Back in '74, I accompanied my buddy Jeff and his '70 goldtop to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where his guitar was modified by Tim Shaw and Pat Murphy. They had a business called the Sound Factory, which was on the second floor of an old brick building in downtown Kalamazoo. Pat and Tim collaborated together in the production of their own line of solidbody guitars- Pat was the builder and Tim was the pickup designer. Most of the ones I saw were single cutaway guitars with bodies made from figured maple.
Tim's customized humbuckers were given to Pat, who routed the LP Deluxe body and did the actual installation of the pickups and switches. A five-way rotary selector switch replaced the pickup selector switch, and two pots were replaced with two toggle switches. Needless to say, a myriad of pickup combinations were then possible, in phase, out of phase, split coil, you get it.
Jeff still has this guitar and hasn't changed a thing on it except for the frets. It looks a little weird, but it's a real workhorse.
Tim, as most of us know, went on to achieve pickup fame over the years with the big boys, and Pat sadly was killed in an auto accident in the early 80s, I believe.
Pat Murphy.
Tim Shaw checking out the newly modified guitar.
My buddy Jeff. Guitar is still the same.
Tim's customized humbuckers were given to Pat, who routed the LP Deluxe body and did the actual installation of the pickups and switches. A five-way rotary selector switch replaced the pickup selector switch, and two pots were replaced with two toggle switches. Needless to say, a myriad of pickup combinations were then possible, in phase, out of phase, split coil, you get it.
Jeff still has this guitar and hasn't changed a thing on it except for the frets. It looks a little weird, but it's a real workhorse.
Tim, as most of us know, went on to achieve pickup fame over the years with the big boys, and Pat sadly was killed in an auto accident in the early 80s, I believe.
Pat Murphy.
Tim Shaw checking out the newly modified guitar.
My buddy Jeff. Guitar is still the same.
