What would you do? Warmoth LP jr: an old one with a newer neck

[AprioriMark]

I'm really not a fan of single pickup guitars anymore, but as you can see, this one has been played to death and loved for 15 years or so.  The neck is about a year old, as is the p-rails pickup (used to be a JB).  It's always been wired to split coils.  I LOVE the sounds I get out of this, I just sometimes find myself wanting a neck pickup. 

Now, I'm so close to this guitar that I can't be objective.  Would a neck pickup ruin the mojo?  I was thinking p90 if anything.  I don't want a humbucker in the neck.

Ash body, canary/ebony neck btw.

-Mark

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

I'd leave it the way it is.  Part of the beauty of a LP Jr is the simplicity.

If you really need a neck pickup, plan to build a similar but different guitar with the two pickups.

 

[jwl68th]

 I understand your temptation to take a router to it...but I'd leave it be.  That thing oozes attitude!!

 

[mgaut051]

I'll go counter the above -
I love those guitars that have been re-interpreted to death. Like the Gibbons Tele or that strat Orpheo made. The franken-axe types. This one is getting there - very classic shape, very un classic finish, obviously aftermarket neck and bridge pup. I say do it! and if you don't like it, take it out and leave the empty cavity there. More mojo!

 

[line6man]

Put a P90 in the neck.

 

[kboman]

I'm with Joey and Gauthier - modded guitars are loved guitars!

 

[Tipperman]

p90 neck, agreed. Lollar Firebird in the bridge wouldbe my choice, though.

 

[AprioriMark]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. 

I love the guitar as it is, and it has an amazing sound right now.  It just can't be my only guitar on a gig due to no neck pickup.  I'm tempted to put a p90 in there this weekend, because as Gauthier said, the empty cavity wouldn't look bad.  I also don't need the truss rod access anymore since it adjusts at the headstock with the newer neck.

-Mark

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

If you must add the second pickup, it definitely should be a P90.  But I still think you should leave it alone. 

Either way will be nice, so its really up to you.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

...  modded guitars are loved guitars!

Oh - signature material

 

[reluctant-builder]

Personally, I say mod the thing, but put a single coil in the neck position.

 

[Corey P.]

I'm onboard with adding a P-90.  ccasion14:

 

[kboman]

...  modded guitars are loved guitars!

Oh - signature material

Sweet! Third time for me I believe


ON topic: I'd say a P90, tele neck pickup or low output humbucker - it depends on what music you're playing with it.

 

[mgaut051]

Get a padouk woody from James Reed - make it REALLY frankenkaster. And, like, a blend pot or something.

 

[line6man]

Get a padouk woody from James Reed - make it REALLY frankenkaster. And, like, a blend pot or something.

I disagree on both counts.

Wooden pickups DON'T go with purple solid finished guitars.

With a blend pot, you have to deal with insertion loss problems, mixing dissimilar impedances (Especially with the split modes of the P-Rail, if he's keeping it.), decreasing the impedance of the load seen by the pickups, and giving the pickups a variable impedance load as the control is adjusted.

 

[jackthehack]

I'd leave it as is.

If you HAVE to mod it, put an RG Vintage Tallboy Strat pickup in the neck position.

 

[mgaut051]

I disagree on both counts.

Wooden pickups DON'T go with purple solid finished guitars.

With a blend pot, you have to deal with insertion loss problems, mixing dissimilar impedances (Especially with the split modes of the P-Rail, if he's keeping it.), decreasing the impedance of the load seen by the pickups, and giving the pickups a variable impedance load as the control is adjusted.

Must've forgotten my joker icon on that one somewheres.  :icon_jokercolor:

In all honesty - I would probably go black plastic covered vintage wound p90 with a more traditional 3 way, p-rail miniswitch, volume, no tone.

Pretty ballsy to have just a p-rail bridge pickup...  If you want to keep just the one pickup, I would go the distance to make this one look maximally LPJr ish. It would look the beast if you changed the bridge for a chopped T and wood mounted the pup.
I'm personally into multi-option guitars, so you have to take that into account when I tell you what I think.

 

[leo12.]

Since the body is LP tv jr looking how about that style pickguard  black ,with one of the new ROADHOUSE 390 strat sized P90s.
Use a pull /push vol to switch it in, if it don't feel right cut a new pickguard no neck pickuphole it also covers the truss hole your back
to the original mojo.
There's a sale coming up in september also the 60 day trial period. check out the Roadhouse site. :rock-on:

 

[Cagey]

If it was mine, I'd refinish it and stop there. So what if it's a one-trick pony? It'll be a great trick.

 

[DangerousR6]

I say, get another body, that neck is to nice to leave on that.... :tard: