Meet people from all over the World
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Pages: 1 [2] 3

Author Topic: Paul McCartney guitar pickups  (Read 14724 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2010, 09:37:37 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
Xose, that's more reason for me to believe he bent the pickup arm and secured it to the unused hole in the bridge with a screw.

You mean: bent the pickup arm, placing it 'paralel' to the bridge and secure it to the unused -6th string- hole by means of a screw?? Mmmm.... It could be... Yes... It could be...

I don't know how to use a paint software on those photos to try to understand what are you meaning...  :(

Xosé
Logged
Sheet Music Plus Homepage

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2010, 09:51:04 PM »

According to your theory, both distances at the red circles should have to be -aprox.- the same..., shouldn't they??  ???





Xosé
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 09:55:58 PM by Xose »
Logged

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2010, 09:55:58 PM »

Yes, or he could have drilled a new hole in the arm.




I'm glad I'm right handed and don't play bass guitar, Xose.  That's why I'm entirely comfortable with my 1963 Country Gentleman.








I have a Gibson Tune-o-matic bridge replacing the Gretsch bar bridge which now resides in the case.

;)
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2010, 09:57:56 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
...I'm glad I'm right handed and don't play bass guitar, Xose.  That's why I'm entirely comfortable with my 1963 Country Gentleman...

You have an absolutely great guitar... Congratulations!! ;)

My aim is to find out how was 'built' Macca's first 'bass'... ;)

Xosé
Logged

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #24 on: August 17, 2010, 10:03:11 PM »

BTW, you are probably right: 1 cm 5th string hole - 6th string hole spacing, 1'4 cms from the pickup edge to the first arm hole. Those 4 mms would be needed for the arm bending... ;)

Same would do at the trebel side, this time with the unused 1st string hole at the bridge... ;)

Thanks to your help, it seems we are approaching the solution... ;)

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 10:07:04 PM by Xose »
Logged

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #25 on: August 17, 2010, 10:07:35 PM »

You're welcome, Xose.  I'm sure you're getting close.

I bought that guitar before it acquired a premium being the model year that George Harrison owned, the 1962 being his first Country Gentleman.  With that Fender Vibroverb Reissue amp, I can get it to sound "early Beatles."
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #26 on: August 17, 2010, 10:59:32 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
You're welcome, Xose.  I'm sure you're getting close...

I hope so. I don't want to dismount my Solid 7 before finding how did Macca proceed...

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
...I bought that guitar before it acquired a premium being the model year that George Harrison owned, the 1962 being his first Country Gentleman.  With that Fender Vibroverb Reissue amp, I can get it to sound "early Beatles."

And I'm sure you get it... ;)

Xosé
Logged

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #27 on: August 18, 2010, 12:06:32 AM »

But nobody, I mean nobody, could play the Gretsch Country Gentleman better than Mr. Guitar himself....Chet Atkins


Chet Atkins "I Feel Fine"


Chet Atkins - Hard day's night



Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Bobber

  • Guest
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #28 on: August 18, 2010, 07:26:52 AM »

BTW, you are probably right: 1 cm 5th string hole - 6th string hole spacing, 1'4 cms from the pickup edge to the first arm hole. Those 4 mms would be needed for the arm bending... ;)

Same would do at the trebel side, this time with the unused 1st string hole at the bridge... ;)

Thanks to your help, it seems we are approaching the solution... ;)

Xosé

So, The Thing could be part of the pickup after all.
Logged

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2010, 11:02:22 AM »

Quote from: Bobber
...So, The Thing could be part of the pickup after all.

Not excatly: only the screw to fit the pickup arm to the unused bridge slot...

Now, next question is: which service did the black plastic strip then?? ???

Xosé
Logged

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #30 on: August 18, 2010, 12:58:25 PM »

What do you think, now, about the 'DeArmond type' pickup on his Rosetti at Top Ten?? How is fitted this pickup?? ???

Xosé











« Last Edit: August 18, 2010, 01:00:30 PM by Xose »
Logged

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #31 on: August 18, 2010, 11:06:25 PM »

Now, next question is: which service did the black plastic strip then?? ???


Xose, I don't see a black plastic strip in that photograph.  I can clearly see the pickup plug, the nut securing the bridge to the trapeze and the screw securing the pickup arm to the unused string slot in the bridge.  The black area you see is the unfinished portion of the guitar top which was under the pickguard.  The double arrow I drew shows you what I mean.

The short single arrow points to the screw.


Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #32 on: August 18, 2010, 11:34:46 PM »

What do you think, now, about the 'DeArmond type' pickup on his Rosetti at Top Ten?? How is fitted this pickup?? ???


That type of pickup also had an arm which could mount the pickup to the fretboard.  I think Paul bent the arm and secured it to the bridge using the trapeze nuts.

The picture below is of a vintage DeArmond pickup with a single arm mount....





Very clever of Paul!
« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 04:46:47 PM by Hello Goodbye »
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #33 on: August 19, 2010, 12:59:57 AM »

Chet Atkins and his single-cutaway Country Gentleman...


