Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup?

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 04:47 PM

My stock bridge pickup cover seems to be put on backwards on my epi g-400. Its an 04 MIK sg g-400, the neck pickup is a 57ch dot the bridge doesn't have a sticker and seems to be made a little difrent. Looking at the wiring it doesnt appear to have ever been changed. I bought it used the serial number checked out everything in the electronics has epiphone ingraved on them. It also has creme binding on the neck and the new g-400s do not. Has anybody got any Idea's on what is going on.

dennistruckdriver · 10-12-2009, 04:58 PM

I assume it has been either swapped for a different pickup, or turned around for some unknown, arcane reason.

rob9 · 10-12-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennistruckdriver

Did you buy it new?

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbeersiii

... I bought it used...

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 05:13 PM

I thinking that its probrably one of those QC issues. It seems that the cover was just mounted backwards in production. I have looked at the soldering it doesn't look as if it has ever been changed. The bridge pickup wire is gray as well it's not black or red like the other pickups on the neck and in my LP.

sasquatch · 10-12-2009, 05:26 PM

weird for sure.

djwilbanks · 10-12-2009, 08:30 PM

Could have been changed and then soldered at switch so you wouldn't notice if it was changed. Odds are, though, someone took it apart when they were cleaning it or just took it apart for fun and put the whole assembly (ring and pickup) on backwards without noticing.

Some shots of the back of the pickup and the wiring would help make a more definitive diagnosis.

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 09:06 PM

Ok Ill post more pics give me a few minutes to take it apart.

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 09:47 PM

Ok here are some more detailed pics notice the neck pickup says 57ch dot:neck,bridge LP:neck, and has epiphone engraved on it the bridge does not. It not any hotter than my LP bridge pick up so if it was changed I dont know why. The gray wire on the bridge pickup is odd too, I didnt see any other pickup images anywhere on the net like this.

dennistruckdriver · 10-12-2009, 09:50 PM

This one...

is an obviously incorrect cover. The polepieces do not line up with the holes. Perhaps someone previously installed cheap generic covers.

djwilbanks · 10-12-2009, 09:57 PM

I'm with Dennis, looks like someone installed covers and then put the pickup back on upside down.

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 10:09 PM

thats what i figured I wondered why it doesnt have epiphone engraved on it. Notice how it only has 4 screws on the back. Thats why I think it might have been changed. It still sounds good. I just wanted to try and find out what kindof pickup it might be.

djwilbanks · 10-12-2009, 10:22 PM

It's probably some no name pickup, most named pickups have some kind of engraving going on. It may even be an old GFS, I don't know if they ever used unstamped baseplates.

If it sounds good, I'd flip it back and have fun.

nbeersiii · 10-12-2009, 10:32 PM

Yeah Im not realy worried about it. I might oneday flip the cover around the correct way if I can ever remember to bring my solderig iron home from work. It doesn't effect the way it plays, it kinda looks cool like that I think.

jrnic · 10-13-2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbeersiii

Yeah Im not realy worried about it. I might oneday flip the cover around the correct way if I can ever remember to bring my solderig iron home from work. It doesn't effect the way it plays, it kinda looks cool like that I think.

Why would you need to flip the cover with a soldering iron? It looks like all you have to do is reverse the pickup in the pickup ring. Two screws/springs with a screw driver = 10 minutes work. No need for a soldering iron to "flip a cover." You can't "flip the cover" anyway because it can only go on one way because of the pole screws.

nbeersiii · 10-13-2009, 01:03 AM

Because the cover is installed over the pickup backwards. If you look closer you will see the diffrence in the two pickups, and the cover is soldered on. The pickup pole screws are covered and only the magnets are showing through th holes in the cover.

djwilbanks · 10-13-2009, 01:57 AM

I just can't wrap my head around why someone would do that.

nbeersiii · 10-13-2009, 02:05 AM

Me either maybe they did it and it and was too lazy to fix it after it was already soldered. Who knows I wonder if it does effect the pickup after all. The cover being backwards I mean.

lp_junkie · 10-13-2009, 06:28 AM

doesn't affect the pickup just looks like some ignorant person was playing with stuff they didn't know about or wasn't paying attention.

