Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics included.

oilpit

oilpit

New member
So I know in general people tend to do the opposite of what I want to, but I have never really noticed a difference in tone enough to justify losing the ability to adjust the height of the pickup and more easily (for me anyway) to swap pickups. On top of that I like them aesthetically.

The guitar is a warmoth HSH strat, currently with direct mounted pickups (obviously). Is it as simple as drilling holes for the pickup ring, or would more extensive work be necessary?


And because I would never ask advice without providing a little guitar porn. I picked her up used at guitar center for like $200, because it's a partscaster I guess they couldn't sell it for much but the top is beautiful, and Warmoth makes really solid parts so I had to have it. It's been collecting dust for a few years and I've decided I'm gonna give her a head to toe makeover. And because I pretty much only play bluesy, pentatonic kinds of noodling, I'm going to try to make the aesthetic of the guitar reflect that, despite it being a HSH floyded superstrat.

warmoth superstrat.jpg

I'm gonna replace the crappy licenced trem with an nickel OFL, I'm going to put nickel covered pickups (hopefully) with cream pickup rings, a cream single coil, oldschool strat knobs.
Hopefully it turns out as cool as it looks in my head.

Responses very much appreciated, if you need anymore info please feel free to ask.
 
Re: Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics inclu

Yes - it really is that simple. You will of course need screws for the ring to pickup, and springs to adjust.

Aesthetically, I'd go with black rings on that.
 
Re: Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics inclu

Aceman said:
Yes - it really is that simple. You will of course need screws for the ring to pickup, and springs to adjust.

Aesthetically, I'd go with black rings on that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the answer, it seems like a silly question and the only reason I asked it was because my original plan was to put a pickguard on it but it turns out that's basically impossible to do, which I never even considered. Good to know this really is easy to do.

RE the pickup rings you may very well be right, I tried looking for a website where I could mock up different hardware/plastic options, but I had no luck.
 
Re: Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics inclu

oilpit said:
I'm going to put nickel covered pickups (hopefully) with cream pickup rings,
Click to expand...
Black p'up rings would make it look "better".

oilpit said:
a cream single coil,
Click to expand...
A black p'up would make it look "better".
oilpit said:
oldschool strat knobs.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Black knobs, though.

If I was you, I'd leave the Floyd alone and change the machine heads with black ones.

Now it'll provide a nice background to make the contrast provided by those nickel covers stand out and exude assertiveness.

Now that I think of it... it'll look pretty similar to a Sadowsky:

https://www.sadowsky.com/product/7163-standard-s-style/?v=cd32106bcb6d

You asked! ;)

HTH,
 
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Re: Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics inclu

I am loving all of the hardware suggestions, if anybody has opinions on what they think would make this guitar look best please chime in!

That being said it does make my decision soooooo much harder.

Definitely seriously considering black now.
 
Re: Adding pickup rings to a direct mount body? Overhauling a superstrat, pics inclu

Black parts matter,,,,,,,,a lot in this case lol. I'd do black hardware as well.
 
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