More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

[The Convert]

So I'm committing and building a budget version of Keith Richard's 5 string, Open G Teles. (I'd love to invest in a high quality Tele, but right now this is more of a situational guitar for me, and another learning experience in modding.

So my question to the group: I know that, since he doesn't string the 6th string, he not only removes the saddle and sometimes the tuner, but at least in Micawber, he removed the sixth string pole from the bridge pickup.

My thinking is, if I'm doing it, I might as well do it, so...

Does anyone have any idea of what the procedure of removing a fixed pole in a tele bridge would be like? Eventually, if I like it, I'll get an SD broadcaster bridge and do it again, but for now I'll use a Squier 50s CV bridge pull, which I'm pretty sure has alnico poles and a metal base plate (no ceramic slabs).

If it's the kind of thing that I can do with unspecialized tools (for example, if it's doable with a soldering iron, and basic hand tools) without likely causing broader damage, I am in. But, not surprisingly this isn't the kind of thing a lot of people are trying to do, so I've not found much yet. I figured this is the place to ask.

Any constructive suggestions are appreciated. (And it's as much a musical exercise as an experiment in modding, so I'm fine with trying something that produces unexpected results, so let me cut off the "don't be dumb, it'll sound terrible" warning. Maybe it will. I'm ready for that if it happens.)

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

I'm just going to guess here, but I don't think removing the slug serves any purpose whatsoever. And it's only on the one guitar.

Anyway, if you're set on trashing a pickup I'd use a cheap one like the Squire CV or something from GFS. I believe the only risk is that in the process of removal you could break a wire in the pickup winding and have a dead pickup.

Honestly, take any Tele, remove the 6th string, add an early 50's style bridge pickup, and you're set. I've kept my 3-saddle bridges so there's no saddle to remove. The only weird issue (which isn't really even an issue) is you may hear some rattle (buzz) from the unused tuning peg. You can either give it a wrap in tape or remove it if you don't mind a gaping hole in your headstock.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

I'm just going to guess here, but I don't think removing the slug serves any purpose whatsoever. And it's only on the one guitar.

Anyway, if you're set on trashing a pickup I'd use a cheap one like the Squire CV or something from GFS. I believe the only risk is that in the process of removal you could break a wire in the pickup winding and have a dead pickup.

Honestly, take any Tele, remove the 6th string, add an early 50's style bridge pickup, and you're set. I've kept my 3-saddle bridges so there's no saddle to remove. The only weird issue (which isn't really even an issue) is you may hear some rattle (buzz) from the unused tuning peg. You can either give it a wrap in tape or remove it if you don't mind a gaping hole in your headstock.

Thanks for your thoughts. I have a couple "proper" Teles, and love them all. Actually, until last year I played Teles almost exclusively since about 1986.

In this case, I acknowledge that removing the pole is really mostly cosmetic. The guitar is a homage--hopefully a good sounding homage--but while I'm not into "relicing" per se, I do think I'd enjoy this kind of customization as a form of tribute. It's just my thing. I know it probably won't make much difference if done properly.

Thanks again!

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

As was mentioned in your other thread, if you want the real deal, the Don Mare 0038 "Keefer" 10K wind is the way to go. It's a hot pickup and has reduced highs and a bump in the mids.

Micawber's neck pickup is an original Gibson PAF. If you really want to be cosmetically true to the guitar make sure you mount the bucker to the body with a pickup ring and then cut the pickguard to fit around the ring. It's actually quite the butcher job when you see photos of the guitar up close.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

As was mentioned in your other thread, if you want the real deal, the Don Mare 0038 "Keefer" 10K wind is the way to go. It's a hot pickup and has reduced highs and a bump in the mids.

Micawber's neck pickup is an original Gibson PAF. If you really want to be cosmetically true to the guitar make sure you mount the bucker to the body with a pickup ring and then cut the pickguard to fit around the ring. It's actually quite the butcher job when you see photos of the guitar up close.

No argument here...just looking for guidance as to how to remove the pole here. Is it just wax that's packed it in? Is it the tension/friction with the wire?

 

[Mincer]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Some are actually glued in, and I've heard of people breaking the coil wire trying to change stagger heights. I certainly wouldn't do it on a great pickup, and still don't know what purpose it serves.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Some are actually glued in, and I've heard of people breaking the coil wire trying to change stagger heights. I certainly wouldn't do it on a great pickup, and still don't know what purpose it serves.

Think relic and think tribute/signature custom. From what I've read, it will have a minor effect on tone (as the A string wont get overflow reinforcement, and there's no E string), but mostly it's just because it'll look like (one of) the guitars it's honoring.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

There seems to be confusion. This is 'Micawber', one of Keith Richards' most famous guitars...

