the wires from the switch and neck pickup to the electronics cavity.
This is screwed up (pun intended), I need a picture. I'll post a pic of the mess tomorrow. Thanks for the help, I'm at a loss here. hogy
 

Tonefiend

Fiendish One
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
7,656
No ears on a special.
There is the trough that runs down the center of the pickup cavity for the screws and wiring to fit into. The screws holding the pickup must be long, and are difficult to find.

The best bet if it is really jacked is to go in and fix the woodworking so it is right. You need a place for the screw, there should be no wiring channel in the way.

When I see the pic I can tell whats going on with it.
 

hogy1

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
361
Well, I took pics, but I can't get into Photopoint to post them. Damn! hogy
 

Tonefiend

Fiendish One
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
7,656
Photopoint is gone Hogy.
It doesn't look like it is coming back either.

If you have them on your hard drive email them to me.
 

hogy1

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
361
Tonefiend, check your mail. If you know how to post the pictures here, please do so, you can include the text of my e-mail, if you will. Thanks, Hogy
 
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