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Topic: Supro lap steel restoration |
Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 2 Jun 2020 5:07 pm |
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I picked up this basket case Supro recently and would like to make it playable. It looks like I will need to make or get a new upper pickup cover and solder the electronics back together. I should probably convert it to a normal output jack. Any other advice on where to find the pickup cover parts, screws, or a replacement tone knob?
Thanks!
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Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 2 Jun 2020 5:24 pm
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I think the magnets are missing, not just the cover. I might be wrong... 
_________________
"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 2 Jun 2020 5:33 pm
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| You are probably right, I’ve never messed with these style pickups. |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2020 8:14 pm
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| Yep, needs side magnets and top plate. I saw magnets on eBay but i think they were ridiculously priced, idk, worth a look i guess. |
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Jeff Highland
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 2 Jun 2020 11:41 pm
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Jason Lollar builds a repro of these pickups, perhaps he will sell you magnets and top plate
_________________
Duesenberg Fairytale
1949 Supro Supreme
1950 National New Yorker
2008 Highland Baritone Weissenborn
2020 Highland New Yorker.
2020 Highland Mohan Veena
2021 Highland Weissencone |
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Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 23 Jun 2020 5:52 pm
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| I looked on the Lollar website to try to contact them to purchase magnets and a cover ( assuming they would fit). I can’t find how to do it. Anybody have a good contact? |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 24 Jun 2020 3:58 am
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This actually gets a bit tricky, because you don't have a conventional string-through pickup. You actually have a cover plate from the 1st generation that was re-drilled to accommodate the poles from a 2nd-generation pickup.
Normally (in either version), the magnets would be held down by the top plate on either side of the coils:
They would not be visible in any of the pics you provided. However, it looks like the top plate has been trimmed and the whole thing pinned to the base plate instead of using the normal mounting screws. Normally, this would not leave room for magnets at all. I'm wondering if they snuck them into the middle of the pickup, in between the coils. If you have a spare piece of steel, I would poke various parts of the pickup and base plate to see if you can feel a magnetic attraction. If my suspicious are correct, you don't need any pickup parts at all (though the coils could always be in need of a rewind).
If you're looking for a plastic cover that hides the pickup, a steel this early wouldn't have come with it. |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2020 4:35 am
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Here is what your guitar looked like when complete:
To quote my lovely wife on seeing this in the vintage guitar store, "It's so ugly it's cute." So, yes. It is an ugly little spud. 
By the way, does yours have a serial number?
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2020 11:09 am
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| Bob Womack wrote: |
Here is what your guitar looked like when complete:
.... "It's so ugly it's cute." . |
I had that exact model...it's nice simple guitar, sounds great, and the only reason I sold it was that I had similar instruments.
I'm sorry I did sell it, though! |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2020 11:36 am
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| David M Brown wrote: |
| Bob Womack wrote: |
Here is what your guitar looked like when complete:
.... "It's so ugly it's cute." . |
I had that exact model...it's nice simple guitar, sounds great, and the only reason I sold it was that I had similar instruments.
I'm sorry I did sell it, though! |
It has an interesting Telecaster-y gestalt around it, doesn't it?
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 4:29 am
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| Bob Womack wrote: |
It has an interesting Telecaster-y gestalt around it, doesn't it?
Bob |
I still have a National Waikiki model with that sort of pickup - great guitar!
It's not a Rick or a Fender but those string-through pickups have a special tone that I do like. |
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Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 4:25 pm
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Joe,
I have rebuilt a couple of these.
I think I have a pickup cover and one magnet left over.
Not sure if that would help you but PM me and I can send you photos tomorrow if you are interested.
You can find some reasonably priced 1/4 shaft knobs with set screws online. Not exact but may be close enough depending on your requirements.
Should come up on a web search. This old model Supro does sound good.
Btw, you can date it by the serial number stamped on the back headstock area if you haven’t done so already. |
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Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 4:46 pm
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Joe,
I should also add that I would recommend you check the resistance of this pickup before investing too deep. Each screw has an individually wound coil wrapped around it inside that metal cover, which is the actual pickup cover. If one or more of those coils are bad, the plate and magnets wont make any difference.
Just something to think about. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 5:10 pm
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| Gary S. Lynch wrote: |
| Each screw has an individually wound coil wrapped around it inside that metal cover, which is the actual pickup cover. |
This is how the first-generation string-through pickup was built. However, the pictures show that the top plate was re-drilled for a 3X3 arrangement like the second generation. There must only be two coils in this pickup. |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 5:27 pm
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| Gary S. Lynch wrote: |
| Btw, you can date it by the serial number stamped on the back headstock area if you haven’t done so already. |
Hey, Gary! They originally had a small plate nailed to the back of the headstock.
Here's the interesting part of mine - it has no serial number plate and careful examination reveals no evidence that there ever was a serial number plate tacked back there. Rather curious, no?
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2020 9:40 am
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Bob,
I would think it would have had one and it came off.
I have attached some photos of mine which looks similar to your post with the small stamped plate with serial number.
The photo of serial numbers and approximate date of production is from another Forum post and I am only reposting. Based on that mine should be a ‘48.
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Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2020 2:50 pm
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Joe,
Also, some thoughts on tuner button replacement.
Stew Mac supply sells button for about $2 a piece.
They also have a tutorial on easy replacement using a soldering iron to preheat the clean pegheads and slide the button on. I have done a number of replacements.
Just did two 50s Nationals and saved the original tuners
Here are some photos of before and after.
First is a National Triplex.
The last are ‘53 National Dynamic Klusons
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Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 2:39 am
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Joe,
I found an old Supro pickup from a past
rebuild. As you can see in the photos it should match
your pickup alternating hole pattern.
Six tightly packed individual windings inside.
Clearly this pickup is bad, but you can see why they sound so good when working.
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Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 7:32 am
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Thanks for all the input!
Here are a couple more photos from the requests:
With the cover removed:
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 10:33 am
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| Joe Kaufman wrote: |
Thanks for all the input!
Here are a couple more photos from the requests:
With the cover removed:
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So, have you checked the coils for continuity? If it has dead coils then it may be easier to put in a whole new pickup. |
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Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 5:09 pm
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| It’s alive again! A friend was able to solder a new wire onto the pickup and wire in a volume and tone pots to the output cable. Just needs magnets and a cover along with a few assorted screws. I expect new tuner buttons will be needed very soon on three of the tuners though. |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 5:46 pm
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Great! Sliding right along!
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 6:13 pm
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| Great, if parts arent forthcoming then maybe you can make them, if you're handy with a drill press. |
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Joe Kaufman
From:
Lewiston, Idaho
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Posted 29 Jun 2020 7:56 pm
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| I am pretty handy, and would happily make the magnets if I could find the raw magnet bar stock. The top plate should be the easy part. Thanks for any more leads! |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2020 3:30 am
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| Philadelphia Luthier's supply sells Alnico bar magnets for P90s and humbuckers that may work for you, seems like hard stuff so I'm not sure what you'll need to drill it. |
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