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

From some photo angles, it looks like they just painted that pole piece black, or there's some kind of black slug taking the place of the pole. Do not remove the pole on any vintage style Tele pickup. The wire is wound directly on the magnets. Sometimes there is tape wrapped around the magnets first, and/or they are lacquered for insulation. But in either case, even if you could slip the pole piece out without breaking coil wires, the coil would immediately begin to deform since its wound under tension.

There are some Fender Tele pickups that are wound on plastic bobbins, and those are more like humbuckers where the bobbin encases the pole. Those, you can slide the magnet out. But that's not what's on Keith's guitar.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

From some photo angles, it looks like they just painted that pole piece black, or there's some kind of black slug taking the place of the pole. Do not remove the pole on any vintage style Tele pickup. The wire is wound directly on the magnets. Sometimes there is tape wrapped around the magnets first, and/or they are lacquered for insulation. But in either case, even if you could slip the pole piece out without breaking coil wires, the coil would immediately begin to deform since its wound under tension.

There are some Fender Tele pickups that are wound on plastic bobbins, and those are more like humbuckers where the bobbin encases the pole. Those, you can slide the magnet out. But that's not what's on Keith's guitar.

It's confirmed by Keef's tech since '75 (I think) that the pole was deliberately removed when it was built.

Edit: in the case of Keef's guitar, I'm sure his luthier found a solution when he built it. The myth is that Keef would give him a broadcaster bridge pup and instruct him to overwind it. In that case, maybe the pickup was completely rewound? Maybe it has some kind of inert spacer inside? I can't say.

Thanks though. That's the most info I have so far relating to practical construction and concerns.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Oh, but one of the interesting things here to me is, right, if the pole is removed and that creates an oblong or unusually shaped magnetic field, or alters the relative strength of the field above each pole, then how does that contribute to the sound? Maybe not much, or maybe it makes it rubbish. But I'm curious, you know. It's worth a pickup sitting in a storage box to find out.

 

[jtougas]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

If the pickup was rewound, my guess is they removed the slug before winding, and put in a black phenolic stick or something.

As suggested by others, I would skip buggering up a perfectly good pickup; I doubt it makes a huge sufficient difference in the sound to be worth pursuing. The other possibility would be to ask someone to wind you one that way from the ground up.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

I'm sure his luthier found a solution when he built it. The myth is that Keef would give him a broadcaster bridge pup and instruct him to overwind it. In that case, maybe the pickup was completely rewound? Maybe it has some kind of inert spacer inside?

Occam's Razor IMO. You can see it's not hollow, and it can't be all skin cells and cigarette ash LOL

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Jesus F'ing Christ, Frank!

I didn't come here for a debate. I didn't come here for everyone's perspective of what might or might not be about a guitar none of us have ever handled.

There is a project that I want to do and I have one goddam question: does anyone know how to safely remove a fixed pole from a Tele bridge pickup?

That's it. It's a pickup site. This is the "Pickup Lounge", not guitar discussion. I don't mind expanding, but can we answer the fricken question first?

Now some people have been constructive and if everyone thinks that this is a disproportionate response, then fine, but I'm just sick of people on forums, especially guitarists, who have to just unload their "knowledge" on you instead of just being direct.

Between this and the invisible moderators, I'm done.

Thanks the the three decent people. F the rest of ya.

---

BTW: Because I do both: when I do sound work, I really defend guitarists to other sound engineers. But you know what, maybe it's clear the side I'm on. I'm an arrogant jerk, and guitarists ARE. THE. WORST.

Good riddance.

 

[The Convert]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Closed

 

[jeremy]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

what frank said is absolutely right. people talk about pushing strat poles down to effect the stagger with no ill effects. unless its a modern plastic bobbin, i wouldnt risk it. on any vintage style fender single coil, pushing an E pole piece out is going to mess up the pup since the coil will collapse at that end.

given that keef would give his luthier a pup and say over wind this, i would assume the whole pup was rewound. you can splice the wires and add more that way but its easier just to start over

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Convert: My mind is blown. I can't understand how in the world you took what I said as debate. I'm trying to help you, and was agreeing with you, when you said that's probably how it went down; that Keith's tech removed the pole as part of a rewind. Your attitude with me is completely unfounded.

To make matters worse, in another thread you've told moderators to go die. That's a double-wow...

 

[jeremy]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

opened.


you asked a question and you got answers, whats the issue?

 

[AlexR]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Is it a full moon??
Whats with some people atm.

 

[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Re: More on Micawber--Help me dismantle my pickup?

Yeah, he kinda just imploded. I wonder if this has anything to do with the Leev5's multiple accounts. He closed 2 threads here and went off on someone in the guitar shop.


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