Colored pickups?

[bassrique]

Has anyone painted or in some other way changed the color of their pups? I'm not talking pups with exposed pole pieces, but rather the plastic covered pups that are black 99% of the time.

[Webtroll]

I've seen them painted before but the paint eventually wears off

[SGD Lutherie]

You can try using epoxy paint. It comes in rattle cans. It should hold up well except for places where the strings might touch it, or maybe under your thumb if you use it as a finger rest, but it's pretty hard stuff.

I painted a DiMarzio cream colored Super Distortion humbucker white once, and it held up very well with only a little wear on the upper edge.

Make sure you degrease the pickup with some kind of cleaner first.

[Stealth]

Can't you use something to fixate the color to the pickup?

I'm not sure about epoxy paint - does it "bite into" the plastic? If so, it'd be your best option as it'd be pretty hard to get rid of later as far as wear-and-tear goes.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

You can try using epoxy paint. It comes in rattle cans. It should hold up well except for places where the strings might touch it, or maybe under your thumb if you use it as a finger rest, but it's pretty hard stuff.

I painted a DiMarzio cream colored Super Distortion humbucker white once, and it held up very well with only a little wear on the upper edge.

Make sure you degrease the pickup with some kind of cleaner first.

Thanks for the idea.

These are pickups I have yet to order though. I suppose I'd be dreaming to think that a guy like William Villex or Kent Armstrong would sell me custom colored pups w/out charging a very steep premium?

[greenboy]

Q-Tuner has an interesting approach:



I guess you can also get clear with silver wire, and - <shock> white and black.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassrique

Thanks for the idea.

These are pickups I have yet to order though. I suppose I'd be dreaming to think that a guy like William Villex or Kent Armstrong would sell me custom colored pups w/out charging a very steep premium?

You could try, but it all depends on the suppliers of their parts. Having things molded is a big deal to get set up. Running a different color plastic isn't that big a deal, but for one set of pickups it would probably be out of the question. But you don't know until you ask.

[mister-o]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

You can try using epoxy paint. It comes in rattle cans.

Man, I seriously want to try this now. Anyone know where you can buy curved-edge J pickup covers like the ones that come with Nordstrand NJ4s? If so, I may head out to the local hardware store and check out epoxy paint!

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by mister-o

Anyone know where you can buy curved-edge J pickup covers like the ones that come with Nordstrand NJ4s?

From Nordstrand? There are a lot of J covers available. I'd get some generic ones to test out first. The old rule of thumb is "always test on scrap!"

Get some stock style covers, paint them and see how it lasts. If it's god, get the better ones.

If so, I may head out to the local hardware store and check out epoxy paint!

They also sell paint especially made for plastic, that might be a good if not better choice.

I haven't used any of that, but I use the epoxy paint when I make my pickups to paint epoxy circuit board material.

The bridge pickup on Rickenbacker basses is painted black. I have one from 1973 and the paint has held up very well.

[mister-o]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

From Nordstrand? There are a lot of J covers available. I'd get some generic ones to test out first. The old rule of thumb is "always test on scrap!"

From what I understand, Nordstrand doesn't sell directly to players. Maybe I'm wrong though. Couldn't hurt to ask I guess. But yeah, probably best to look for cheap ones.