Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
- Thread starter Dane12
- Start date
larryguitar
Active member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
Is there some type of adapter needed, assuming the pickups will fit in terms of depth? And are most SD Firebird pickups short legged, Mincer?
Thanks,
Larry
Is there some type of adapter needed, assuming the pickups will fit in terms of depth? And are most SD Firebird pickups short legged, Mincer?
Thanks,
Larry
larryguitar
Active member
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
The "official" Gibson way of doing it (in the '70's, when they actually did this with their New York mini-hums) was to combine the pickup and the pickup ring (which is actually just a routed out P90 soapbar cover) into one unit. This is done via spacers and solder nuts on the pickup height screws. Then you install a threaded mounting plate (or you inset threaded studs) into the bottom of the pickup cavity. The pickup height adjustment screws thread into those plates (or studs). The entire ring/pickup unit moves up and down to adjust height.
The parts you need are:
1) Rings that are the P90 soapbar cover type (one ring for each pickup).
2) Hard, tubular spacers that fit over the pickup height adjustment screws (one for each screw). You can just buy a length of it and cut each spacer to the length needed, depending on whether your pickups are long legged or short legged.
3) Little brass nuts to fit your pickup height adjustment screws.
4) A flat piece of metal that fits all the way across your pickup cavity (one for each pickup); these become the internal mounting plates.
5) Appropriately sized drill bit and tap to drill and thread those pieces to accept your pickup height screws.
6) Hold-down screws for the mounting plates (two per plate).
7) Pickup springs (one for each height adjustment screw).
8) [optional, but recommended IMO] Foam cushions (one for each pickup).
9) Solder and soldering iron.
Making the combined pickup/ring assembly:
1) Place the pickup height adjustment screws in the ring.
2) Place the spacers over the screws. They should be cut to the length that causes the pickup to protrude the desired amount from the ring.
3) Carefully drill out the threads in the pickup mounting ears (i.e. don't go too large with the drill bit). Then pass the height adjustment screws through these holes.
4) Thread the brass nuts on next. The pickup mounting ears should have the spacers on one side and the brass nuts on the other side. Adjust the tightness of the brass nuts so that the spacers are snug, but can still spin fairly freely when turned.
5) Solder the nuts to the screws, but [very importantly] not to the baseplates.
If you have done it right, the height adjustment screws should spin freely, while allowing minimum vertical play between the pickup and the ring.
The pickup/ring unit is now complete, and you make the mounting plate:
1) Take the raw metal and mark it with four holes in a line. The two outer holes will accept the pickup height screws, and must be spaced accordingly. The two inner holes will accept the hold-down screws for the mounting plate; their exact spacing is not critical.
2) Drill and countersink the inner holes wide enough to accept whatever mounting screws you will be using.
3) Drill the outer holes with the properly sized drill bit for the tap you will be using to thread them...but do not tap the holes yet.
Installing the mounting plate:
1) If the bottom of the pickup cavity is not smooth and level (due to router flash and/or finish buildup), make it so.
2) Mark the proper position for the mounting plate. You can do this by pressing the pickup/ring assembly into the wood, leaving small depressions where the outer holes of the mounting plate should be located.
3) Line up the outer holes on the mounting plate with the small depressions. While holding the plate in that position, drill into the wood through the two inner holes on the mounting plate. Use a drill bit that is properly sized to accept the mounting plate hold-down screws. Blow out the dust, then mount the plate to the bottom of the cavity using the hold-down screws.
4) Using the same drill bit you used to drill the outer holes in the mounting plate, drill through those outer holes down into the wood. You need to go down far enough to create holes that will accept the length of the pickup height adjustment screws.
5) Tap the outer holes, metal and wood at once, then brush and blow out the crap.
Mounting the pickup/ring assembly to the mounting plate:
1) Cut some foam the width of the pickup baseplate, and short enough to fit between the pickup legs/ears. Wedge that foam between the two legs. The foam should be sized such that the legs hold it in place, but not too tightly.
2) Put the pickup height adjustment springs over the height adjustment screws.
3) Pass the pickup leads through the guitar body.
4) Thread the pickup height adjustment screws into the outer holes of the mounting plate.
5) If necessary, deinstall the pickup to adjust the thickness of the foam.
That's it. The final "sandwich" of parts on the adjustment mechanism, from bottom to top, should go: wood, mounting plate, spring, brass nut, pickup ear, spacer, pickup ring.
It sounds far more complicated than it is. Pictures would make you realize this.
Good luck.
The "official" Gibson way of doing it (in the '70's, when they actually did this with their New York mini-hums) was to combine the pickup and the pickup ring (which is actually just a routed out P90 soapbar cover) into one unit. This is done via spacers and solder nuts on the pickup height screws. Then you install a threaded mounting plate (or you inset threaded studs) into the bottom of the pickup cavity. The pickup height adjustment screws thread into those plates (or studs). The entire ring/pickup unit moves up and down to adjust height.
