Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Here is what the originals look like...I don't have them. Looking for something that fits the surrounds which I do have and is somewhat period correct. I think the Antiquity II mini humb.would fit, but of course it's not 3x3 like the originals.
View attachment 92607

It's too bad you didn't get the originals, because many guys who have those guitars are parting them out, because those pickups are highly sought by some players, ad it's tempting to someone who has one of those guitars to get much more for just the pickups than the complete guitars cost originally. Unless you can find some of those pickups at a reasonable price, you are going to have to try to get some pickup winder to make you some clone pickups. I don't think anyone markets a clone of them at this point in time, but someone should, they are unique.

I just thought of something, I saw a pickup maker on Reverb who makes the 3+3 staggered polepiece minis (is that the P13 pickup?) in many sizes/configurations, if you find them I think they may be able to make you a custom set, as long as you can find out the specs of them somewhere.
Al
 
Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Thanks Al, I might have to go that route. I'll search Reverb for the maker you are talking about. If you have a link that would be great.
 
Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Thanks Al, I might have to go that route. I'll search Reverb for the maker you are talking about. If you have a link that would be great.

I'll look for that link.
I found out some info on those pickups if you want to try to find some originals. According to a Seth Lover interview I found, those are the P19 pickups, that Lover originally designed I think for Epiphone, I don't think they used them but Harmony was interested. Harmony paid for the fancy rings, and Seth designed the pickups to be made by Gibson. The P13 was another pickup he designed that was made by Gibson and used in cheaper guitars, it looks different, it has a rounded ridge across the middle of the cover, and no visible polepieces. Pretty interesting stuff, I knew Gibson made them, but didn't know that Lover designed them.

Anyway, even if you don't want to splurge for used originals, if you try to have a pickup maker make you a clone, you know what to call it, the P19 pickup. They may be knowledgeable about them, who knows?.

I'll get back to you if I can find that pickup maker on Reverb.

Al
 
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Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

First, a correction, it was Seth Lover, not Ted McCarty, who made those pickups. I should have known that, but got confused. McCarty designed guitars, I don't think he designed pickups.
I have corrected my last post to fix that.

OK, I checked and this is what I found (both are pretty expensive, but probably less than what originals cost):

Real P19 Repros custom made by Lindy Fralin:
https://reverb.com/item/10843422-seth-lover-lindy-fralin-hu-tonelabs-silvertone-gibson-p19-repro-delectable

The Seth Lover interview/article is listed at the bottom left of this page, it has the story of the P19's and pics, as well as everything else Lover did in his career.

I think this is the company I was thinking of, these say they fit regular mini routs. They say they do custom orders, so if interested I would contact them about P19's, and if they know anything about them:
https://reverb.com/item/4294277-proto-guitars-wide-range-mini-humbucker-custom-pickup

Good luck with the guitar,
Al
 
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Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Good info, thanks Al I appreciate the help. Knowing they are P19 will help my search.
I did contact Fralin and they said all their mini humb. are slightly longer than the originals by 3/32. I haven't seen Proto so Ill reach out to them about sizing.

Has anyone worked with Seymour Duncan custom shop? Wondering how responsive they are. I emailed them last week, haven't heard back yet. Their off the shelve mini humbuckers are the correct length for my project I was hoping they could make some 3x3.
 
Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

I thought this was a model with gold foils.

Any mini humbucker will fit.
 
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Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

the custom shop is pretty busy and theres only like two people in there. a phone call might be quicker
 
Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Good info, thanks Al I appreciate the help. Knowing they are P19 will help my search.
I did contact Fralin and they said all their mini humb. are slightly longer than the originals by 3/32. I haven't seen Proto so Ill reach out to them about sizing.

Has anyone worked with Seymour Duncan custom shop? Wondering how responsive they are. I emailed them last week, haven't heard back yet. Their off the shelve mini humbuckers are the correct length for my project I was hoping they could make some 3x3.

They will eventually get back to you. But calling is a great idea: (805) 964-9610 (Mon-Fri, 7am-5pm PST) dial 2, then 4.
 
Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Good info, thanks Al I appreciate the help. Knowing they are P19 will help my search.
I did contact Fralin and they said all their mini humb. are slightly longer than the originals by 3/32. I haven't seen Proto so Ill reach out to them about sizing.

Has anyone worked with Seymour Duncan custom shop? Wondering how responsive they are. I emailed them last week, haven't heard back yet. Their off the shelve mini humbuckers are the correct length for my project I was hoping they could make some 3x3.

Hi,
Did you specifically ask Fralin about the Hu Labs P19?. I was thinking that maybe since they were supposed to be clones of the originals that maybe the dimensions might be the same as them. I know it says the mounting rings shown fit P90 routs they might be special rings to fit those routs. Just a thought, maybe you did mention the P19 clones and the P19's are the same size as his regular minis. I hope you get this worked out, the custom rings on your guitar are part of the charm of that pickup, and you already have those.
Good luck,
Al
 
Re: Help needed finding a replacement for vintage mini humbucker

Here's the latest on the Hu Labs/Fralin P19. I messaged Hu Labs on Reverb asking if their P19 is a direct retrofit for the original P19, and will fit the original custom rings. He responded he was "99%" sure it would. So, why don't you message him and ask for exact dimensions of that P19 reissue, and compare it to the inside dimensions of your rings, and the distance between the mounting holes of the pickup. I've done my part on your behalf, so you can take it from here!. Please let me know what you find out.
Good luck,
Al
 
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