TKOjams · 10-13-2009, 04:16 PM

It's an easy fix but, you're going to need a beefy iron to get it soldered.

Dolebludger · 10-13-2009, 06:01 PM

Sounds to me like somebody removed the pup cover to see what the guitar would look like without one, decided they didn't like the pup bare, and put the cover back on wrong.

It is ironic that I have an old Gibson SG and have often wondered if the guitar might sound more deep and round If I reversed the entire bridge pup. But just reversing the cover and hiding the pole screws is just wrong. For this job, I'd use a soldering gun that is more for structural soldering (like this) than fine electrical work. But I would put the cover in the right direction relative to the pup. But after you've done that and can adjust the pole screws, you might give it a shot with the entire pup in the reversed position and see if you like the sound.

nbeersiii · 10-13-2009, 07:19 PM

What kind of soldering iron would you need.

Silly_Sam · 10-13-2009, 11:42 PM

I think it looks like the bridge pickup does not have adjustable polepieces at all, it just has slugs on both bobbins.

nbeersiii · 10-13-2009, 11:46 PM

If that is the case SillySam what kind of pickup do you think it could be?

lukemacauley · 10-14-2009, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dolebludger

sounds to me like somebody removed the pup cover to see what the guitar would look like without one, decided they didn't like the pup bare, and put the cover back on wrong.

It is ironic that i have an old gibson sg and have often wondered if the guitar might sound more deep and round if i reversed the entire bridge pup. But just reversing the cover and hiding the pole screws is just wrong. For this job, i'd use a soldering gun that is more for structural soldering (like this) than fine electrical work. But i would put the cover in the right direction relative to the pup. But after you've done that and can adjust the pole screws, you might give it a shot with the entire pup in the reversed position and see if you like the sound.

+1

10-12-2009, 04:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
dennistruckdriver V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 25,416 Thanks: 365 Thanked 816 Times in 168 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? I assume it has been either swapped for a different pickup, or turned around for some unknown, arcane reason. __________________

10-12-2009, 05:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? I thinking that its probrably one of those QC issues. It seems that the cover was just mounted backwards in production. I have looked at the soldering it doesn't look as if it has ever been changed. The bridge pickup wire is gray as well it's not black or red like the other pickups on the neck and in my LP.

10-12-2009, 05:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
sasquatch Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Charlotte, N.C. Posts: 1,338 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? weird for sure. __________________ Epiphone LP Special wP-90's Squier CV 60's Jazz Bass Squier VM Jaguar Bass Marshall HDFX 100/a cab Acoustic B200 115 Sansamp DI/Boss TU-3 Digitech RP-355

10-12-2009, 08:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 27,737 Thanks: 220 Thanked 443 Times in 82 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Could have been changed and then soldered at switch so you wouldn't notice if it was changed. Odds are, though, someone took it apart when they were cleaning it or just took it apart for fun and put the whole assembly (ring and pickup) on backwards without noticing. Some shots of the back of the pickup and the wiring would help make a more definitive diagnosis. __________________ This post happily existed in all possible states until you observed it. Now it has collapsed into a single state. I hope you're happy. Click Deadpool for my Soundcloud page.

10-12-2009, 09:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Ok Ill post more pics give me a few minutes to take it apart.

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10-12-2009, 09:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
dennistruckdriver V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 25,416 Thanks: 365 Thanked 816 Times in 168 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? This one... is an obviously incorrect cover. The polepieces do not line up with the holes. Perhaps someone previously installed cheap generic covers. __________________

10-12-2009, 09:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 27,737 Thanks: 220 Thanked 443 Times in 82 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? I'm with Dennis, looks like someone installed covers and then put the pickup back on upside down. __________________ This post happily existed in all possible states until you observed it. Now it has collapsed into a single state. I hope you're happy. Click Deadpool for my Soundcloud page.

