Gibson BluesHawk

ChasFred

ChasFred

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OK I have the Gibson BluesHawk which looks like it has 2-P90's. The P'Ups are in fact Blues 90's a weaker version with a dummy coil. I am considering pulling those p'ups out and putting in some good P90's. The guitar also has the 6 way tone system like the Gibson Lucille.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated.
 
The dummy coil is part of a hum cancelling circuit for the regular single coil. The 6-way switch removes the dummy coils from the pups in one of the positions... I think! The switch will have to be reconfigured to your tastes if you do a pup swap. I've read that the wiring is very "interesting" in these guitars.
 
syscokid said:
The dummy coil is part of a hum cancelling circuit for the regular single coil. The 6-way switch removes the dummy coils from the pups in one of the positions... I think! The switch will have to be reconfigured to your tastes if you do a pup swap. I've read that the wiring is very "interesting" in these guitars.
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Yes it is. I have a copy of the wiring diagram and it is tricky. I do have the skills to pull this together though. It is something I have thought about for a long period of time. I already have the p'ups on hand from other projects.
 
ChasFred said:
Yes it is. I have a copy of the wiring diagram and it is tricky. I do have the skills to pull this together though. It is something I have thought about for a long period of time. I already have the p'ups on hand from other projects.
Click to expand...
Well then... I guess it's full steam ahead!

ChasFred said:
I sounds OK, but the p'ups are not true P-90s. Just not the growl you would expect.
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They're suppose to be like a Strat-type of single coil.
 
ChasFred said:
I sounds OK, but the p'ups are not true P-90s. Just not the growl you would expect.
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But it has a sound quality of its own. And not only the pickups but the overall construction contribute to that.

If You really ned a more powerful guitar with P90 You should look for a separate guitar, maybe a Heritage P137 or an SG or a Les Paul. And either keep the Blueshawk or sell it. But leave it intact.
 
syscokid said:
Well then... I guess it's full steam ahead!


They're suppose to be like a Strat-type of single coil.
Click to expand...
They still sound like P90, just not quite as fat. But this is hard to distinguish if You play your own SG with P90 and .011 strings and Blueshawk with .008 or .009 strings side by side. I would actually guess, the strings make more of a difference.

Or just try a longer cord - that will lower the resonant frequency of the pickups and bring it closer to thatof the standard P90s.
 
bea said:
They still sound like P90, just not quite as fat. But this is hard to distinguish if You play your own SG with P90 and .011 strings and Blueshawk with .008 or .009 strings side by side. I would actually guess, the strings make more of a difference.

Or just try a longer cord - that will lower the resonant frequency of the pickups and bring it closer to thatof the standard P90s.
Click to expand...

I have a LP jr with a P-90 and comparing the 2 there is a considerable difference.
 
ChasFred said:
I have a LP jr with a P-90 and comparing the 2 there is a considerable difference.
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My point was that i could not tell just because the strings make more of a difference. And i gave a hint how to compensate for the difference without modding the guitar - just by utilizing what i know about electrical difference.

BTW: did You check the pickup positions?

Moreover: You will never be able to convert the Bluesharp sonically to an p90-SG or LP Junior. Reasons:

a) the hum cancelling coil will raise the resonant frequency of the P90. This will happen with ANY pickup. Can be compensated by a simple capacitor, and in case of a pickup with fewwer windings also with an additional resistor, but in a passive guitar only approximately or just for one specific setup (cord, amplifier - because the capacity of that goes into the value compensation capacitance).

b) the scale length: the Bluesharp is 25.5". 7enderish. Which will result i a different overtone spectrum, especially different anharmonics. You would need to shrink the neck.

So - no way to mod a Bluesharp to sound like a normal Gibson with P90. The construction will prohibit this inherently.
 
bea said:
My point was that i could not tell just because the strings make more of a difference. And i gave a hint how to compensate for the difference without modding the guitar - just by utilizing what i know about electrical difference.

BTW: did You check the pickup positions?

Moreover: You will never be able to convert the Bluesharp sonically to an p90-SG or LP Junior. Reasons:

a) the hum cancelling coil will raise the resonant frequency of the P90. This will happen with ANY pickup. Can be compensated by a simple capacitor, and in case of a pickup with fewwer windings also with an additional resistor, but in a passive guitar only approximately or just for one specific setup (cord, amplifier - because the capacity of that goes into the value compensation capacitance).

b) the scale length: the Bluesharp is 25.5". 7enderish. Which will result i a different overtone spectrum, especially different anharmonics. You would need to shrink the neck.

So - no way to mod a Bluesharp to sound like a normal Gibson with P90. The construction will prohibit this inherently.
Click to expand...

Excellent post!

I've never heard of a Gibson product with a 25.5" scale!
 
ChasFred said:
It is something I have thought about for a long period of time. I already have the p'ups on hand from other projects.
Click to expand...
This is your answer. If you have wanted to do it after comsidering it thoroughly, it is worth finding out. It is reversable after all. Next question, what pups do you have on hand?
 
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