Pups needed for a '58 T100 resto

[NY Chief]

I picked up a Slim Jim in good shape with no electronics thinking I could drop in some P90's but looking closer at the mounting I don't want to cannabilize the guitar. And, finding a set of Franz is close to impossible!

Any suggestions for replacements / subsitutes?

Any help greatly appreciated, fellers!

 

[matsickma]

The last time I checked the center to center spacing of vintage P90's and Franz pickup covers were identical. So you should be able to mount a pair of P90's until the time you are lucky enough or rich enough to get a set of Franz pups. I am not sure if modern P90 and Vintage have the same mounting screw spacing so measure the holes on your guitar and check them against modern P90's.

Good Luck

M

 

[NY Chief]

Thanks, M! The cover mount center to center is the same but not the actual pickup mount.

 

[guildman63]

Franz pups are hard to find, but I am willing to bet that several people out here have some lying around. The question is are they willing to part with them?

 

[Jeff Haddad]

There was a seller on eBay recently who had repro covers for the pickups. Maybe you could fit a P90 in one of those? Or check with Jason Lollar pickups -he probably makes something suitable.

 

[guildman63]

If you have repro covers you can send the covers to Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars and he will replicate the Franz to fit the cover. He is in Hawaii, but is inexpensive and does good work.

 

[Walter Broes]

Yep, modifying existing P90's to fit the repro covers is probably your best bet if you want pickups fast. They do occasionally pop up on Ebay, but not cheap, and not often.

And yes, I do have a pair of archtop Franzes I'm not willing to part with, as do some other folks on the forum probably. (oh, and please don't read "make me an offer" into that - I'm just replying to Guildman63's post!)

 

[matsickma]

Ahh yes. The Franz pickup stach will likely not be available from LTG members until an estate sale!

M

 

[taabru45]

I now have a 65 mickey mouse neck pickup I'm not using. Could sell it. Steffan

 

[guildman63]

Yep, modifying existing P90's to fit the repro covers is probably your best bet if you want pickups fast. They do occasionally pop up on Ebay, but not cheap, and not often.

And yes, I do have a pair of archtop Franzes I'm not willing to part with, as do some other folks on the forum probably. (oh, and please don't read "make me an offer" into that - I'm just replying to Guildman63's post!)

I don't blame you Walter. If I had some Franz pups I would be holding onto them as well as they are not easy to find, and I will probably need some one day myself.

 

[NY Chief]

Hey, thanks for all the replies, guys!
Guess I shoulda did more homework before I bought the guitar less electrics. I was unaware the Franz were that different a mounting. This is where I’m at right now. I did by a set of repro covers and a set of GFS Dog Ear P90’s to experiment with. The covers do not fit the P90’s, pole piece spacing way different. I had to open the holes in the covers quite a bit to get them to fit. I took apart the neck pick up, trimmed back the outer edges of the bobbin and had enough room to drill through the baseplate to use the existing mounting holes in the wood of the guitar. The bridge base plate will take a bit more modding to get it to sit right. It should work though. Guess I’ll play like that until I can find real Franz’.
Jason’s really cool…he replied pretty quickly.

Here’s what he said…

I can make the guts for those but I don't have any pickup covers for them
and there are no aftermarket replacements available- you would have to find
pickup covers at a vintage dealer, also there is a metal plate the pickups
sit on- it will be cheaper if you had those, I can make a substitute but
metal work is all hand done here- there are no routers or special cutters
for that in my shop as I only do that occasionally I can make them to
original specs or I can make the bridge a little hotter so it sounds fatter
than stock+ If you find covers let me know and we can talk about pricing
etc.- figure around $150 each as a ballpark.

Jason

 

[billydlight]

go for it. I have lots of spare Franz' here at my place. But I have already decreed in my will that they are to be buried with me.

As well as my collection of ice cube knobs

 

[guildman63]

Don't discount Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars. He just made pickups for my X-170T to fit perfectly in the guitar with no cutting or drilling, and they sound just like I requested. He is familiar with the Franz pup, so he may be able to hook you up. All his pups are hand made, and he made mine for me and shipped them from Hawaii to Boston for about $110 each (unbalanced humbuckers that each split to single coil mode). I simply sent him the original covers and rings, and he did the rest. Good luck with whatever you do.