Epi guitar kit, unknown pickup size

[Stealth]

A friend of mine had no use for an old Epi guitar kit. He originally got it for free so he passed it on to me (clickable):



According to him, the headstock and the datestamp on the neck pocket it's an Epi '97 Melody Maker (though the 'stock seems to suggest the neck is from a Junior SG).

The pickup dimensions don't look that familiar:




So the cavities measure out to 85.5 mm × 34.5 mm × 11.7 mm (H×W×D). I haven't been able to find much data on the Melody Maker coils even on MEF (though not for lack of searching). Are they really that shallow? Are they single coils (they look like a scaled-down P-90)? Does anyone have the original specs? And lastly, does anyone believe a humbucker could be wound and fitted in place of the existing pickup?

Thanks to all.

[David Schwab]

Maybe it used dog ear P90s? I'm looking at those two screw holes on either side.

Nice looking guitar. Is that made from korina?

[big_teee]

Maybe it used dog ear P90s? I'm looking at those two screw holes on either side.

Nice looking guitar. Is that made from korina?

I think David is correct!
Except I only see one set of holes.
I think it had one regular and one dogear like this.
Terry

[Stealth]

Well, I just looked up the dimensions using this image and it seems like it is supposed to house a normal-size P90 after all. I only measured the cavity depth so it could well be the pickup cover's actually taller than that.

Not sure if it's korina, the paint hasn't flaked in any place enough to actually see the wood underneath. Here's a cross-section of the wood at the neck pickup. Something tells me the guitar is made of the finest plywood available at the moment.

[big_teee]

The rear one is drilled for the Dogear Arrangement, the front is not and I think the 2 together look Cool.
Here's both kinds of covers Shown.
P-90 Pickup Covers

B_T

[Stealth]

I checked some other sites and I need some verification on two things:

• since the bridge pickup route is actually rectangular (and decidedly soapbar-ish, I'd say identical to the neck route), is it possible that I can use two regular soapbars and just a dog-ear cover on the bridge? It seems like it'd work...
• since the pickups I'm purchasing aren't RWRP, and P90s have an armature with two bar magnets underneath, will I simply be able to swap the coil leads and flip both magnets to get them reverse-wired, reverse-polarity? I'm used to two-coil instruments (jazz basses) acting hum-canceling when both are fully on.

Again, TIA.

[copperheadroads]

The dog ear baseplate kind of goes in up side down as where the ears rest on the body & the pickup sits in the hole
Im pretty sure that what you need
just the pickup without a cover sits in the hole ,thats why it probably looks a little small

[copperheadroads]

I just measured a mojo dog ear 85.32mm x 32.19mm
I have noticed that import guitars have smaller pickups

[copperheadroads]

will I simply be able to swap the coil leads and flip both magnets to get them reverse-wired, reverse-polarity? I'm used to two-coil instruments (jazz basses) acting hum-canceling when both are fully on.[/LIST]

Again, TIA.

yes just flip the magnets in one pickup & reverse the wires on one pickup

[Stealth]

I see, so the baseplate is more of a tub of sorts in which the pickup is suspended.

Alright, I'll try to source a plate and cover separately. Thanks for the input.

[Stealth]

One final question before I dig in the purchase (the ordering starts on Friday while I get the entire parts list done).

Does anyone know of any place that sells a closed-top soapbar P90 cover? I managed to find a closed-top dog-ear P90 cover at GuitarParts, but I wanted to find a complementary P90 cover for the neck as well. I know Daeil Parts (a large-scale manufacturer) makes those, but I can't find their distributors.

[copperheadroads]

If you are looking for large quantities ,In this thread belwar had a suggestion
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t27179/

[David Schwab]

One final question before I dig in the purchase (the ordering starts on Friday while I get the entire parts list done).

Does anyone know of any place that sells a closed-top soapbar P90 cover? I managed to find a closed-top dog-ear P90 cover at GuitarParts, but I wanted to find a complementary P90 cover for the neck as well. I know Daeil Parts (a large-scale manufacturer) makes those, but I can't find their distributors.

I've heard you can get them from TV Jones. They don't have them listed though.

He must use them to make stuff like this:

[Stealth]

copperheadroads - thanks for pointing out the thread, it's very useful, but I'm looking for one, two at most, as I doubt I'll assemble more than that one guitar.

David - Didn't notice that about TVJ pickups till now, thanks. Mail sent.