Gibson pickup ring issue

[boost]

Bridge pickup ring on my 2009 LP kind of bows out in the middle leaving a gap between the pickup and ring. Neck ring is fine. I have seen another 2009 where both look like this. Recently I saw a guitar up for sale that had this happening with the neck pickup, can't remember the year, but it was not a 2009.

Did Gibson have issues with some of these rings? Not sure if these came out of the factory looking like this (holes drilled too close together??) or they just warped over time. New cheapo plastic? Doesn't hurt anything and the still work fine, just looks bad.

Anyone else see or have this issue?

 

[dooredge]

Not sure if this is a widespread issue, but you can replace 'em cheap:

Black: http://www.guitarfetish.com/Pair-Black- ... p_584.html

Creme: http://www.guitarfetish.com/Pair-Cream- ... p_591.html

 

[racerevlon]

There's also a great article on StewMac.com about how to fix pickup rings easily.

 

[joepete77]

Sometimes they bow when tightened too much

 

[Helldunkel]

Bridge pickup ring on my 2009 LP kind of bows out in the middle leaving a gap between the pickup and ring. Neck ring is fine. I have seen another 2009 where both look like this. Recently I saw a guitar up for sale that had this happening with the neck pickup, can't remember the year, but it was not a 2009.

Did Gibson have issues with some of these rings? Not sure if these came out of the factory looking like this (holes drilled too close together??) or they just warped over time. New cheapo plastic? Doesn't hurt anything and the still work fine, just looks bad.

Anyone else see or have this issue?

Have you recently checked the relative humidity of the room in which you keep the guitar because this is a clear evidence that your guitar is loosing its moisture content because of a dry climat = shrinking....

http://www.customguitars.com/humidify.html

 

[boost]

Bridge pickup ring on my 2009 LP kind of bows out in the middle leaving a gap between the pickup and ring. Neck ring is fine. I have seen another 2009 where both look like this. Recently I saw a guitar up for sale that had this happening with the neck pickup, can't remember the year, but it was not a 2009.

Did Gibson have issues with some of these rings? Not sure if these came out of the factory looking like this (holes drilled too close together??) or they just warped over time. New cheapo plastic? Doesn't hurt anything and the still work fine, just looks bad.

Anyone else see or have this issue?

Have you recently checked the relative humidity of the room in which you keep the guitar because this is a clear evidence that your guitar is loosing its moisture content because of a dry climat = shrinking....

http://www.customguitars.com/humidify.html

Ring was like that when I bought the guitar a few months ago. No other issues with other guitars in the same room.

 

[boost]

Sometimes they bow when tightened too much

Had the ring off when I got the guitar to check the pickups. Replaced them and did not overtighten.

The fact I have this issue and saw the same on other Gibsons around the same age led be to believe there might have been quality issues with the plastic perhaps. Or like I said maybe the pickup ring holes were drilled too close causing the bow.

I'll pick up an actual Gibson branded pickup ring to replace it with and see if I have the issue come up again. I'll pay the extra for the Gibson branded one so the color matches. I could get a GFS or Allparts cheaper, but not sure how the plastic would turn over the years. This ones a keeper so I'm thinking long term.

 

[rupe]

I typically see this when a flat-bottomed ring is used with an arch-topped guitar (like a Les Paul). Get the curved rings and you should be fine.

 

[boost]

I typically see this when a flat-bottomed ring is used with an arch-topped guitar (like a Les Paul). Get the curved rings and you should be fine.

The guitar was 100% stock, so normally I would say there is no way that would be possible.

BUT...this is Gibson we're talking about. Years ago when I worked at Zzounds I saw a Standard with a Custom truss rod cover and a doubleneck that looked like a monkey in a sandbox buffed it out so...you could be right. I'll check that out when I swap the pickups.

 

[Helldunkel]

Bridge pickup ring on my 2009 LP kind of bows out in the middle leaving a gap between the pickup and ring. Neck ring is fine. I have seen another 2009 where both look like this. Recently I saw a guitar up for sale that had this happening with the neck pickup, can't remember the year, but it was not a 2009.

Did Gibson have issues with some of these rings? Not sure if these came out of the factory looking like this (holes drilled too close together??) or they just warped over time. New cheapo plastic? Doesn't hurt anything and the still work fine, just looks bad.

Anyone else see or have this issue?

Have you recently checked the relative humidity of the room in which you keep the guitar because this is a clear evidence that your guitar is loosing its moisture content because of a dry climat = shrinking....

http://www.customguitars.com/humidify.html

Ring was like that when I bought the guitar a few months ago. No other issues with other guitars in the same room.

yep but this does not mean that the guitar was not having humidity trouble where is was stocked previoussly before you bought it, you would be suprised to see how many music shops who call themselfs professionals have no idea how to control the humidity in their shop and I have a great exemple right here...

The owner accused the brand but in fact his shop was so dry that it was his fault and he is completely responsable for what happened.

Do not forget that in a factory the guitars are built in a 40-50% relative humidity environnement which is adequat and recommended for wooden musical instruments so a 20% RH was a 20+% drop in humidity which is huge for a guitar...

And again, its always good to check what is the relative humidity in your room, maybe your other guitars have been built in a much drier climat and the woods had time to season much more, at this point you will never know until you check it and this must be the number 1 priority for any serious musicians, saying that your other guitars do not have issues does not imply that there is not a problem somewhere...

But hey I am only trying to demonstrate one of the causes, maybe that this has nothing to do with your guitar but its always good to check RH no matter what especially now that the climat is getting dry with the winter season...

PS: and this is a new model with the famous hyped baked maple fingerboard reputed to be so stable.... (see how marketing and hype do not always go in pair with reality)

 

[gibson08]

Yep, Def have seen this before, commented a few times on it at the local GC, seemed to be on the Trad/Trad Pros more than the rest, not sure why, maybe just cut wrong for the body shape?