# Epi Casino Coupe ....with an SD "Little 59" Strat humbucker in the neck



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I have been wanting to scratch this itch for quite some time.

The dog ear "ring" was made from some BWB pickguard material using hand tools.
The string spacing /alignment over the pole pieces is off a bit. C'est la vie!

I haven't played it all that much as I installed the pickup late this afternoon.
First, quick impression (as expected) is that the Little '59 is a bit "darker" (I prefer to call it "warmer"...LOL)
than the Gibson P90 I had in the neck before the swap.
However, as I have tinnitus, I don't trust the accuracy of my descriptors or comparisons at the best of times.


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

That is really tastefully finished. Well done. 
What were you hoping to accomplish with the swap? Just having some fun? Seeing as you just proclaimed that you don't like "darker" and that is what it is, I have to wonder what the goal was now. Don't leave me hanging.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Brunz said:


> What were you hoping to accomplish with the swap?


A mini ES 330 with a humbucker in the neck.


Brunz said:


> Just having some fun?


Having fun and being my crazy self!

Looking for a different tone from a P90 in the neck. A standard humbucker is not an easy fit.
I tried this in the past.











Brunz said:


> "darker" and that is what it is, I have to wonder what the goal was now.


I changed the wording as I was misleading. "Warmer" just sounds nicer to me

Some more of my previous craziness .... (Epi 339 with a Tele neck pickup)


----------



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

That looks cool Dave.


greco said:


> The string spacing /alignment over the pole pieces is off a bit. C'est la vie!


To borrow a famous quote, it's probably 'mice nuts' as far as a amp is concerned. lol


----------



## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

Nice job Sir. The mounting ring looks great. Store bought even! 
Your skills have progressed quite a bit from the first couple attempts.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

greco said:


> I have been wanting to scratch this itch for quite some time.
> 
> The dog ear "ring" was made from some BWB pickguard material using hand tools.
> The string spacing /alignment over the pole pieces is off a bit. C'est la vie!
> ...



To me, any time a P90 is replaced by a humbucker, an angel gets its wings.

The Duncan may be F-spaced and that may be why the pole pieces don't quite line up. It happens. I'm sure it will sound just fine. All pickups should be blades or covered with no exposed pole pieces IMO. That would eliminate that problem.


----------



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

1) Curious about how awkward the re-wiring was. Certainly not as nasty as a guitar with the pickup selector on the upper bout by the strap peg.

2) Is the difference in hum noticeable or even annoying?

3) Very nicely done, though, Dave. Looks pro.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

mhammer said:


> 1) Curious about how awkward the re-wiring was. Certainly not as nasty as a guitar with the pickup selector on the upper bout by the strap peg.
> 
> 2) Is the difference in hum noticeable or even annoying?
> 
> 3) Very nicely done, though, Dave. Looks pro.


No real "rewiring" was done.
I used this "quick disconnect/reconnect" concept and have had it available in this guitar for a few years. 








This will be the fourth pickup (including the stock pickup) that I have tried in the guitar. The "rewiring" takes about 5 minutes max. 
I have used these for years in several guitars and they have never failed me.

I did not change the volume pot from 500K to 250K (as suggested) ...I'm just to lazy and I'm not convinced it would make enough difference.

I never heard all much hum from any of the P90s I have tried. 
Possibly because I play at such low volumes? 

Thanks for the compliment!


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

That screw down block is a brilliant idea!


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

A 250K


greco said:


> I did not change the volume pot from 500K to 250K (as suggested)


A 250KΩ pot will produce less hum than a 500KΩ pot with most pickups (attenuation and loading effect).


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Brunz said:


> That screw down block is a brilliant idea!


Very inexpensive, come in many sizes and are easily cut.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Love it! Would love to bring my semi-hollow up and check it out.


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

greco said:


> Very inexpensive, come in many sizes and are easily cut.


Hell ya, I am familiar with them just would have never assumed the application. I dont change a lot of electronics in my guitars, im new to the "oh wait... I can touch that" crowd but I will definitely be plunking them into my build!


----------



## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Fixed it 



Milkman said:


> To me, any time a P90 is replaced by a humbucker, an angel gets its wings *cut*.


I will get to hear this new (winged or wingless angel?) pickup in action this weekend. @greco's amplification set up is superb and the neck humbucker tone is really just the infamous cherry on top to round up his sound. Congrats!


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

greco said:


> I have been wanting to scratch this itch for quite some time.
> 
> The dog ear "ring" was made from some BWB pickguard material using hand tools.
> The string spacing /alignment over the pole pieces is off a bit. C'est la vie!
> ...


That definitely has my wheels turning. A Godin Kingpin II with a replacement for the neck P90 could be really cool.


----------



## nbs2005 (Mar 21, 2018)

Looks really great Dave. I love the screw connector idea; never thought of that but a really neat solution for tinkering.


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Where did you get the adapter plate. I was thinking if I ever picked up another Casino Coupe, I'd like to put mini or strat sized humbuckers in it. The Gibson ES390 was a small thinline full hollowbody like the Coupe. Sometimes they released with P90s, sometimes with mini humbuckers.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Where did you get the adapter plate. I was thinking if I ever picked up another Casino Coupe, I'd like to put mini or strat sized humbuckers in it. The Gibson ES390 was a small thinline full hollowbody like the Coupe. Sometimes they released with P90s, sometimes with mini humbuckers.


I made it...


greco said:


> The dog ear "ring" was made from some BWB pickguard material using hand tools.


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

greco said:


> I made it...


I assume you used the dogear as a template?


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> I assume you used the dogear as a template?


Yes. It was a tedious process and the final product is far from "perfect"...LOL!


----------



## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

greco said:


> Very inexpensive, come in many sizes and are easily cut.


Hey Dave,
is this the block:








10Pcs 360V 10A Dual Row Screw Terminals Electric Barrier 12-Position Terminal Strip Block Wire Connector Block : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific


10Pcs 360V 10A Dual Row Screw Terminals Electric Barrier 12-Position Terminal Strip Block Wire Connector Block : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific



www.amazon.ca





thank you in advance


----------



## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Sweet, sweet neck humbucking tone coming from that hollow body. Very nice!



starjag said:


> Fixed it
> 
> 
> 
> I will get to hear this new (winged or wingless angel?) pickup in action this weekend. @greco's amplification set up is superb and the neck humbucker tone is really just the infamous cherry on top to round up his sound. Congrats!


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

bigboki said:


> Hey Dave,
> is this the block:
> 
> 
> ...


The concept is the same but one measurement seems incorrect. 
The ~17 mm. is fine but the individual connectors are much smaller. I have measured mine as a reference and 
put it in red in the yellow box.









Mine are very old and the the price sticker was $0.69 for one strip...LOL!


----------



## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

greco said:


> The concept is the same but one measurement seems incorrect.
> The ~17 mm. is fine but the individual connectors are much smaller. I have measured mine as a reference and
> put it in red in the yellow box.
> View attachment 406577
> ...


thank you Dave!


----------

