Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings

69GTLP · 10-11-2008, 09:55 PM

I ordered four sets of Dimarzio creme pickup rings for my projects, they all have flat bottoms. What is the way to arch the bottoms? How much of a curve do I want in them? sorry if this is a dumb question.

lp_junkie · 10-12-2008, 12:25 AM

put the screws in and tighten each one a little at a time and it will bend, but it may distort a bit. Best thing to do is buy arched rings, but even the Gibson replacement parts are flat bottoms.

An idea I had once was to heat them in really warm water, and then put them on (never tried it but it seems plausible).

diceman · 10-12-2008, 12:53 AM

Just a thought - hot pup rings might damage the nitro? I don't know this - just something to consider...

69GTLP · 10-12-2008, 01:20 AM

what about sanding the arch in them, that way the top of the ring stays flat and they would fit the curve of the body?

Roman Rist · 10-12-2008, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69GTLP

what about sanding the arch in them, that way the top of the ring stays flat and they would fit the curve of the body?

Take a piece of 150 grit sandpaper and doublestick tape it to the guitar body over the pickup cavities.

Now take the mounting ring and rub it back and forth over the sandpaper. You will end up with a bottom that matches the curve of the top perfectly.

Any glue residue from the tape will come off with a bit of lighter fluid.

69GTLP · 10-12-2008, 02:16 AM

Thanks Roman

ehamady6 · 10-12-2008, 02:27 AM

Sanding, as 69GTLP stated above, is the way to go in my opinion. If you simply bend them then they won't look right. A long time ago I tried bending rings using steam, then pressing them on a jar to arch them. I got the perfect arch but the top flat surface of the pickups made the rings look "funny". I used a drum sander on the bottom of another set of rings and it made quick work of it.

Mike60 · 10-12-2008, 09:55 AM

funny...I just screw them down into place slowly...never had a problem and if they do crack,well,they were no good anyways

single cut 54 · 10-12-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike60

funny...I just screw them down into place slowly...never had a problem and if they do crack,well,they were no good anyways

+1

ehamady6 · 10-12-2008, 10:24 PM

Buy the arched rings. They're inexpensive and only the bottom of each ring is arched as it should be.

BCRGreg · 10-12-2008, 10:58 PM

I match sand them as Roman described. Cranking them down can end up with you stripping a screw hole or breaking a screw off in the hole. I see that a LOT.

Do it right and you win.

djwilbanks · 10-12-2008, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCRGreg

I match sand them as Roman described. Cranking them down can end up with you stripping a screw hole or breaking a screw off in the hole. I see that a LOT.

Do it right and you win.

Do it wrong and Greg gets to fix it for you.

ehamady6 · 10-13-2008, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCRGreg

I match sand them as Roman described. Cranking them down can end up with you stripping a screw hole or breaking a screw off in the hole. I see that a LOT.

Do it right and you win.

Yeah, the pickup rings will be playing a constant tug-of-war with their screws.

single cut 54 · 10-13-2008, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djwilbanks

Do it wrong and Greg gets to fix it for you.

The correct ,and only way that Gibson have ever done it, is using a flat bottomed ring and flexing it over the arch.This is done either cold or by using hot water. Buy Gibson rings, not the cheaper aftermarket ones and you will
never have a problem.Look at any Gibson Guitar from the fifties to present day and you will see this is correct.Gibson have always used rings that are
moulded flat and then flexed to the guitars arch and are never sanded.Fact.

69GTLP · 10-13-2008, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by single cut 54

The correct ,and only way that Gibson have ever done it, is using a flat bottomed ring and flexing it over the arch.This is done either cold or by using hot water. Buy Gibson rings, not the cheaper aftermarket ones and you will
never have a problem.Look at any Gibson Guitar from the fifties to present day and you will see this is correct.Gibson have always used rings that are
moulded flat and then flexed to the guitars arch and are never sanded.Fact.

So are you saying that Dimarzio rings are not good quality? I was under the impression that they were spot on to Historic specs without the mold marks which I don't need. Plus they are only $4 each.

BCRGreg · 10-13-2008, 09:20 AM

I use the DiMarzio rings. With respect to my colleague Singlecut, there is no correct way to do YOUR guitar. There is only the way that you choose to do it.

Forcing anything is a bad idea.

69GTLP · 10-13-2008, 10:36 AM

Well I'm not building a gibson and all of them except one will have my own headstock design. I'm definately going to follow Greg and Roman's advice and sand the arch into the rings. I can't believe the Markup on the Gibson name for parts, it's freakin nuts!!! It's like building a Mopar

single cut 54 · 10-13-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69GTLP

Well I'm not building a gibson and all of them except one will have my own headstock design. I'm definately going to follow Greg and Roman's advice and sand the arch into the rings. I can't believe the Markup on the Gibson name for parts, it's freakin nuts!!! It's like building a Mopar

69GTLP , You're free to build your guitars as you please and take advice from whom you wish. If you are repairing or restoring Gibson guitars then I think it best to adhere to Gibson parts and practices .As you say,your not building a
Gibson so it doesn't matter either way.If building to Gibson specs is not important then why not leave the area, where the p'up rings sit,flat or flatter than a Gibson. PRS and other top makers take this rout.

69GTLP · 10-13-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by single cut 54

69GTLP , You're free to build your guitars as you please and take advice from whom you wish. If you are repairing or restoring Gibson guitars then I think it best to adhere to Gibson parts and practices .As you say,your not building a
Gibson so it doesn't matter either way.If building to Gibson specs is not important then why not leave the area, where the p'up rings sit,flat or flatter than a Gibson. PRS and other top makers take this rout.