10-12-2009, 10:09 PM	#11 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? thats what i figured I wondered why it doesnt have epiphone engraved on it. Notice how it only has 4 screws on the back. Thats why I think it might have been changed. It still sounds good. I just wanted to try and find out what kindof pickup it might be.

10-12-2009, 10:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 27,737 Thanks: 220 Thanked 443 Times in 82 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? It's probably some no name pickup, most named pickups have some kind of engraving going on. It may even be an old GFS, I don't know if they ever used unstamped baseplates. If it sounds good, I'd flip it back and have fun. __________________ This post happily existed in all possible states until you observed it. Now it has collapsed into a single state. I hope you're happy. Click Deadpool for my Soundcloud page.

10-12-2009, 10:32 PM	#13 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Yeah Im not realy worried about it. I might oneday flip the cover around the correct way if I can ever remember to bring my solderig iron home from work. It doesn't effect the way it plays, it kinda looks cool like that I think.

10-13-2009, 01:03 AM	#15 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Because the cover is installed over the pickup backwards. If you look closer you will see the diffrence in the two pickups, and the cover is soldered on. The pickup pole screws are covered and only the magnets are showing through th holes in the cover.

10-13-2009, 01:57 AM	#16 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 27,737 Thanks: 220 Thanked 443 Times in 82 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? I just can't wrap my head around why someone would do that. __________________ This post happily existed in all possible states until you observed it. Now it has collapsed into a single state. I hope you're happy. Click Deadpool for my Soundcloud page.

10-13-2009, 02:05 AM	#17 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Me either maybe they did it and it and was too lazy to fix it after it was already soldered. Who knows I wonder if it does effect the pickup after all. The cover being backwards I mean.

10-13-2009, 06:28 AM	#18 (permalink)
lp_junkie Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 10,561 Thanks: 66 Thanked 238 Times in 53 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? doesn't affect the pickup just looks like some ignorant person was playing with stuff they didn't know about or wasn't paying attention. __________________ --------------------------------------------------- Shane Just a guitar bum...........

10-13-2009, 04:16 PM	#19 (permalink)
TKOjams Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 9,536 Thanks: 91 Thanked 177 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? It's an easy fix but, you're going to need a beefy iron to get it soldered. __________________ Flametop Special Build - Carvetop Doublecut Build - '57 Custom BB Replica Build - '56-ish Flame Top Build - Boudreau Celia build - Lefty Walnut Les Paul Build My ebay auctions.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/290915967253...#ht_843wt_1395

10-13-2009, 06:01 PM	#20 (permalink)
Dolebludger Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durango, CO Posts: 3,836 Thanks: 11 Thanked 21 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? Sounds to me like somebody removed the pup cover to see what the guitar would look like without one, decided they didn't like the pup bare, and put the cover back on wrong. It is ironic that I have an old Gibson SG and have often wondered if the guitar might sound more deep and round If I reversed the entire bridge pup. But just reversing the cover and hiding the pole screws is just wrong. For this job, I'd use a soldering gun that is more for structural soldering (like this) than fine electrical work. But I would put the cover in the right direction relative to the pup. But after you've done that and can adjust the pole screws, you might give it a shot with the entire pup in the reversed position and see if you like the sound.

10-13-2009, 07:19 PM	#21 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? What kind of soldering iron would you need.

10-13-2009, 11:42 PM	#22 (permalink)
Silly_Sam Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 474 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? I think it looks like the bridge pickup does not have adjustable polepieces at all, it just has slugs on both bobbins. __________________ LALALALALA!!!

10-13-2009, 11:46 PM	#23 (permalink)
nbeersiii Banned Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: spartanburg sc Posts: 5,907 Thanks: 68 Thanked 194 Times in 55 Posts	Re: Why does my bridge pickup look diffrent than any other stock epiphone pickup? If that is the case SillySam what kind of pickup do you think it could be?

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