Adjusting P90 height

[MineGoes211]

I'm converting my 60's Tribute Worn White Les Paul and changing all the plastic to white (what a pain!). I put the white covers on last night, they look great, but adjusting the height is troublesome. should I get some springs on the mounting screws to help (there wasn't any) raise the height?

 

[Axis39]

in a word, yes.

I am thinking about a stronger spring myself... because I have a tendency to rest my picking hand on the top edge of the bridge pickup. I can't imagine the pickups even staying up without springs.

 

[02589]

My 60's Tribute came with little cone shaped springs under the pups.

 

[mdubya]

The pups in my 50's Tribute are mounted on springs. It definitely helps in making adjustments. And I think heights are critical to getting the tones/sounds you want out of the P-90's.

 

[MineGoes211]

Man, my 60's Trib didn't come with springs. I'll have to find some I guess. I also noticed that not all of the screws on the pickups are not coming up flush on the new pup covers.

 

[tolm]

Springs work - obviously - but I've also had great success with cutting the foam inserts from pickup packaging to size and placing that underneath the pickup. Very stable.

 

[GammyBird]

I used popsicle sticks to raise mine. Downside, no easy adjusting.

 

[02589]

The springs are small and easy to not find. They are not always lost. Sometimes they stick to the magnetized P-90. They are not easy to install either. I really can't imagine them coming without springs.

Also for some reason, aftermarket pup covers don't usually fit well. Sometimes it takes a LOT of grinding to get one to fit. The easiest solution is to use genuine Gibson covers.

In a quick search on ebay, I couldn't find any springs specific to this installation. There's a lot of Fender springs that look like it but it's hard to tell their size from a picture.

There is a picture of of what you need on the following link. The springs are in the top left corner of the picture.
USA Gibson Les Paul 60s P 90 Soapbar Pickups Pots Knobs Jack Assembly Cream | eBay

 

[MineGoes211]

The springs are small and easy to not find. They are not always lost. Sometimes they stick to the magnetized P-90. They are not easy to install either. I really can't imagine them coming without springs.

Also for some reason, aftermarket pup covers don't usually fit well. Sometimes it takes a LOT of grinding to get one to fit. The easiest solution is to use genuine Gibson covers.

In a quick search on ebay, I couldn't find any springs specific to this installation. There's a lot of Fender springs that look like it but it's hard to tell their size from a picture.

There is a picture of of what you need on the following link. The springs are in the top left corner of the picture.
USA Gibson Les Paul 60s P 90 Soapbar Pickups Pots Knobs Jack Assembly Cream | eBay

Thanks, but Gibson does not sell White covers (yet they use them on their guitars) I'll find some springs.

 

[02589]

I'm sure you will do fine. Take your time to file and grind on the white covers until they fit perfectly. (I agree that worn white looks bad on a white guitar) You'll never get the right sound unless the covers fit good and you have enough spring action to hold the pups in the right spot.

 

[Grantoid]

I'm converting my 60's Tribute Worn White Les Paul and changing all the plastic to white (what a pain!). I put the white covers on last night, they look great, but adjusting the height is troublesome. should I get some springs on the mounting screws to help (there wasn't any) raise the height?

I was considering doing exactly this... There's something weird about this Barbie-Skin plastic. Why they didn't stick to the lightly aged cream on their other guitars I cannot fathom.

You couldn't post a piccy could you?

BTW, some types of foam have been used under pickups (if you can find something that won't deteriorate), could be that you can add some to strengthen the action of the existing springs. Mine move a bit when I palm them, and it's another thing I'll get around to.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

put some foam under them

 

[RobV]

I got my tribute in a trade but it has springs in them,just had the pups out to polish it up,no foam so if it didn't come with springs I am glad someone added them

 

[Thiago]

My 60's Tribute came with springs.
I've read somewhere everything which can influence on the magnetics in a pickup will influence on tone. So it was suggested replacing the springs to surgical hoses...
Don't know in what level it makes a difference but anyways it's a nice sugestion in your case.
Also try dealing with the height of the pole pieces. Together with the pickup height it will help you getting the tone you want!
I have my neck pickup kinda low with the pole pieces adjusted high. Firstly I had them following the strings curvature to acquire a very rich tone. Then I set the high E, B and G higher, getting brilliant tones from them. Forget about muddy!

 

[mdubya]

Slightly OT - I am getting a killer tone out of my neck pickup by screwing it low into the body and raising the pole screws.

The previous owner had it raised up against the strings and obviously liked it that way. It was way overpowering for me in that position.

Tall foam that can be compressed with the screws sounds like a decent alternative. Short term or long.

Damn, now I want to play my guit.