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Author Topic: Paul McCartney guitar pickups  (Read 14722 times)

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Xose

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Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« on: August 10, 2010, 05:50:18 PM »

Sorry for going back to this topic after so long...  ;sorry

This pick up...



...is like this...



But this pick up...



...is like this...



...i.e., it's this system:



So..., could they be the same pickup?? I mean: technically..., could be 'transformed' from one system to another?? What do you think??  ???

Thanks in advance and best wishes!!  ;)

Xosé
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2010, 07:56:10 PM »



Xosé
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Bobber

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2010, 08:45:44 PM »

I'll ask my local guitar technician.
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2010, 05:36:27 PM »

What the hell is this 'thing' at the red circle??  ???



Xosé
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An Apple Beatle

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2010, 11:28:56 PM »

microphone pick up bug?
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Bobber

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2010, 08:09:22 AM »

Xose, can't it be the same pickup after all. The plug can be hidden behind the pickguard of the Zenith and Paul's hand?
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2010, 10:27:27 AM »

Quote from: Bobber
Xose, can't it be the same pickup after all. The plug can be hidden behind the pickguard of the Zenith and Paul's hand?

No: it can't be the same pick up at Zenith and at Solid 7. A hard modification should be done to be the same pickup...

Quote from: An Apple Beatle
microphone pick up bug?

Bug?? Sorry, but I don't understand waht does "bug" mean??  ;sorry

The fact is that "thing" puzzles me... ???

Xosé
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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2010, 10:05:37 AM »

Bug, like a lavelier type, single cell microphone? The size of a calculator battery. I may be way off mark. I pitched in on this conversation late.
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Hello Goodbye

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2010, 07:33:19 PM »

What the hell is this 'thing' at the red circle??  ???



Xosé


It looks like Paul mounted that 6 string pickup off-center so it could be used as a bass guitar pickup.  What you circled appears to be some kind of modified mount assembly for the pickup.
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2010, 11:04:31 AM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
...It looks like Paul mounted that 6 string pickup off-center so it could be used as a bass guitar pickup.  What you circled appears to be some kind of modified mount assembly for the pickup.

Thank you very much, Hello Goodbye!! ;)

Yes: the FUMA type pickup was mounted off-center, so the upper pole piece is behind the low string (=in this case, mounted through the 5th string hole bridge, from a lefty point of view. The other two strings are mounted thorugh the 3rd and 2nd hole bridge, again from a lefty point of view...)

The pick up was originally with the two 'arms', intended to be screwed to both sides of the neck. There is no sign of these 'arms' at Macca's pickup, so I understand they were taking apart.

The pick up was secured by means of the bridge (=pickup's back is placed under the bridge) and with the 'black plastci strip' from the original pickguard assembly under the pickup, acting as a wedge to secure the pickup in position.

So, I'm still wondering what is that 'thing' in the red circle...  ???

Best!! ;)

Xosé
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Hello Goodbye

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2010, 04:57:49 PM »

Xose, in the center of the circle you drew appears to be an unused peg on the bridge.  As I mentioned, the pickup is mounted off-center so you can see that part of the bridge not covered by the pickup.
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2010, 06:00:47 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
Xose, in the center of the circle you drew appears to be an unused peg on the bridge.  As I mentioned, the pickup is mounted off-center so you can see that part of the bridge not covered by the pickup.


Unused peg on the bridge?? No, no... See the bridge on my Solid 7 (=same as Macca's):



There is no such a thing...

Or perhaps I don't know what you mean...

As "peg"..., what are you meaning ???

BTW: thank you VERY MUCH for your help!! ;)

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 16, 2010, 06:04:12 PM by Xose »
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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2010, 10:53:12 PM »

Xose, the picture you posted is not very clear but I can see the bridge and the bolt securing it to the trapeze.  I can see the plug pretty well too.  The original unenlarged picture is actually clearer.

The object you circled appears to be a peg, button or screw in he unused bridge slot.  I'm not sure why it's there.  Maybe Paul had to employ a different means of securing those strings to the bridge.  There also might be a bit of the securing arm still remaining after the pickup was modified visible in the area you circled.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 05:06:27 PM by Hello Goodbye »
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2010, 11:18:42 AM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
Xose, the picture you posted is not very clear but I can see the bridge and the bolt securing it to the tapeze.  I can see the plug pretty well too.  The original unenlarged picture is actually clearer.