The parts you need are:
1) Rings that are the P90 soapbar cover type (one ring for each pickup).
2) Hard, tubular spacers that fit over the pickup height adjustment screws (one for each screw). You can just buy a length of it and cut each spacer to the length needed, depending on whether your pickups are long legged or short legged.
3) Little brass nuts to fit your pickup height adjustment screws.
4) A flat piece of metal that fits all the way across your pickup cavity (one for each pickup); these become the internal mounting plates.
5) Appropriately sized drill bit and tap to drill and thread those pieces to accept your pickup height screws.
6) Hold-down screws for the mounting plates (two per plate).
7) Pickup springs (one for each height adjustment screw).
8) [optional, but recommended IMO] Foam cushions (one for each pickup).
9) Solder and soldering iron.
Making the combined pickup/ring assembly:
1) Place the pickup height adjustment screws in the ring.
2) Place the spacers over the screws. They should be cut to the length that causes the pickup to protrude the desired amount from the ring.
3) Carefully drill out the threads in the pickup mounting ears (i.e. don't go too large with the drill bit). Then pass the height adjustment screws through these holes.
4) Thread the brass nuts on next. The pickup mounting ears should have the spacers on one side and the brass nuts on the other side. Adjust the tightness of the brass nuts so that the spacers are snug, but can still spin fairly freely when turned.
5) Solder the nuts to the screws, but [very importantly] not to the baseplates.
If you have done it right, the height adjustment screws should spin freely, while allowing minimum vertical play between the pickup and the ring.
The pickup/ring unit is now complete, and you make the mounting plate:
1) Take the raw metal and mark it with four holes in a line. The two outer holes will accept the pickup height screws, and must be spaced accordingly. The two inner holes will accept the hold-down screws for the mounting plate; their exact spacing is not critical.
2) Drill and countersink the inner holes wide enough to accept whatever mounting screws you will be using.
3) Drill the outer holes with the properly sized drill bit for the tap you will be using to thread them...but do not tap the holes yet.
Installing the mounting plate:
1) If the bottom of the pickup cavity is not smooth and level (due to router flash and/or finish buildup), make it so.
2) Mark the proper position for the mounting plate. You can do this by pressing the pickup/ring assembly into the wood, leaving small depressions where the outer holes of the mounting plate should be located.
3) Line up the outer holes on the mounting plate with the small depressions. While holding the plate in that position, drill into the wood through the two inner holes on the mounting plate. Use a drill bit that is properly sized to accept the mounting plate hold-down screws. Blow out the dust, then mount the plate to the bottom of the cavity using the hold-down screws.
4) Using the same drill bit you used to drill the outer holes in the mounting plate, drill through those outer holes down into the wood. You need to go down far enough to create holes that will accept the length of the pickup height adjustment screws.
5) Tap the outer holes, metal and wood at once, then brush and blow out the crap.
Mounting the pickup/ring assembly to the mounting plate:
1) Cut some foam the width of the pickup baseplate, and short enough to fit between the pickup legs/ears. Wedge that foam between the two legs. The foam should be sized such that the legs hold it in place, but not too tightly.
2) Put the pickup height adjustment springs over the height adjustment screws.
3) Pass the pickup leads through the guitar body.
4) Thread the pickup height adjustment screws into the outer holes of the mounting plate.
5) If necessary, deinstall the pickup to adjust the thickness of the foam.
That's it. The final "sandwich" of parts on the adjustment mechanism, from bottom to top, should go: wood, mounting plate, spring, brass nut, pickup ear, spacer, pickup ring.
It sounds far more complicated than it is. Pictures would make you realize this.
Good luck.
Last edited:
RayBarbeeMusic
New member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
Of course Firebirds fit in P90 routes, as do mini humbuckers. I do it all the time. You need a mini-humbucker mounting ring, which fits inside the P-90 route and mount's your firebird or mini humbucker.
Of course Firebirds fit in P90 routes, as do mini humbuckers. I do it all the time. You need a mini-humbucker mounting ring, which fits inside the P-90 route and mount's your firebird or mini humbucker.
Riki Guitar
New member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
And, do P90s fit in a firebird-minihb routing?
And, do P90s fit in a firebird-minihb routing?
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Not unless the original pickup rings were the soap bar P90 cover style (I hope that makes sense). For instance, P90's can be easily adapted to fit a Les Paul Deluxe, but not a mini-hum-equipped Firebird or SG.
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Not unless the original pickup rings were the soap bar P90 cover style (I hope that makes sense). For instance, P90's can be easily adapted to fit a Les Paul Deluxe, but not a mini-hum-equipped Firebird or SG.
Riki Guitar
New member
Re: Firebird Pickup in a P90 route?
Yes, it does make sense, i think.
I was thinking about my Gibson Firebird, with mini-birds (I call that way Firebird's mini humbuckers)...modded with two badass P90s
Yes, it does make sense, i think.
I was thinking about my Gibson Firebird, with mini-birds (I call that way Firebird's mini humbuckers)...modded with two badass P90s
