Bachbirds

[Stjofön Big]

I am completely satisfied with the Artec pickup on my Bach T-bird. That is, concerning the sound. I'm not all that glad about the looks of it. Would rather have a cover on it, just like the Gibson original.
So here's my question: Is it possible to remove the Artec cover and change it to a Gibson cover? How is it done?

[Basvarken]

I rounded off the corners with a coarse file. And just slid a chrome casing over the Artec.

[Stjofön Big]

Thank you, Rob! I'll go for that one!

[Denis]

I rounded off the corners with a coarse file. And just slid a chrome casing over the Artec.

Was it a "press fit", Rob or did you have to use adhesive?

[Basvarken]

Press fit.
I tried to get the Artec out of that chrome casing a while ago, but it wouldn't budge.

In the meanwhile my BaCHbird has two EYparts humbuckers installed.
The Artec (with chrome bicentennial casing) and the original bicentennial humbucker are in a drawer waiting for some future project.

[Denis]

That's a plus! More is coming back to me now. Then there's the corresponding modification to the PG to take the new pickup cover.

[jumbodbassman]

my series 3?   with a lull pup.  next to 2 of Carlo's early babies. i also have his first 5 string NR.    I have a thunderbucker S ready to go into the bach one of these days.  not a great belly cut but really thin neck.  sounds great through my tube amps.
been a long time for me.  hope you are all doing well.   

[Chris P.]

Rob, did you get the empty Tbird pickup housings and rings from eBay years ago? I don't think they're Bicentennial. The ones I scored have two screw holes in the side of the pickup - which is sixties - while the '76 ones have three holes. Two corners and in the middle at the edge.

[Basvarken]

Both. First I scored a Bicentennial casing (with three hole pattern). I think I got it from Greatdealz.
Later I found the shallower casings with just the two holes. They can still be found on Ebay.

[Chris P.]

Cool, Rob! I didn't know that! And the size is different too, you say?

[Basvarken]

Yes. The sixties repro casings are not quite as tall as the bicentennial casings.

[gearHed289]

I've got a couple of those 76 covers. A TB+ with the black plastic peeled off fits literally perfectly inside FYI.