Safely removing the cover off of a P-90

[Graffiti62]

Hi Guys--

I recently bought a Gotoh P-90 for my budget Squier project, and, since I'm doing it in the same color that I had my '78 Malibu in, I'd like to have some chrome accents to it. I'm already installing chrome knobs, and I found chrome pickup covers for the Strat pickups. I picked up a chrome soapbar cover for the 90, but I've never taken one apart before beyond the basic stuff. I was able to remove the bottom plate, and I stopped at that point due to the anxiety of wrecking the thing when I goofed it up.

BTW, for a budget guitar, I highly recommend the Gotoh Tokai P-90s. They're Japanese made, but they are well-made. When I started to disassemble the pickup, everything was precicely fit and finished, there was no slop in anything, and if they sound as good as they are built, I'll be impressed.

 

[RLW]

P-90's have a reputation for falling to bits if the cover is removed. Proceed with caution.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

+1

The coils like to stay around the bobbin and in the cover.  They don't change their minds when the cover is removed from the pickup.  A lot of guys refer to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" motto when dealing with the changing, cleaning under, or removal of P-90s.

 

[-CB-]

?

P90 covers just pop off.  If the two "mounting" screws are not installed, there's nothing holding that cover on except maybe a bit of wax that was present during assembly.  Same with dogears and soapbars, except dogears have the screws on the outer section.  Once they're out (pickup gets unmounted that is), the cover is free as a bird.

Someplace over HERE is a story about an SG conversion with pictures.

They usually, but not always... leave the coils untaped on a P90 from Gibson.  Its about the same as taking off a vintage Strat cover... just ease it off.  New "noiseless" Strat covers are not easy to remove I've been told, and I've seen three or four "dead" pickups from folks trying to remove the covers.  I've not had the pleasure of working on them yet however.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

?

P90 covers just pop off. 

Well, they're supposed to.

 

[-CB-]

Never had one that was a pain, if it was a Gibson P90.  If it was aftermarket - no telling.