New Pickups in my Les Paul copy-with pictures & history

[zontar]

Well, after a couple of years or so, I finally got the new pickups in it, and the work is now done on it--(Other than if I add a new headstock logo--it won't be an actual brand--I do have some ideas for it--and possibly a different poker chip.) I had it set up as well, and it plays and sounds better than it ever did.
This guitar will be dedicated to open G tuning, for slide and open G playing.
Now I have no excuse not to learn open G and slide better.

Here's what it looked like when I got it-


More to come...

[etechstan]

What is the brand?

[zontar]

It's a Granada--which is the name used for guitars sold through Canadian music schools.
I don't know how affiliated the schools were, but some of them were. Mine had the school name on a sticker on the headstock, but the sticker came off years ago.
They were made by Matsumoku in Japan--they're similar to Arias of the same time.

[zontar]

Here's how it's looked for most of its existence.
First I removed the pickguard as I didn't like the colour, it didn't match the other plastic, and it covered the grain.
Plus, in a school of students with the same guitars, it helped mine stand out.

A little while later I removed the pickup covers, and the guitar sounded louder, so they stayed off.
Over time the machine heads were replaced as some of the original ones broke.
I also replaced the strap knobs---first when one came out just before I was supposed to play in front of people, and then more recently I replaced those ones with black ones in keeping with the new look I wanted. (They are also bigger knobs--so they work better.)

I also like speed knobs, so the witch hats came off in favour of speed knobs.

[One careful owner]

What colour is it supposed to be? It looks real neat.

[zontar]

What colour is it supposed to be? It looks real neat.

You mean the pickguard?
Well the plastic on it when I got it was cream, but there were three colours of cream on this guitar--the poker chip and binding matched the guitar, the pickup rings were okay, but the pickguard was off, it didn't fit.

[One careful owner]

You mean the pickguard?
Well the plastic on it when I got it was cream, but there were three colours of cream on this guitar--the poker chip and binding matched the guitar, the pickup rings were okay, but the pickguard was off, it didn't fit.

The body - I can't see colour properly. White or off sand or?

[zontar]

The body - I can't see colour properly. White or off sand or?

It's basically a blonde type finish. There's a slight colouring to bring out the grain.

[die Bullen]

very cool- now you need coil tap!

BTW what is that amp in picture 1???

[zontar]

BTW what is that amp in picture 1???

It's a Garnet Stencil amp--branded for the music school I went to.
It's solidstate, the bass amp I got later was a tube one.
Also a Garnet.

They're actually pretty good amps--especially for what they sold for.

[zontar]

Okay--here's what you've possibly been waiting for.
I'll get some better pictures up as soon as I can.
In all, from the original I have changed:
-The machine heads (some of the original ones broke)
-The headstock logo fell off
-the nut has been replaced
-pickup rings (I like the black better)
-Strap knobs (Larger & black again)
-jack plate (broken plastic replaced with metal--hold the jack more securely)
-Witch hats replaced by speed knobs--and in keeping with the theme--black ones now)
-toggle switch tip to black
-pickguard removed
-and new as of yesterday:
a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge (wired series/parallel/single coil)
a Seymour Duncan P-Rail in the neck (wired P-90/Rail/humbucker in series)
and two mini switches to choose the pick up settings.
The JB is dark pink--and that's why I got it cheap--nobody wanted it after it was custom ordered.
I didn't care about the colour--I kind of like it, and it I decide I don't like the colour, I can a get a cover.

It will be dedicated to open G playing.

(Oh, that's a Zzyzx snap jack in the jack right now--I forgot to take it out for the picture.)

[spellcaster]

Nive looking guitar! I was interested in your comments about the origin of the brand name. I've heard the same story about the Toledo brand name (Matsumoku-made, sold as Univox's in the US, sold in Canada through a Music Conservatory in Toronto). I had some problems getting matching plastic when I bought a dress-up kit for my Raven LP (also Maksumoku-made). Cream plastic seems to vary wildly compared to other colours. Yours looks good without a pickguard. Not sure about the pink, but other than that, really pretty in that body colour.

[zontar]

Nive looking guitar! I was interested in your comments about the origin of the brand name. I've heard the same story about the Toledo brand name (Matsumoku-made, sold as Univox's in the US, sold in Canada through a Music Conservatory in Toronto). I had some problems getting matching plastic when I bought a dress-up kit for my Raven LP (also Maksumoku-made). Cream plastic seems to vary wildly compared to other colours. Yours looks good without a pickguard. Not sure about the pink, but other than that, really pretty in that body colour.

The cream varies quite a bit when getting replacement parts--but should it vary that much on original parts the guitar comes with?


I'm not sure about the pink either--but I do like it for now--it really stands out.

[spellcaster]

In my experience, plastics sometimes age differently depending on their sensitivity to UV. Remember the GM cars from the 70's with red interiors that would turn hot pink in areas that got a lot of sun? Actually, I've seen it in guitars too.... A lot of older Strats with the yellowed white pickup covers had knobs that weren't as yellow, and sometimes a starkly white switch tip or tremelo arm tip that didn't age at all. I haven't seen as much of it on LP-type instruments, although the original neck pickup ring on my Raven LP that I though was cream was reeaaally white on the side that sat adjacent to the neck.