CHET ATKINS ; Country Gentleman



A 1959 Gretsch 6122 with a fixed-arm Bigsby and 1 3/4 inch wide neck at the nut.  A one-off Country Gentleman designed by and made for Mr. Atkins.
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #34 on: August 19, 2010, 01:06:51 AM »

^

(Another musical interlude for this thread)


;)
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #35 on: August 19, 2010, 10:45:55 AM »

Hello HG, ;)

Your photo with the arrows is EXCELLENT.... ;)

...Xose, I don't see a black plastic strip in that photograph.  I can clearly see the pickup plug, the nut securing the bridge to the trapeze and the screw securing the pickup arm to the unused string slot in the bridge.  The black area you see is the unfinished portion of the guitar top which was under the pickguard.  The double arrow I drew shows you what I mean...


See the black plastic strip at Macca's photo and another one (=although this time a slightly later model, that is a bit shorter than the old one, hence the 'arms' to be secured to the bridge) I own. My Rosetti also had that plastic strip, in this case is white. All Rosetti/Egmond guitars with that system (=branded Royal PP-2) had that 'supporting device', either white or black (=I'm including some examples here...)













This plastic strip was the 'supporting device' where all the pickup/pickguard assembly was glued to, and it had on the neck side an assembly with two metal arms to be screwed to the neck. McCartney's black plastic strip became unglued after hard use in Hamburg (=or perhaps he himself unglued it...)

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
That type of pickup also had an arm which could mount the pickup to the fretboard.  I think Paul bent the arm and secured it to the bridge using the trapeze nuts.

The picture below is of a vintage DeArmond pickup with a single arm mount...


Yes, but probably not A DeArmond, but a DeArmond TYPE, as the one on Macca's guitar is bigger, do not have the same shape (=DeArmond is 'sharper') and it has a bracket to secure it to the trapeze. See:



[/quote]



Xosé
« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 11:29:02 AM by Xose »
Logged

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #36 on: August 19, 2010, 04:03:45 PM »

I'm not familiar with the guitar, Xose.  I understand now it's a black plastic strip and not an unfinished guitar surface and that on yours, it's white.  But I don't see any additional small black plastic strips in the area Paul mounted the pickup indicated in the circle you drew.  The picture is not very clear.

I know it wasn't a DeArmond pickup on Paul's other guitar.  I'm familiar with DeArmond pickups as I have two of my own.  And I know you wrote 'DeArmond type' pickup in your post.  But I just posted a picture of a vintage DeArmond pickup which has a single arm mount as an example.

I've tried the best I could to help you determine how Paul might have mounted these pickups on his guitars.  He was very innovative that way.  But I'm afraid that the precise way he did so is known only to Paul, or to whoever mounted the pickups for him.

I humbly suggest you take your guitars, pictures and pickups to a reputable luthier for professional assistance in your recreations.  Guitar repair and modification is not my specialty.  I just play guitar.  And I wish I could play my Country Gentleman like Chet Atkins, but I don't and I never will.  There are just a very few people who are gifted that way.

Here's Mr. Atkins talking about Gretsch guitars...

Chet Atkins Talks About Gretsch Guitars


Chet Atkins - Chet & Gretsch guitars
Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Hello Goodbye

  • Global Moderator
  • At The Top Of The Stairs
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 20101
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #37 on: August 19, 2010, 04:41:38 PM »

Yes, but probably not A DeArmond, but a DeArmond TYPE, as the one on Macca's guitar is bigger, do not have the same shape (=DeArmond is 'sharper') and it has a bracket to secure it to the trapeze.


By the way, Xose, the picture I posted was of a vintage DeArmond Model 1100 Guitar Pickup...





Logged
I can stay till it's time to go

Xose

  • A Thousand Pages
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 1076
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #38 on: August 19, 2010, 08:16:41 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
I'm not familiar with the guitar, Xose.  I understand now it's a black plastic strip and not an unfinished guitar surface and that on yours, it's white.  But I don't see any additional small black plastic strips in the area Paul mounted the pickup indicated in the circle you drew...

Correct, and I agree. The only black plastic strip is that one (=the 'supporting device' unglued out of the Royal PP-2 assembly): black in Macca's guitar, white in my guitar. And -to complicate matters further- placed off-center in Macca's guitar (=this time center up, not cxenter down as it's the case with the pick up...)

That is why I think the 'black plastic strip' is acting as a wedge but..., how?? ???

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
...I've tried the best I could to help you determine how Paul might have mounted these pickups on his guitars.  He was very innovative that way.  But I'm afraid that the precise way he did so is known only to Paul, or to whoever mounted the pickups for him...

Oh yes: and you have been EXTREMELY helpful with me. That is why I'm very acknowledged to you... (=sorry about my English!!  :( )

I will try to do my best...

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 08:19:07 PM by Xose »
Logged

The Swine

  • Getting Better
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 728
Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #39 on: August 25, 2010, 09:00:59 PM »

the most interesting read in years
Logged
THE INTERNET IS NOT A PLACE FOR 13 YEAR OLDS
Pages: 1 [2] 3
 

Page created in 0.592 seconds with 80 queries.