Dogear to Soapbar conversion?

[PoorMan]

I have a P-90 dogear I'm trying to sell, but everyone wants a soapbar. The pickup currently appears to have a nickel silver baseplate, but the soapbar baseplates I have access to are brass. Seems that this would have drastic tonal implications. Where can I get a nickel silver soapbar baseplate?

[Spence]

You can buy one from me if you like. Alternatively, just do what Gibson did. Cut the dogears off.

[David Schwab]

I agree... just cut the ears off the base plate and get a new cover. Or buy a baseplate from Spence.

I'm still not convinced that yellow brass sounds any difference from white brass (nickel silver). I've been meaning to do some tests swapping base plates on some humbuckers I would but haven't gotten around to it.

[NightWinder]

Thats cause your a bassplayer!!!

[PoorMan]

I like the idea of cutting the ears off the baseplate. Seems simple enough and will have the least tonal impact. What's the best method of removal? Tin snips?

[madialex]

I don't know if this matters but I had some old Gibson P90's with the clear greenish bobbins that break all the time and they were the dogear type. A customer wanted me to cut the tabs and re-use all the original stuff. Well the base plate was too big by a fraction for the regular soapbar covers to fit. Now it may be the covers I had, not original so who knows?

[Spence]

I like the idea of cutting the ears off the baseplate. Seems simple enough and will have the least tonal impact. What's the best method of removal? Tin snips?

I use a hand nibbler which is a tool for cutting sheet metals. It's quick, does nice straight lines and doesn't distort the metal.

[Zemaitis]

I don't know if this matters but I had some old Gibson P90's with the clear greenish bobbins that break all the time and they were the dogear type. A customer wanted me to cut the tabs and re-use all the original stuff. Well the base plate was too big by a fraction for the regular soapbar covers to fit. Now it may be the covers I had, not original so who knows?

Nope, the covers do not fit. I was working on a '68 Gold Top, and the pickups were screwed right into the body, no adjustment, the base plates were the dogear cut off's, and the pick up was raised up out of the baseplate with a couple of shim's. Had to use the flat baseplates to be able fit the pickups in the route with the rubber. Saw a another 60's P-90 built the same way.
The baseplate on the dogears has a "lip" and so the standard covers won't fit.

[Ruel]

I agree... just cut the ears off the base plate and get a new cover. Or buy a baseplate from Spence.

I'm still not convinced that yellow brass sounds any difference from white brass (nickel silver). I've been meaning to do some tests swapping base plates on some humbuckers I would but haven't gotten around to it.

I am sure brass base plates have their uses. I have nothing against them and in fact have had good to great results using brass base plates so far. But if you are replicating a tone of a pickup that had a nickel silver base plate to begin with, then there is only one way to go.

[madialex]

Nope, the covers do not fit. I was working on a '68 Gold Top, and the pickups were screwed right into the body, no adjustment, the base plates were the dogear cut off's, and the pick up was raised up out of the baseplate with a couple of shim's. Had to use the flat baseplates to be able fit the pickups in the route with the rubber. Saw a another 60's P-90 built the same way.
The baseplate on the dogears has a "lip" and so the standard covers won't fit.

Yep this is exactly what I ran into. Maybe the newer ones are different?

Hey Zem you have a PM...

[Possum]

keeper problem

If its a vintage or vintage correct the keeper bar won't work for soap bar use. The dog ear p90s don't have the hole drilled for soap bar mounting screws, so you'll have to remove it and drill those holes. Actually if you are careful you can put the soap bar cover on and use the holes in it as drill guides and drill all the way through the pickup, but you might get some steel drill dust in there which probably wouldn't be good. Use a 7/64" drill bit....

[David Schwab]

Thats cause your a bassplayer!!!

I'm a guitar player too! I started out on guitar.. well first on drums.

[David Schwab]

I am sure brass base plates have their uses. I have nothing against them and in fact have had good to great results using brass base plates so far. But if you are replicating a tone of a pickup that had a nickel silver base plate to begin with, then there is only one way to go.

My point was that nickel silver is brass... with nickel added. It's copper, nickel, and zinc. It's also known as German silver, and nickel brass. It contains no silver. Nickel is magnetic, while the rest of the components of brass are not.. but nickel silver is still mostly copper, as is brass. (65% copper, 18% nickel, 17% zinc).

I don't doubt the people here who say they hear a difference... but I'd like to know why? Maybe the little bit of added magnetism smoothes the top end.

[Spence]

Nope, the covers do not fit. I was working on a '68 Gold Top, and the pickups were screwed right into the body, no adjustment, the base plates were the dogear cut off's, and the pick up was raised up out of the baseplate with a couple of shim's. Had to use the flat baseplates to be able fit the pickups in the route with the rubber. Saw a another 60's P-90 built the same way.
The baseplate on the dogears has a "lip" and so the standard covers won't fit.

What you should have done is mill the covers to the correct height to accomodate the lip on the baseplate and instead of using rubber mounts, wooden shims. The baseplate should have two wooden shims inside under the magnets too. What a shame you used flat baseplates instead on such a valuable vinatge guitar. If you still have them perhaps you can put it right.

[PoorMan]

The pickup in question is a Fralin. The baseplate doesn't have a lip and the soapbar mounting holes go all the way through the spacer so no problem there.