Removing the covers on a set of P-rails

[fasterdammit]

Hi -

First post - curious if anyone has removed the covers on a set of P-rails for painting or replacing? I'm looking to paint mine so they blend with the pattern on the guitar, and not having taken a humbucker or anything apart, I didn't want to find out the hard way that I shouldn't take them apart or unscrew the pole screws or anything. From some other posts, it sounds like they can come off ... is it as simple as removing the pole screws? Suggestions or directions greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Jake

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

listen to frank

[Securb]

You can put plastic pickup covers like these on the P-Rails. If you hunt around, you will find them in different colors.

https://www.smallboxmusic.com/products/allparts-plastic-humbucker-pickup-covers?variant=36675162013856

[frankfalbo]

welcome to the forum!

you cannot take "the cover" off a prails. those are the bobbins that the wire is wound on.

That’s actually not the case. The P-Rails do have a glued on cover, and part of its purpose is to align the height of each bobbin in relationship to the strings and pole pieces. You *can* remove the cover but it is a delicate process, and can be difficult to re-glue afterward.

[jeremy]

well spank me and call me shirly! thanks for correcting me frank. ive never tried to pull one apart so assumed those were the tops of the bobbins

[Mincer]

That’s actually not the case. The P-Rails do have a glued on cover, and part of its purpose is to align the height of each bobbin in relationship to the strings and pole pieces. You *can* remove the cover but it is a delicate process, and can be difficult to re-glue afterward.

I learned something today, too! I honestly didn't know they were covers either, but it has been a few years since I held one in my hands.

[fasterdammit]

Excellent! Frank, thank you - that is greatly appreciated experience and advice

And Securb - thank you for the link! Good to know!

Not real keen on potentially screwing up the glued-on covers, so I'm starting to lean towards hand-painting them ...

Thanks, all!

That’s actually not the case. The P-Rails do have a glued on cover, and part of its purpose is to align the height of each bobbin in relationship to the strings and pole pieces. You *can* remove the cover but it is a delicate process, and can be difficult to re-glue afterward.

[Wound_Up]

You can put plastic pickup covers like these on the P-Rails. If you hunt around, you will find them in different colors.

https://www.smallboxmusic.com/produc...36675162013856

Don't/didn't you have a guitar with covers like those? One over a P-rail?

[Securb]

Don't/didn't you have a guitar with covers like those? One over a P-rail?

Yes, I had a P-Rails, BL 250, Pearly Gates on my Strat. I took off that pickguard, and it is now my single H Black WInter axe. I am thinking about finding a home for that pickguard it is still loaded and waiting to be dropped in another guitar.