I'm not trying to get into a pissing match here, I love the top carve on a LP, Period. I just don't like the way the the rings look when they're bent it looks odd. I respect you knowledge of Vintage Gibsons, Wish I could afford one.

BCRGreg · 10-13-2008, 01:16 PM

There's no pissing match, Singlecut is right. The PROPER Gibson way is the way he describes.

My point is that there is a better way than Gibson's.

10-11-2008, 09:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
69GTLP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: MPLS MN Posts: 139 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings I ordered four sets of Dimarzio creme pickup rings for my projects, they all have flat bottoms. What is the way to arch the bottoms? How much of a curve do I want in them? sorry if this is a dumb question. __________________ Chris Long Gone 69 Deluxe www.myspace.com/northofnowhererocknroll

10-12-2008, 12:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
lp_junkie Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,481 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings put the screws in and tighten each one a little at a time and it will bend, but it may distort a bit. Best thing to do is buy arched rings, but even the Gibson replacement parts are flat bottoms. An idea I had once was to heat them in really warm water, and then put them on (never tried it but it seems plausible). __________________ LP_Junkie now on MySpace _____________________________________________ Les Pauls and Marshalls- Hammer of the Gods. EPI/MIJ Modders (Orville-Tokai-Burny-Greco-etc.)

10-12-2008, 12:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 7,434 Thanks: 32 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings Just a thought - hot pup rings might damage the nitro? I don't know this - just something to consider... __________________ 1969 Gibson Deluxe / 08 Gibson R8 / Epi Elitists: Standard & Custom / Epi Custom & Studio Goth - '65 Fender Jaguar My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

10-12-2008, 01:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
69GTLP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: MPLS MN Posts: 139 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings what about sanding the arch in them, that way the top of the ring stays flat and they would fit the curve of the body? __________________ Chris Long Gone 69 Deluxe www.myspace.com/northofnowhererocknroll

10-12-2008, 02:16 AM	#6 (permalink)
69GTLP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: MPLS MN Posts: 139 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings Thanks Roman __________________ Chris Long Gone 69 Deluxe www.myspace.com/northofnowhererocknroll

Today
Les Paul	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on My Les Paul Forums

10-12-2008, 02:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
ehamady6 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 359 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings Sanding, as 69GTLP stated above, is the way to go in my opinion. If you simply bend them then they won't look right. A long time ago I tried bending rings using steam, then pressing them on a jar to arch them. I got the perfect arch but the top flat surface of the pickups made the rings look "funny". I used a drum sander on the bottom of another set of rings and it made quick work of it.

10-12-2008, 09:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
Mike60 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: reflectorland,Canada Posts: 3,099 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings funny...I just screw them down into place slowly...never had a problem and if they do crack,well,they were no good anyways

10-12-2008, 10:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
ehamady6 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 359 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings Buy the arched rings. They're inexpensive and only the bottom of each ring is arched as it should be.

10-12-2008, 10:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
BCRGreg Grumpy Old Luthier Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,224 Thanks: 50 Thanked 123 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings I match sand them as Roman described. Cranking them down can end up with you stripping a screw hole or breaking a screw off in the hole. I see that a LOT. Do it right and you win. __________________ Cool guitars, extreme repairs and brutal honesty. www.bcrmusic.com www.grumpyoldmenband.com http://www.youtube.com/user/unkagreg www.ristguitars.com

10-13-2008, 09:20 AM	#16 (permalink)
BCRGreg Grumpy Old Luthier Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,224 Thanks: 50 Thanked 123 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings I use the DiMarzio rings. With respect to my colleague Singlecut, there is no correct way to do YOUR guitar. There is only the way that you choose to do it. Forcing anything is a bad idea. __________________ Cool guitars, extreme repairs and brutal honesty. www.bcrmusic.com www.grumpyoldmenband.com http://www.youtube.com/user/unkagreg www.ristguitars.com

10-13-2008, 10:36 AM	#17 (permalink)
69GTLP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: MPLS MN Posts: 139 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings Well I'm not building a gibson and all of them except one will have my own headstock design. I'm definately going to follow Greg and Roman's advice and sand the arch into the rings. I can't believe the Markup on the Gibson name for parts, it's freakin nuts!!! It's like building a Mopar __________________ Chris Long Gone 69 Deluxe www.myspace.com/northofnowhererocknroll

10-13-2008, 01:16 PM	#20 (permalink)
BCRGreg Grumpy Old Luthier Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,224 Thanks: 50 Thanked 123 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Best way to arch the bottom of flat Pickup Rings There's no pissing match, Singlecut is right. The PROPER Gibson way is the way he describes. My point is that there is a better way than Gibson's. __________________ Cool guitars, extreme repairs and brutal honesty. www.bcrmusic.com www.grumpyoldmenband.com http://www.youtube.com/user/unkagreg www.ristguitars.com

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
dam pickup rings.	Hectgore	Epiphone Les Pauls	18	10-15-2008 05:01 PM
Pickup Rings	lostvoodoo	Epiphone Les Pauls	2	10-04-2008 11:54 PM
Pickup Rings	ozone	Gibson Les Pauls	5	09-05-2008 03:21 PM
WTB: Epi Pickup Rings	monroe	Member Classifieds	2	09-02-2008 02:05 AM
Pickup rings not level?	JoeZeppy	Epiphone Les Pauls	15	08-06-2008 01:47 AM