Z-90 and VP-90 INSTALLATION NOTES

These Pickups are specially designed as Neck or Bridge models,   and must be mounted in the appropriate position. They can be mounted with either end of the pickup on the bass side, to best fit the cable to the guitar/ routing, etc. Left or right-handed stringing makes no difference.

Z-90 Pickups fit standard Gibson Humbucker routing and mounting rings, and use the same standard size 3-48 height adjustment screws. (Included.)

VP-90 pickups fit standard P-90 routing and ‘Soap Bar’ covers, and include special vintage-size mounting screws that fit through the center of the cover/pickup.

USE 500k pots for volume and tone.  Most Gibson guitars since the 70’s have 500K tone, but only 300K volume controls. -which should then be changed to 500K.  The usual .02 tone cap works well.

 Bridge  Pickups are designed for maximum dynamics and response with the pickup adjusted close to the strings.- (approx 1/16” on the treble side, lowering the bass side as necessary to provide roughly equal volume between all strings.)

 VP-90 Bridge pickups  will usually require a spacer or shim (wood, foam, plastic, etc) under the Bridge pickup to allow it to be adjusted close enough to the strings.- Do not overlook this step, it’s necessary for the best tone and lowest noise.

Neck pickup height is usually lower than the bridge pickup, (start with about 1/8” at high E, and lower the bass side even more -until roughly equal volume on all strings)

Then, adjust the overall height of the neck pickup to match the bridge pickup’s output level---this varies greatly depending on the Guitar.

WIRING:

Each pickup has a fully shielded high-grade silver cable, with two conductors (which allow for phase reversal.  The Standard connection is with the WHITE wire to ‘output’ and the BLACK wire to ground.

The Braided shield is also connected to ground, -at any point along its length.

 To properly prepare the Shielded Cable, first determine where you’d like the conductors to exit the braid, and then ‘push-back’ the braid at that point causing the braid to expand. Then, using a pointed tool, (a ball-point pen will work.) enlarge an opening in the expanded braid until it’s large enough to pull the black and white wires out through the opening in the braid..(It’s never correct or necessary to unravel the braid.) After trimming to length, the black and white wires can be easily stripped with a wire-stripper set for #26 gauge wire.

Email if you have any questions email@harmonicdesign.net