Question Valentine pickups

[PeterVV]

For the record, you can use either wiring option (two conductor + screen or just two conductor) but the first option also allows you to wire it up so you can switch it out of phase with the bridge pickup.

Also, the option isn't on the BKP site but you want to try to get Fender bridge pickup spacing (52 or 53mm) rather than the regular Gibson spacing (50mm). I think you have to email them and let them know to build it out that way.

In order to splice to current wiring for the p90 you need the two conductor plus screen.
With regards to spacing, there is no choice for P90, there is only one spacing, but it realy doesnt matter.

 

[Sleeping At Sea]

Just don't expect a humbucker output. I chose the Blue Note as its a cross between a single coil and a P90, sort of like a full bodied single coil without the ice pickyness you get on some. I have a Nantucket in my HSS that has a bit more grunt to it.
I was having all sorts of squealing at volume with drive out of the standard Val bridge pickup, in my opinion its way too over wound, they would have been beter off going with a P90. Any problems , give me a shout.
Remember pick height helps

Thanks for the feedback! I might actually look into the Nantucket a bit before I place the order. I have enough guitars with a humbucker and I have a Revstar with a P90 that I really like, not sure how that compares to the Blue Note or Nantucket though. I really only use the bridge for crunch/lead tones so looking for a bit of body and some bite. The stock Valentine is a bit thin and icepicky for that.

 

[ReformedJazz]

Hi Peter! I think I am going to get the Blue Note HSP90 for my Valentine also.

I'm just looking at the Bareknuckle website and being not too familiar with pickup hardware, could you please help me out with the options?

To match the Valentine I'm am selecting the 'Chrome' cover but then for 'Conductor' my options are: '2 Conductor + Screen' or 'Braided 2', and the Length there is 'Long 1/2"' or 'Short (1/4")'.

Thanks!

Hi there - good choice

I would suggest the 'short' one; the 'long' is better for hollow bodies and semis

I am no electronics expert but I would suggest the 2 conductor + screen

If in doubt, I would give BK a call...they are usually pretty helpful

 

[Sleeping At Sea]

After some more thinking on it, while I'm sure the P90 would work well, I think I would prefer to go with a humbucker.
The BK Silo is really intriguing me!

Can the splicing work with a HB'er also? Would I need the 4 wire setup?

Not sure if it could be set up so the coil split for the neck splits the bridge also? Perhaps too tricky with the Valentine set up.

 

[msquared]

After some more thinking on it, while I'm sure the P90 would work well, I think I would prefer to go with a humbucker.
The BK Silo is really intriguing me!

I'd love to hear a set of Silos in a Valentine. The Polymaths also seem like they'd work well given how bright these guitars are. Their suggestion to me was the Abraxas set.

Can the splicing work with a HB'er also? Would I need the 4 wire setup?

As PeterVV implied above, the circuit board is set up to accept a specific wiring configuration. The bridge has two conductors with a ground and the neck has four conductors. All of these connections have a terminal on the main circuit board and if you're deviating from these wiring setups you have to have a good idea of what you're doing.

The four wire setup (and some other mods) would be necessary if you wanted to disable a coil or run the coils out of phase. If you weren't doing this, any of the wiring options would work if you or your tech knows how to wire up pickups.

If you wanted to leave everything stock and just change the pickups with the bridge pickup just performing as a humbucker with no fancy switching stuff, you would be fine.

Not sure if it could be set up so the coil split for the neck splits the bridge also? Perhaps too tricky with the Valentine set up.

You could make this work if you really wanted to but it's not as easy a mod as it might be with a less complex guitar. The wiring for the Valentine doesn't have any of the pickup signal going through the potentiometer's switch, instead the switch is changing the operation of the circuit board.

 

[Sleeping At Sea]

I'd love to hear a set of Silos in a Valentine. The Polymaths also seem like they'd work well given how bright these guitars are. Their suggestion to me was the Abraxas set.



As PeterVV implied above, the circuit board is set up to accept a specific wiring configuration. The bridge has two conductors with a ground and the neck has four conductors. All of these connections have a terminal on the main circuit board and if you're deviating from these wiring setups you have to have a good idea of what you're doing.

The four wire setup (and some other mods) would be necessary if you wanted to disable a coil or run the coils out of phase. If you weren't doing this, any of the wiring options would work if you or your tech knows how to wire up pickups.

If you wanted to leave everything stock and just change the pickups with the bridge pickup just performing as a humbucker with no fancy switching stuff, you would be fine.



You could make this work if you really wanted to but it's not as easy a mod as it might be with a less complex guitar. The wiring for the Valentine doesn't have any of the pickup signal going through the potentiometer's switch, instead the switch is changing the operation of the circuit board.

Thanks for this, super helpful! I think the Silo would be a good match, like you say...these guitars are super bright! My only concern with the standard wiring is that the middle position might get muddy although I could split the neck HB and that could be a cool combo.

To keep it simple I'll go the 2 wire and see how it goes! Cheers!