How to keep pickups flat?

[alex1fly]

Whether you're using springs or tubing, what methods do you all use for keeping your pickups flat?


My Tele neck pickup was flat until I added additional tubing so I could lower it more. The tubing was a bit angled, which I think contributed to the pickup being a little slanted towards the neck. The OCD would like a flat pickup, please :haha:

 

[Mincer]

Sometimes I cut up the foam the pickup came in, and put it underneath. It seems to work well. While I like the '2 screw' method of pickup mounting better than the unsightly '3 screw' method, you'd think this would have been redesigned at some point.

 

[Gtrjunior]

I use the foam as well.

 

[ICTGoober]

the unsightly '3 screw' method

So, Dave - how a guitar looks is more important to you than how well it plays or how nice it sounds? I'm surprised at your shallowness.

 

[beaubrummels]

I would recut the tubing until it was just right.

 

[alex1fly]

I can see the value of using foam as a balancing mechanism. Nice.

Any votes for tossing the tubing and going with springs?

 

[Gtrjunior]

I prefer springs.

 

[Mincer]

Springs last longer, as the tubing can crumble over the years. Although I really hate when putting the springs on the screw and they go flying across the room. It happens every time.

 

[Clint 55]

I usually cut the springs (and screws) to where they're a good length for the height I'm gonna put the pup then I'll just faf with the springs until they cause the pickup to sit level.

 

[Zheddar]

Springs last longer, as the tubing can crumble over the years. Although I really hate when putting the springs on the screw and they go flying across the room. It happens every time.

Hey there Mincer, I feel your pain! Try using alligator clips and push the spring down enough to clip the screw so the spring stays compressed and leave some room at the end to start the screw. Then just unclip it once the screw has started going in.

 

[Mincer]

Hey there Mincer, I feel your pain! Try using alligator clips and push the spring down enough to clip the screw so the spring stays compressed and leave some room at the end to start the screw. Then just unclip it once the screw has started going in.

Great idea! I am going to have to try that.

 

[Clint 55]

Just cut the springs slightly shorter than the screws..

 

[dave74]

You want the springs to be compressed most of the way when the pickup is in it's sweet-spot distance from the strings.
If you have used the same pickup model before then you can account for that(mag strength) and all the other factors like ring/bezel height, string action and gauges ect., and then cut the spring to the perfect length.
You can also slightly warp one of the screws itself if using with ring-mount.

For direct-mount I just use the right amount of foam for the same reason, so that it is compressed fairly tight at the right pickup-height.
Simply use two pieces of foam of different thickness/density if you want the bridge-side a bit higher for a very slight inward lean to the pickup. (better than flat IMO)

Personally I don't see the 3-screw method as a negative at all cosmetically speaking, and functionally it's just better in every way. Loaded and locked!
With 3-screw direct-mount it is even less visible, although I can't even see what looks "bad" about it anyways.

 

[Bogner]

Foam works great!

 

[Mononoaware]

Hey there Mincer, I feel your pain! Try using alligator clips and push the spring down enough to clip the screw so the spring stays compressed and leave some room at the end to start the screw. Then just unclip it once the screw has started going in.

Sweet Baby Jesus, that's genius.

 

[beaubrummels]

Hey there Mincer, I feel your pain! Try using alligator clips and push the spring down enough to clip the screw so the spring stays compressed and leave some room at the end to start the screw. Then just unclip it once the screw has started going in.

I'd have to see how others get this to work. When I tried the alligator clip trick, the aligator clip flew off and then the spring flew off.

 

[Zheddar]

That can sometimes happen if you let go of the spring before the alligator clip has fully grabbed. Also. who knows, some clips may have a tighter hold then others. Then some springs have more stored energy potential and can be pretty difficult, you only get a 1/32" to 1/16" of screw past the clip to try and get it in. It could take a little practice, I don't remember. It works almost every time. Sometimes I get a fly away, but come back and am more careful to make sure the clamp has full grasp and then I am fine.

 

[Ewizard]

I've always just placed the screw in the pickup ring/pickguard just enough to keep the spring from flying off and then compressed the pickup onto the spring until I can engage the screw into the pickup bobbin. Since most screws are longer than needed, you usually have a little sticking up after compressing the spring a little and you can manipulate your hands well enough to align the screw to the bobbin. As long as you keep the screw at least mostly pressed to the bobbin, the spring doesn't try and fly at least. In 27 or so years of doing maintenance and guitar electronics swaps, I can't recall any instance where the spring tried flying away. The only thing that seems to happen to me is the special sauce fiddling that you can get when you haven't had enough beer before working on your guitar

 

[solspirit]

Springs last longer, as the tubing can crumble over the years. Although I really hate when putting the springs on the screw and they go flying across the room. It happens every time.

Why don't you screw it into the spring a little and then push?

 

[Mincer]

Why don't you screw it into the spring a little and then push?

Explain. The spring is bigger than the screw. Compressing the spring, then trying to thread the screw to the baseplate being careful not to cross thread it, sometimes makes the spring fly across the room.