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Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
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Author:  kokotele [ Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Hi, everyone. I registered a long time ago, but this is my first post.

A customer has approached me about installing a P-90 in his metal-bodied National resonator at the end of the fretboard. I've never had to do anything this invasive on a metal-bodied guitar, so I thought I'd seek some guidance before I started. He hasn't brought the guitar to me yet, so I can't inspect it myself.

First, is there any way to know in advance what the metal is? Is it likely to be brass? It is a National brand guitar, though it doesn't match exactly with the current catalog. It's painted and has a coverplate like is currently on the Style 0 14 fret model.

My plan right now is to drill a hole big enough for a jigsaw blade, use a fine-tooth metal blade to rough cut the hole, then perfect it with files and sandpaper. Does anyone see a problem with this process?

Thanks much for your help!

Eric
Author:  Chris Pile [ Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Be prepared for lots of noise. It might be stainless.
Author:  kokotele [ Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Do you mean noise from the pickup, or lots of noise while I'm sawing?

If it's steel, the body would act as a big faraday cage and shield the whole pickup.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Yeah... cutting the hole.
Author:  kokotele [ Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
The customer just confirmed it's a brass body, which is a relief.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Sat Jul 13, 2013 4:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
RED ALERT!
In my 30 plus years I had never had the occasion to open a metal bodied National, and one just came into my shop yesterday.

Belay the pickup hole cutting, OK? The neck is affixed like a banjo, with a long, square wooden beam running from the neck to the tailblock. You'll cut the beam in two when sawing the hole out, and you wouldn't have room for a P90 anyway.

Tell your client to forget it, and go with something else.
Author:  the Padma [ Sat Jul 13, 2013 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
kokotele wrote:

If it's steel, the body would act as a big faraday cage and shield the whole pickup.


Ummm .... the P90 poles as are all wound hickups gotts to be directly under the vibrating strings and with in the electro magnetic field of the string.

For the Faraday cage principal to work, the pickup would hasta to be inside the metal body but then it really woulden't matter if the body was wood metal paper or plastic as the coils poles be too far away from the strings field. [headinwall]

Simple eh!


YO,Eric,

You don't go be cuttin up that brass body!
Dude ask me to put a hole in an old National, me'ed sick the dog on him. laughing6-hehe

No morals, values, esthetics, waz our culture rotting away too fast into oblivion for? Oh well, eternity awaites .

end of me rant

blessings
duh ?adma
Author:  kokotele [ Sun Jul 14, 2013 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Chris Pile wrote:
RED ALERT!
In my 30 plus years I had never had the occasion to open a metal bodied National, and one just came into my shop yesterday.

Belay the pickup hole cutting, OK? The neck is affixed like a banjo, with a long, square wooden beam running from the neck to the tailblock. You'll cut the beam in two when sawing the hole out, and you wouldn't have room for a P90 anyway.

Tell your client to forget it, and go with something else.


Thanks for this! I would have looked around inside and found that anyway, but you just saved me a bunch of trouble!
Author:  Mike Dotson [ Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Installing a pickup in a metal-bodied resonator
Yep, much better to find a surface mount pickup for that National. Lots of choices out there including Jason Lollar's new Teisco Gold Foil re-pop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOtjJRXbv_c

BTW, I've built metal body electrics and they are the quietest guitars you'll ever (not) hear.
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