Covered pickups don't fit!!!

[Benjy_26]

This weekend, after setting up my parts-o-caster and polishing up the Hamer, I decided to rip out the EMG's in the Hamer and do a test run with the Seth's. After installing new pots, an Orange Drop cap and a new output jack, I screwed the Seth's into the mounting rings, and found out that THEY DON'T FIT IN THE PICKUP CAVITIES!!! :yell: :blackeye:

Since everything was already wired up, I decided to put the Pearly Gates set that was in my Lester and put it into the Hamer, and put the Seth's into the Paul. Everything sounds great.


The Hamer is bright and chimey with lots of complexity to the mids and a nice, tight low end response that still hits the front end of my Bassman hard enough to overdrive it.

The Paul with the Seths sounds big and smooth with a slightly nasal quality to the high mids when overdriven and lovely clean tones from both the neck and bridge. The Seth's aren't as aggressive as the Pearly Gates, but make it easier to get thick, smooth, fat sounds when driven. The only thing I miss with this setup are the split coil functions, which I used quite a bit when I had the PG's in the LP. Oh yeah, another thing that bothers me a bit is that my LP has nickel hardware and the Seth's are gold covered. :smack:

I suppose it's time for me to get a four-conducter nickel covered Seth for the neck, and perhaps something a bit hotter for the bridge. Maybe a Custom or a C-5... :scratchch

 

[rspst14]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

I had the same experience. I had to sand the pickup cavities in my Hamer in order to get a set of covered pickups to fit.

Ryan

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

Benjy,

1st: which Hamer do you have?

Do you mean the Seths were too wide/long for the cavity? I think I remember having that trouble with mine (Sunburst Archtop). Since the guitar comes with uncovered pups, they're cut pretty snug. Try carefully working the pup back & forth and around, etc. until you can work them all the way in (boy, that didn't sound good did it? :laugh2: ). Mine finally fit and sounded great (although I've since pulled them out and replaced them). Give it a try.

Jeff

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

Benjy,

1st: which Hamer do you have?

Do you mean the Seths were too wide/long for the cavity? I think I remember having that trouble with mine (Sunburst Archtop). Since the guitar comes with uncovered pups, they're cut pretty snug. Try carefully working the pup back & forth and around, etc. until you can work them all the way in (boy, that didn't sound good did it? :laugh2: ). Mine finally fit and sounded great (although I've since pulled them out and replaced them). Give it a try.

Jeff

I have a 1981 Hamer Studio Special with a flat flame maple top and through-body stringing.

Yep, the Seths were too wide and long. In fact, the uncovered Pearly's barely fit. In fact, after mounting them into the rings, I had to cut the mounting screws so the pickups would sit in the cavities. I thought of waxing the outside of the Seth's so that I could work them into the cavities, but I think the PG's sound phenomenal in the Hamer and the Seth's really kick in the Paul.

I guess it's working out. :dance:

BTW, I thought about sanding the cavities, but I'd feel weird cutting into something this old. :smack: I know, I'm a weirdo. :burnout:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

Same thing happened with my '92 Hamer Studio Custom...only uncovered humbuckers would fit. The corners of the rout were rounded rather than squared off. But the covered pickups fit fine in my '79 Hamer Special and '96 Hamer Studio and '02 Hamer Monoco. Just the way Hamer made 'em...

Lew

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

I have a 1981 Hamer Studio Special with a flat flame maple top and through-body stringing.

Yep, the Seths were too wide and long. In fact, the uncovered Pearly's barely fit. In fact, after mounting them into the rings, I had to cut the mounting screws so the pickups would sit in the cavities. I thought of waxing the outside of the Seth's so that I could work them into the cavities, but I think the PG's sound phenomenal in the Hamer and the Seth's really kick in the Paul.

I guess it's working out. :dance:

BTW, I thought about sanding the cavities, but I'd feel weird cutting into something this old. :smack: I know, I'm a weirdo. :burnout:

I think it's a great idea to try waxing/greasing it. (The Studio is the newer version of the Archtop). If you're happy with the setup you have now, just let it go. If you decide to revisit it, try the wax. If that fails do the light sanding thing like Rspst said. You might find that it's only a few high spots in the cavity that are causing the problem.

Either way, Good luck,

Jeff

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

Thanks for all the responses, gentlemen.

I think I'm going to stick to this set up for a bit, at least until I land in some extra cash. When I do, I'll be giving you a call Lew.

BTW Lew, how hard is it to get a Seth with four conductor wiring?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

Yep, the Seths were too wide and long. In fact, the uncovered Pearly's barely fit. In fact, after mounting them into the rings, I had to cut the mounting screws so the pickups would sit in the cavities.

I say "in fact" too much. :smack:

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

I say "in fact" too much. :smack:

"In fact" you shouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy the guitar
:laugh2:

Jeff

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Covered pickups don't fit!!!

You shouldn't have much problem selling the gold Seths, and turning the money back into nickel CC/ApII or C-5/59. The former will sound like a hotter version of the Seths, and the latter will sound like a beefier version of your PG's.