Changing Pickups on a Lefty

[skotsour]

I'm considering changing the pickups on my Dipinto Belvedere Deluxe and I have no clue what to do. I have a few questions that hopefully won't make me look like a complete fool:

1. I'm a lefty, do I need to do anything special? i.e. lefty pickups.

2. Will P Bass type pickups fit in the DiPinto?

I've never changed pickups before, but I am moderately adept with a soldering iron.

anything else you'd like to add that will aide me in my quest will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[mikezimmerman]

Originally Posted by skotsour

1. I'm a lefty, do I need to do anything special? i.e. lefty pickups.

No.

2. Will P Bass type pickups fit in the DiPinto?

The DiPinto Galaxie has a P-type pickup, but the Belvedere has small soapbars. You couldn't install a P pickup without routing holes for it.

Mike

[synaesthesia]

You need lefty pickups if the design has fixed staggered polepieces, but even then you can usually rotate it and mount it facing 180 degrees in the other direction.....
Of all my 20 odd lefty instruments, only my Kinman telecaster and stratocaster pickups are lefty pickups.

[lorenk]

lol i wont repeat whats been said already, but killer band there

[skotsour]

Originally Posted by mikezimmerman

No.



The DiPinto Galaxie has a P-type pickup, but the Belvedere has small soapbars. You couldn't install a P pickup without routing holes for it.

Mike

Thanks for the quick response. What are some good brands of soapbars that I should look into?

[mikezimmerman]

Originally Posted by skotsour

Thanks for the quick response. What are some good brands of soapbars that I should look into?

I don't think there are many soapbars out there that are the exact same size as the DiPinto's, especially since the DiPinto pickups are designed to be be mounted with a pickup ring. Pickups made to fot a Rickenbacker might work, but you'd really want to measure them first.

The real question to ask before trying to suggest pickup brands to you, though, is what is it that you hope to gain by replacing the pickups? What is it about the tone of the bass now that you want to change?

Mike

[walterw]

left-handed pickups won't be nearly as hard to find as the left-handed strings you're going to need!

(oh wait, april fool's was a couple of days ago )

[skotsour]

Originally Posted by mikezimmerman

I don't think there are many soapbars out there that are the exact same size as the DiPinto's, especially since the DiPinto pickups are designed to be be mounted with a pickup ring. Pickups made to fot a Rickenbacker might work, but you'd really want to measure them first.

The real question to ask before trying to suggest pickup brands to you, though, is what is it that you hope to gain by replacing the pickups? What is it about the tone of the bass now that you want to change?

Mike

I'm looking for more of a P Bass or even J Bass sound....

[skotsour]

Originally Posted by walterw

left-handed pickups won't be nearly as hard to find as the left-handed strings you're going to need!

(oh wait, april fool's was a couple of days ago )

With all the other pain in the butt things I have to deal with being lefty, I wouldn't be surprised if I had to buy lefty strings!!

[mikezimmerman]

Originally Posted by skotsour

I'm looking for more of a P Bass or even J Bass sound....

You can't get that by just changing the pickups. The DiPinto is constructed differently (hollow body), with different shaped pickups in different locations. You're much better off just getting a P bass or J bass if that's the kind of sound you want, rather than butchering the DiPinto trying to make it into something it's not...

Mike