NGD! Special DC Yella

[timbraun]

I have a new to me 1997 LP Special. Feels nice, got some of that worn in mojo.

I need some advice on fixing the brass inserts that hold the P-90's. They've dropped right out and the pickups are loose.

 

[zebras]

Congrats on the new to you guitar! Those p90 specials sound soooo good. I don’t know how to fix the inserts though.

 

[Gridlock]

I want a TV Yellow DC just like yours.

Congratulations!

 

[shupe13]

Congrats!

 

[musicmaniac]

Nice congrats!

 

[LocoTex]

Very nice!

 

[MP4-22]

Very nice, killer DC... HNGD

 

[integra evan]

That looks great! Enjoy

 

[Gibsonrocknroll]

Very nice congrats.

 

[endial]

Those inserts should "push" right back into the holes if you can line up the flutes on the outside with the impressions they made into the wood when they were originally installed. A drop of titebond might help to hold them if they are a little sloppy. Just a tad of glue. Any squeeze-out will fill the threads.

Marvelous acquisition there, bucko. I'm envious.

 

[DJGranite]

Great looking guitar.
Love the color and the DC.
P100s?
or P90s?

 

[timbraun]

Great looking guitar.
Love the color and the DC.
P100s?
or P90s?

Good question. I was expecting P-100's but these are definitely P-90's. They kind of fell out and I could pop the cover and see the single winding.

 

[timbraun]

Those inserts should "push" right back into the holes if you can line up the flutes on the outside with the impressions they made into the wood when they were originally installed. A drop of titebond might help to hold them if they are a little sloppy. Just a tad of glue. Any squeeze-out will fill the threads.

Marvelous acquisition there, bucko. I'm envious.

Thanks!

The flutes will easily line up, and since all four inserts pulled, I don't have any faith in them staying in without some glue or epoxy. Thanks for the Titebond tip - my equivalent is Lepage's Carpenter's Glue. I wasn't sure if I would need an epoxy.

I suspect the guitar has seen significant humidity and temperature changes. It lived in humid Japan for a while, and now is in arid Canada. I'm thankful it's not an acoustic, it seems pretty stable - Lester Paul be thanked!

 

[Gridlock]

I owned this TV Yellow DC a few years ago. A 2015 model with the wider neck. I got it pretty cheap, liked the neck, my first guitar with P90’s. Sold it to buy another guitar or amp.

Someday, I’ll pick up another TV Yellow DC with a more vintage body-type-cut like the OP’s.

 

[endial]

Thanks!

The flutes will easily line up, and since all four inserts pulled, I don't have any faith in them staying in without some glue or epoxy. Thanks for the Titebond tip - my equivalent is Lepage's Carpenter's Glue. I wasn't sure if I would need an epoxy.

I suspect the guitar has seen significant humidity and temperature changes. It lived in humid Japan for a while, and now is in arid Canada. I'm thankful it's not an acoustic, it seems pretty stable - Lester Paul be thanked!

Excellent. If you haven't done this job already, try putting the dab of glue on the flutes or the outer walls of the inserts, keeping glue away from the threads. < if at all possible, that is. You're probably right on the mark about the humidity changes. If this were me, I'd probably literally wet/moisten the surrounding wood of the insert holes and let soak in and then air dry, to re-raise the grain that grips the inserts. I'm kinda whack that way. There's no call for you to do this. The moisture in the glue itself will/should do that job.

 

[timbraun]

I owned this TV Yellow DC a few years ago. A 2015 model with the wider neck. I got it pretty cheap, liked the neck, my first guitar with P90’s. Sold it to buy another guitar or amp.

Someday, I’ll pick up another TV Yellow DC with a more vintage body-type-cut like the OP’s.

I had one of them 2015's! It started my Double Cut addiction. I really liked those pickups and loved the light weight. I wasn't as fond of the wider neck.

One of the big attractions for this '97 is indeed the older body shape at the horns.

 

[timbraun]

Excellent. If you haven't done this job already, try putting the dab of glue on the flutes or the outer walls of the inserts, keeping glue away from the threads. < if at all possible, that is....

I just glued them in before I read this. I did rough up the inserts with a file. The idea is to provide some horizontal lines for the glue to fill to resist pulling out.

It didn't take much glue, I'm pretty sure the threads aren't glued up. I'll let it cure with the screws in place, to ensure the threads stay clean. This wood glue will not keep the steel and brass parts together.

We'll see how it holds after giving it a couple days to cure.

 

[endial]

I just glued them in before I read this. I did rough up the inserts with a file. The idea is to provide some horizontal lines for the glue to fill to resist pulling out.

It didn't take much glue, I'm pretty sure the threads aren't glued up. I'll let it cure with the screws in place, to ensure the threads stay clean. This wood glue will not keep the steel and brass parts together.

We'll see how it holds after giving it a couple days to cure.

Well done, good sir.

 

[musicmaniac]

Congrats!

 

[timbraun]

Pickups are in, and they do sound nice. I gave the guitar a cleaning and it feels nicer now - it had a little stickiness ..

I tweaked the setup since the strings were off. It has an older ABR bridge with a retaining wire. That seems strange to me. Anybody else with a 90s Special DC have a retaining wire on their bridge?