Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

[Zeppelinfan8790]

Hey,

I've been getting all my options together for different purchases I can make with my money I get this summer. One of my options (number one choice right now) is to get an Epi Casino and save the left over money for other stuff.

So, if I get this guitar and wanna change pups, can I get Duncan dogear P-90's with a silver cover? If not, can I just use the covers off the Epi pups and put them on the Duncans?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

[mrfjones]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

you should be able to do that. I have wanted to put a set of antiquity p90's in one of those guitars for a long time.

[Tuco]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

Chris,

I don't know about older Epi Casinos (like the '60s model), but if you're talking about the current production Casino, then there will be a problem or two. I bought a pair of SD P-90 Customs to drop into my 2002 Casino. I too wanted to retain the metal covers, as they lend a distinctive sound to the guitar. If you have a close look, you'll notice that the pole spacing on the neck p/u is narrower than on the bridge p/u. The Duncan SP90-3 Neck has the wider string spacing, identical to the bridge version, so I was not able to use the metal OEM cover over it.

After this setback, I called the Duncan Custom Shop to ask whether they could build me the SP90-3 but with a custom pole spacing. The answer was yes, they could build it from scratch, which would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $160-$180 per p/u. Or for roughly half that cost, they could rewind the stock p/us to whatever spec I wanted. I haven't yet decided which option to pursue.

Anyway, there is my experience with replacing p/us on the Epi Casino. Good luck.

Jay

[Zeppelinfan8790]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

Jay,

Thanks for the advice. So you're saying that I will be able to replace the bridge pup, but not the neck one? That should be fine, usually I feel that neck pups sound fine, so I'll probably keep the neck. I might like both pups and not want to replace either.

How does the bridge pup sound? Right now I'm thinking I'd like a P-90 vintage more, but a custom might be ok.

Thanks,
Chris

[Tuco]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

Chris,

After realizing that the new neck p/u wasn't going to fit, I did not install either one, so I can't answer your question. The spacing on the bridge p/u *appears* to be the same as the OEM p/u, so the metal cover will *probably* fit. However, I had a plastic dog ear cover sitting around, so I tried fitting it over the SD90-3. It was *not* an exact fit. So I'm wondering about the stock ones.

Well, what the hell, I'm going to pop the bridge p/u out right now and try the new one. I'll get back to you later today.

Jay

[Tuco]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

Chris,

Okay, I popped the bridge p/u out and . . . found that I won't be swapping in the SD p/u today. The reason is that the baseplate of the Epi p/u has it's own "dogears" or tabs as part of the baseplate. The SD P90 replacements do not; they are designed as a soap bar, not a dog ear. One could probably cut the tabs off the Epi and solder to the SD, but I won't be tackling that one. It looks like I'll be sending this to the SD Custom Shop to be rewound to the same specs as the SP90-3.

Here are a couple of pix that I shot of the baseplate:

http://www.olympus.net/personal/uvl/Epi_Casino_bridge_pu_01.JPG

http://www.olympus.net/personal/uvl/Epi_Casino_bridge_pu_02.JPG

Good luck!

Jay

[Zeppelinfan8790]

Re: Replacing P-90's in an Epi Casino

Thanks for taking the time to do that Jay. When you get the pups back from the SD Custom Shop, tell me how they are.

Thanks,
Chris