Historic vs. modern pu rings -- might THEY make a tone difference?...

[Zhangliqun]

As if there weren't enough trivial/anal threads about things tone...

But seriously, particularly on the bridge pu, I'm wondering if the height of the pu ring might make a difference. The tension on the springs of the Historic rings is much lower because of the height...

 

[58burst]

My '58 has an m69 on the neck pu, and an m8 on the bridge one.
Tapping on the rings produces two distinctly different sounds- it stands to reason that, at least to SOME extent, that would be translated to the tone of the notes.

Unfortunately don't have a bridge m69 (or $7k either!) to a/b with, to see if I could hear the difference...

 

[joseph shmoeseph]

wow

 

[RickN]

I put a pair of real old vintage black M69 rings on my '03 '57 BBRI and it completely changed the tone. Rings make all the difference. They're the last unexplored tone secret. :lolspin










Half that statement is true... the rest is bullshit...

 

[gmann]

I'd like to meet the guy that can hear the difference! Eric Johnson need not apply!

 

[55Custom]

Depends on what material the screws are made of : zinc, brass, steel, nickel plated, chrome plated, gold plated....

zinc-titanium alloy screws developed by Aames Research are the best.

yup. yessirreebob. :lol

 

[GeeJay]

Yeah, definately the screws. Don't forget you have to torque them down in the right sequence to 1.5 lbft.....:lol

More seriously, I doubt that there are discernable differences in tone that could be attributed to pick-up rings, but then I do have cloth ears...

 

[WineRedCustom]

pretty much everything that you change has an effect on the tone....except changing things like plastic tone/volume knobs/switch etc.
BUT to hear the difference of the change of tone after changing the rings (he has a good point when it comes to the springs btw) then you can only measure it with professional devices...there will be a minor difference but the human ear would not notice it.

cheerz

 

[goldtop0]

I think there's plastic distributor caps on cars etc but would a vintage distributor cap make your car perform better.........would it make it purr or growl...........the great unanswered $64 question:ahem

 

[Zhangliqun]

I thought it was kind of silly, but you never know. I'm not talking about "vintage" rings anyway, only the kind that are made today that come on Historics vs. those on the USA models today.

I'm talking height difference, not age difference, and in particular how it affects the spring tension, not what the rings are made of.

They are a different size and the modern ones require a lot more tension on the spring. I would think this would cause the pickup itself to vibrate more because less of the vibration is lost in the spring than on the looser spring on a 50's-style ring.

 

[Pearly Grapes]

I would have argued that the idea is silly, but a year or so ago, one of my LPs had a harshness I couldn't get rid of, no matter what I tried (Holmes pu's, strings, pots). But despite my dissatisfaction, I still liked the look of the hysteric pickup rings, so I installed them. Ta-da! Unexpectedly, the harshness was gone!

My guess is that the Allparts rings that were on there held the pu's at a tilt. But just a guess.

True story. :dude

 

[Mulder]

I have PF Voodoo '59's in my Custom and used the rings that Peter sent. They are taller than the M69's. I swapped them out with the M69's and it sounded a bit harsher so I put his back in and there was my tone again. I think it has more to do with the height and not so much the material in this case. So yes, the height of the rings DID make a difference! :2cents

 

[sixty2strat]

my rings on my 74 standard broke. went to the store and they had some pinkish all parts and they had the historic rings. so Since they matched the yellowed binding and old plastic I got them. hoped they fit. any way after installiing them the front t op was the same but I noticed the bridge t top seemed beefer less sharp and a more balenced tone. I noticed that the higher ring left the pup ride at more of an angle, following the slope of the strings to a greater degree. before it seemed to ride in the rings lower on the screw side and higher on the other side.

 

[modoc_333]

could this be that with taller rings, people are adjusting the pups to a different height and gettting a better setup?

 

[MarcB]

So a vintage set of M69 are taller.. and thus the pickups are closer to the strings.. everyone with a vintage Les Paul, with M69 rings, always lower the neck pick up below the M69.. for a tonal difference.. So..
With the new rings being lower .. are the modern pickup rings actually achieving the “dropped” pickup method?

Bonjour.

 

[Bryansamui]

My Tokai Les Paul has Vintage taller Rings, My 1991 Gibson Les Paul has Modern rings.
When I've interchanged the pickups from one guitar to the other, the guitars sound identical as long as the pickup height to the strings is the same .

 

[MarcB]

My Tokai Les Paul has Vintage taller Rings, My 1991 Gibson Les Paul has Modern rings.
When I've interchanged the pickups from one guitar to the other, the guitars sound identical as long as the pickup height to the strings is the same .

 

[garywright]

is that you Stumphead ?

 

[TM1]

My '58 has an m69 on the neck pu, and an m8 on the bridge one.
Tapping on the rings produces two distinctly different sounds- it stands to reason that, at least to SOME extent, that would be translated to the tone of the notes.

Unfortunately don't have a bridge m69 (or $7k either!) to a/b with, to see if I could hear the difference...

It's amazing what They get for original rings....

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Good lord.
Adjust pickup height and it's all the same.
Pickup selector switch knob color affects it too.