7 String Pickups…What a headache

[Ashurbanipal]

Hm, seems like the more budget friendly Ibanez 7 strings are pretty good for the $$.

With the pups, yeah, one option is to install a pickguard and mount them on that, but not everyone's cup of tea, and if you have a figured top, you'd hide half of it.

[Mr. B]

That is one of the reasons I don't like direct mount pickups (along with the cheap foam/springs under the pickups and wood that too easily strips out if you install/reinstall too often). I'd much rather have pickup rings or a pickguard mount.
I have used a dremel tool and cutting disk to angle the square legs of Duncan pickups for direct mount a few times. I'd rather do that than route the body wood.

[1neeto]

^ What model is that Ibby?

RG 7421 sapphire blue.


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[1neeto]

^^ Nice RG . Zebras lookin' good.

Hmm, yeah, but this is mainly a problem if the pups are body mounted, no? If the guitar has rings or a pickguard stock, usually the pu routes accommodate most if not all things.

Thanks! Here’s a full shot. Not a bad guitar for $500. And yeah the issue with those Dimarzio’s is direct-fitting them in a cavity. I had to drill out the holes to accept the sodden screws since they’re pre-drilled for machine screws for a ring or pick guard. Only thing is that I can’t adjust the height, but they do sound great.


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[Ashurbanipal]

^^ Nice RG . Zebras lookin' good.

Hmm, yeah, but this is mainly a problem if the pups are body mounted, no? If the guitar has rings or a pickguard stock, usually the pu routes accommodate most if not all things.

[1neeto]

When I put my Dimarzio Dreamcatcher/Rainmaker combo on my Ibanez 7 string, it was quite challenging. I had to remove the springs and foam felt just so they could fit low enough. And I had to put one of them upside down because there was no way to fit the wiring unless I made a routing for the wire. But it did work in the end.




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[dave74]

I really don't like anything about a 7-string. I'd rather use a 6 for anything down to C. Below that I'd just go baritone.

[Mincer]

One of the many things that hold no standards...like pickup wire colors. Annoying, but here we are.

[Nsatke81]

Hi all,

I wanted to vent for a second. It is such a nuisance how seven string pickups have no established parameters in terms of size. If your guitar came with pickups from one company and you want to switch to duncan or anything else you are going to have to rout the cavities. Want to go from passive Duncan’s to phase 2 actives? You gotta rout. Want to go to fishman classics to modern? Again the legs don’t fit. Gotta rout it out.

I am not sure why there are no drop in replacements for seven strings like there are for six. I guess 7 strings are niche instruments so it’s still a bit like the Wild West. Certainly wish there were more established parameters.


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