Humbucker pickup legs

[Tinker]

Something new to me is why my SD humbucker bridge pickup "mounting plate legs" are longer than a Seymour Duncan neck legs? I hadn't even noticed it before as the pickups would easily fit in my guitar's body cavity so I never had to sweat it. Now that I'd like to put the pickup into a different guitar's shallower cavity and the legs are too long for a good fit. The pickup rises up a little too high out of the pickguard for comfort. Too close to the strings.
Are these legs "fixed"? Do I need to purchase a shorter-legged humbucker in order to avoid a routing job? Lots of questions here.

 

[Artie]

Welcome to the forum. Duncan pickups come in two different leg lengths. Vintage, which is long, and modern, which is short. You might have the period correct vintage version.

 

[Mincer]

Yes, vintage humbuckers have long legs, so new humbuckers that replicate that look might have long legs, too. They work well if you have an arched top, like an LP. Modern humbuckers use short legs, which work...well, anywhere.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Long legs are a dumb thing. It causes the pickup to wobble easily. It’s one of these archaic holdovers that serve no purpose.

As it is all humbuckers should have three or four height adjustment screws. That would allow you to angle the pickup to the strings, especially on guitars with neck angles like a Les Paul, and prevent them from wobbling, which can cause squealing (you don’t want the pickup to vibrate).

But players keep asking for fake vintage guitars so…


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[Jack_TriPpEr]

Baseplates are a replaceable part. Short leg baseplates are available as an aftermarket item.

https://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Baseplates

 

[Mincer]

Baseplates are a replaceable part. Short leg baseplates are available as an aftermarket item.

https://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Baseplates

Very true. But you have to be careful replacing them. The magnet is most likely held in with wax- getting it out is a delicate operation. Some people re-pot the pickup after a baseplate swap though I have to admit I never have.

 

[Artie]

When I get a pickup dialed in to the tone I want, I often replace the spring with a piece of wood. Usually balsa. Its easy to work and locks the pup in straight and solid. Pretty easy mod.

 

[Mincer]

This page has some info about baseplate leg sizes.

 

[alex1fly]

When I get a pickup dialed in to the tone I want, I often replace the spring with a piece of wood. Usually balsa. Its easy to work and locks the pup in straight and solid. Pretty easy mod.

Wow. Cool! If/when you have an axe opened up and can grab a picture, I'm sure many of us would enjoy the show and tell.

 

[Artie]

Wow. Cool! If/when you have an axe opened up and can grab a picture, I'm sure many of us would enjoy the show and tell.

Let me get a customers guitar done, and off the bench, and I'll grab a couple pic's.