[zontar]

Mine was like that when I got it.
Doesn't mean there wasn't some aging.
But I've seen it on other guitars as well.

But it will also happen as you mention.

[YeahDoIt]

Nice looking guitar. The speed knobs look good on it.

[Brian Krashpad]

Rather than bother with a new cover for the bridge pickup, just buy some Bobbin Toppers. That's how I changed the blacktop pickups in my LP to zebra. Bobbin Toppers are a little vinyl press-on cover that can make your pickup look any color you want. So I went to universaljems.com, here's the subpage for Bobbin Toppers:

Bobbin Toppers

Brian over there hooked me up with a couple of creme toppers, they're like $2 apiece, so all told with shipping my order was a whopping $6 or so. They came in a matter of days. They're a little tricky to get on, but once you've got 'em the way you want, from a foot away you'd never know your pickup wasn't the real deal.

Anyhow, for the before and after makeover shots! Here's Cassie before:



And here she is after:



PS-- though it may seem otherwise, I have no affiliation w/Bobbin Toppers or the place where I found them. They just seem like a cool inexpensive thingy you and others here might like.

[zontar]

Rather than bother with a new cover for the bridge pickup, just buy some Bobbin Toppers.

I've seen them before, and it's an interesting idea, but I'm sticking with it as is for now, to see how I like it.

I can get a black plastic cover locally for pretty cheap, if i decide to go that way.
But we'll see.

[spellcaster]

Do those plastic covers just slide on over top? I haven't had much to do with humbuckers, so I've never had one apart.

[zontar]

Do those plastic covers just slide on over top? I haven't had much to do with humbuckers, so I've never had one apart.

The plastic covers I'm referring to aren't the bobbins that you see here or in Krashpad's pictures.
I'm referring to plastic covers that are like the metal ones--but they don't shield or anything.
They give you an EMG pickup look--but that's just the covers.

A variety of online sources sell them.

[edandis]

I saw this post on the SD forum. How does the PRAIL sound when split with the JB?

[zontar]

I saw this post on the SD forum. How does the PRAIL sound when split with the JB?

Both pickups together sounds cool--and I normally only use two pickups together on single coils, but even the humbucker sound for the P-Rail gives it a bit of a kick--a nice growl.
It works better with the P-Rail in the P-90 setting though--as the P-90 sound is arm, but growly.

At least that's how I would describe it.
A nice bluesy sound actually.

[edandis]

Both pickups together sounds cool--and I normally only use two pickups together on single coils, but even the humbucker sound for the P-Rail gives it a bit of a kick--a nice growl.
It works better with the P-Rail in the P-90 setting though--as the P-90 sound is arm, but growly.

At least that's how I would describe it.
A nice bluesy sound actually.

Thanks for responding. Man, I would kill for a bluesy tone and now I'm thinking that I might try this with my tele using the PRAIL in the neck.

I might have to wait until I can replace the body first.

[zontar]

Well it works for me for slide, and the extra little bit that P-90's give you that way is something I can hear here.

So if you're replacing the body that means you're keeping the neck (and the stuff attached to it) and then the bridge pickup, bridge & electronics/wiring?

[edandis]

Well it works for me for slide, and the extra little bit that P-90's give you that way is something I can hear here.

So if you're replacing the body that means you're keeping the neck (and the stuff attached to it) and then the bridge pickup, bridge & electronics/wiring?

I'm afraid so, money is kind of tight right now. I'll probably just get a Wilkinson bridge for the time being and just Esquire the damn thing until I have more money.

Locally there is a place called Scarred guitars where I could buy a pine body for around $35.00 and go from there.

I already have a pre-wired upgrade for it.

[zontar]

I'm afraid so, money is kind of tight right now. I'll probably just get a Wilkinson bridge for the time being and just Esquire the damn thing until I have more money.

Locally there is a place called Scarred guitars where I could buy a pine body for around $35.00 and go from there.

I already have a pre-wired upgrade for it.

Well post pictures when it's done--we'd like to see it.

And here's a couple of other pictures (I need a tripod or a steadier hand)
Here it is with my Les Paul Custom (which also has SD's in it)

(The specks on my Les Paul are not really there--either the camera, the lighting, the computer or some combination put them there--it is quite black...)

And here's an out of focus picture of the pickups...

[anfontan]

Lately I've been really appreciating my L. P. Special copy with a P-90 in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge location. P-90s sound much more balanced than a neck humbucker and when the 2 pickups are played together its just so much smoother sounding to me.
You are gonna like the new tones a lot, Zontar!!!

[zontar]

Lately I've been really appreciating my L. P. Special copy with a P-90 in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge location. P-90s sound much more balanced than a neck humbucker and when the 2 pickups are played together its just so much smoother sounding to me.
You are gonna like the new tones a lot, Zontar!!!

I already am.

It's sounding great in open G and for slide, and it's tempting me to put a P-Rail in my Les Paul Custom as well.

[spyhawk36]

Dang thats a sweet guitar. Is it a set neck or bolt on? Very Sharp!!

[zontar]

It's a bolt on.

I've got the neck angle set well, and the pocket is a good fit.

Not as good as a real Les Paul--but I like it.
It's working great for slide.