QUESTION
I just bought a vintage p90 from a vintage guitar dealer and i went to install it in my 1959 Les Paul special and my original cover does not fit. The pickup looks like a Gibson and I cannot figure out why it will nto work.
REPLY
Well there is a little know fact that Gibson changed the size of the p90 pickup by mid 1960 ‘s . For example if you have a 1950 ‘s or early 1960′s soap bar pickup Gibson guitar ( not dog ear) and try to install a 1968 soap bar p90 it will not fit under the original cover. This is not a widely know fact so I would cut the dealer a break and offer him a chance to make it good.
As a quick note 1950′as p90s both soap bar and dog ear have double black wires coming off pickup this is a quick way to tell what year it is. now up until 1962 double black lead p90s can be found but again the covers Will fit . the difficult area is when they they are white and black lead wires you have to take a moment to and check .
Another quick note is the older style p90 soap bar pickups have shallow height covers . they are not tall and are easily distinguishable from the mid to later 1960′s that have tall covers over twice! the size . So if you are Lucky enough to buy or see the pickup with an original cover remember the shorter ones are the vintage ones. The ears are also longer and many of the soap bar pickups from late 1960′s, and the soap bar pickups from that era have ears which they never did in te 1950′s and early 1960′s .
I hope this helps if you have any other questiosn please feel free to e mail me at The Parts Drawer