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68 LP Custom Pick-ups (Mick Ronsons Guitar)

Billy Porter

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The pictures below is of one of the pickups currently in Mick Ronson’s 68 Les Paul Custom

Pictures Courtesy of KaneManic (Mick Ronson Forum)
bridge-pu-1.jpg


I thought a 68 would be a T-Top. Any ideas what it is ?

Some more pictures
RONNOBODYBRIDGE_cr.jpg

ronnobodysmall.jpg


I've had the picture below for a while so cannot vouch that its the some PUs soldered to the pots
micklpb.jpg



Unfortunately there’s not much original kit left on the guitar. Seems everything’s been replaced at some point in time – even the headstock and part of the neck. An iconic instrument non-the-less :)

Any clues on the pickups would be great
 

Wilko

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Well, it's a 68 for sure.

Pickups are anyone's guess.

Seymour Duncan or PAFs would be my guess.
 

Wilko

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very unlikely original pat sticker pre-T. Supposedly those were all used by 67 or so.

It's possible, though unlikely.
 

moonweasel

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very unlikely original pat sticker pre-T. Supposedly those were all used by 67 or so.

It's possible, though unlikely.


I have two of them in an April 69 LPC. Original solder. Never seen another like it.
 

woody-89

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Thanks for that BP! Always nice to see upclose pics of the beast..

When my Ronno Custom gets back from the headstock doctor I'll get some photos up!
 

Billy Porter

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Thanks guys

Ronson’s original is owned by Rick Tedesco of the Guitar Hanger. He’s been doing the replica’s for a long time. Several Ronson Forum members have them. It’s a disgrace that although Gibson have Ronno on their top 10 albums featuring Les Pauls that they haven’t done an official Ronson replica. All they have to do is mask off the front of a black LPC and change some minor fittings.

The pictures I’ve seen of PAFs have a small round indentation on the square tooling hole on the left. I cannot see this in the picture in the OP

The picture below is a scan from the ‘Play Don’t Worry’ vinyl album. The best quality I can get but note that the pickup has been reversed.
IMG_0001_cr.jpg


I would love to know whether Ronson swapped out the pickups or someone else did after he owned it. Unfortunately Ronno isn’t around to let us know
 

woody-89

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I would love to know whether Ronson swapped out the pickups or someone else did after he owned it. Unfortunately Ronno isn’t around to let us know

Of what I understand I don't think he'd even be able to tell you if he was around! By what I gather, if it sounded good, "'eed pleh' it!'

(Side note - I think it's either an outtake on Heaven and Hull, or Indian Summer where he's obviously had a little too much cognac.. He scratches around for a bit, then you just hear "ffffook, 'ah can't pleh this now!" Cracks me up every time! :applaude )

Back to the pickups, I think it's possible that it would have been put back reversed when he had the covers taken off, and the surrounds changed, rather than being done for any real purpose.

In the pictures of it with covers, the surrounds look like they're white with black marker all over them, can you shed any light on that BP?
 

Wilko

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Hmm. WHite covers say that something changed. Maybe those rings came with a set of burst pickups. (someone told him they'd sound better).

Just brainstorming.
 

woody-89

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I thought they could have been from a burst, but there are some photos of the pickups that Ive seen where the polepieces are definately gold (much golder than they look in the pics above at any rate).

Who knows!!
 

Wilko

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There pics of him playing a burst with black rings... Maybe he swapped 'em?
 

JRW8214@AOL.COM

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The burst with black rings is a Deluxe. he was using that as a spare in the 70s.

I personally cant see Mick changing them unless they broke. He wasnt the kind of guy who cared that much. The only mods he seemed to do to improve tone is have the top sanded and remove the pickup covers. Seems like everything else was, if it aint broke dont fix it. Thats just the kind of guy i always heard Mick was.
 

Swampsnake

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Dec 26, 2004
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Resurrecting this thread. I have a 68 les paul custom reisssue Mick Ronson guitar from Guitar Hanger that I replaced the pickups with t-tops. Question is what wiring did the actual 68 LP customs have? 50's or modern wiring? I know they used the Sprague Black Beauty caps but the wiring is what I am confused about. I have heard both types may have been used in 68/69Customs. Does anybody know? Can anybody tell from the pictures of Ronno's guitar cavity whther it is 50's or modern wiring? I do know that he he had the pickups in upside down if you look closely at the pictures from his Play Don't Worry LP. Don't know why but wonder if that had anything to do with his tone.
 
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