The object you circled appears to be a peg, button or screw in he unused bridge slot.  I'm not sure why it's there.  Maybe Paul had to employ a different means of securing those strings to the bridge.  There also might be a bit of the securing arm still remaining after the pickup was modified visible in the area you circled.

Yes, that is the point. You know?? I got the gear (=guitar, pickup, cable, piano strings...) and I'm trying to copy the ssystem he used. With the guitar in my hands ist's clear how he did proceed, but it's that 'thing' at the red circle which puzzles me. It could be a screw, but there is no need of a screw to secure the pickup the wy he did (=I mean: with the guitar in my hands). It could be an ball-end string, but piano strings don't have ball-ends (=and that 'thing' is placed at the 6th. string hole, which is with no string indeed).

So, the only possibility is what you have told: a bit of the securing arm still remaining after the pickup was modified. But..., what is doing there??

Anyway, this is a fascinating mistery...

Best!! ;)

Xosé
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Bobber

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2010, 02:14:06 PM »

I must say it does look like THE THING is part of the pickup. Considering Paul played it upside down, could it be a hole to put a tremolo (sp?) in?
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2010, 03:06:13 PM »

Quote from: Bobber
I must say it does look like THE THING is part of the pickup...


See some photos of pickups like McCartney's one, with no modifications:







Where THE THING is?? ???

Xosé

P.S.: I VERY MUCH appreciate what you are doing to help me... ;)
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 03:07:53 PM by Xose »
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Hello Goodbye

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2010, 05:55:32 PM »

I think I see what Paul did to secure the pickup to the guitar.  He might have formed a loop out of the securing arm and used a screw placed through the loop to secure the pickup to the bridge at the unused hole.  He had to do something equally innovative to secure the pickup on the treble side.  Unfortunately his hand blocks the view.

The pickup arms were designed for securing the pickup to a fretboard.  Paul chose to mount the pickup at the bridge for a sharper tone.

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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2010, 08:21:20 PM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
I think I see what Paul did to secure the pickup to the guitar.  He might have formed a loop out of the securing arm and used a screw placed through the loop to secure the pickup to the bridge at the unused hole.  He had to do something equally innovative to secure the pickup on the treble side.  Unfortunately his hand blocks the view...


As far as I have found, testing with my own guitar+pickup+cable (=I haven't still tested it with the pickguard off. I should do it!!), the pickup is secured by means of:

a) The upper bridge's screw, that 'holds' in place the jack socket...

b) The 'black plastic strip' from the original pickup/pickguard assembly (=white in my guitar, black in his guitar) UNDER the pickup (=over the body of the guitar). This 'plastic strip' acts as a wedge. So, the pickup is 'firmly' secured between the upper bridge's screw and the 'black plastic strip' (=and placed off-center, as you said, to 'capture' only three -or four- strings...)

With this position, the lower pickup 'arm' falls EXACTLY at the outer side of the trapeze (=it's not seen at his photo, but it's seen at mine). So, probably a loop is hidden under McCartney's hand, tying the lower pickup 'arm' and the lower trapeze 'arm'.



But, again, THE THING is still puzzling me...

Quote from: Hello Goodbye
...The pickup arms were designed for securing the pickup to a fretboard.  Paul chose to mount the pickup at the bridge for a sharper tone...


That could be the reason. But in a system like that, the jack socket has to be facing the sky, not facing the earth. Otherwise the cable would fall down over and over, would disturb when playing, etc. As he is left-handed, the only choice to place the pickup with the jack socket facing the sky, is by the bridge...

Hello Goodbye: thanks again A LOT for your help!! ;)

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 08:38:29 PM by Xose »
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Xose

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2010, 09:09:32 PM »

Anyway, it's clear that McCartney had to use another system as a wedge between the pickup and the 'black plastic strip', because the room for the pick up alone (=including the 'black plastic strip'), is too wide compared with the pick up height:







So, after all, THE THING could be part of that mistery wedge...  ???

Xosé
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Hello Goodbye

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Re: Paul McCartney guitar pickups
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2010, 09:29:17 PM »

^

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.
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