Installation challenges

[RW James]

I'm putting a pair of JB/Jazz pickups in my Washburn Idol and have run into a few challenges.

(1) The wire with the pickup isn't long enough to reach the pots... so I cut the wire from the old pickup and spliced into that. I used heat shrink tubing where appropriate. I've tried to keep the connection leads as short as possible to maintain as much shielding as I could. It seems like everything is going well.

(2) The mounting tabs on the SD pickups are larger than the stock ones - so I'm going to have to route a little bit of wood out to accomodate. I'm going to use a Dremel with a cutting tool. Maybe I'll put the pickup in a sandwich bag while routing to keep sawdust away from it. I haven't started this yet... just trying to think through any potential problems. I've never done this before - but it seems straightforeward.

Any thoughts/suggestions or wisdom you would care to share?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[marvar]

Re: Installation challenges

I say go for it! I do all my own mods, just take your time, stick to your plan of attack, but be ready to modify it if needed. This is a pretty straightfoward operation.

 

[MikeS]

Re: Installation challenges

1) Did you buy the pickups used? I've never seen a lead on a new SD pickup not long enough to reach everything in the control cavity. Anyway, yes, if you splice two wires together with solder and insulate teh joint with either heat shrink tubing or even electrical tape you should be gravy.

2) Depending on how much routing needed to be done, I might trim back the tabs on the pickups before rerouting the pickup cavities. Others may want to chime in and give their advise as well, I just think I'd rather trim the tabs of the pickups.

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

1) Did you buy the pickups used? I've never seen a lead on a new SD pickup not long enough to reach everything in the control cavity. Anyway, yes, if you splice two wires together with solder and insulate teh joint with either heat shrink tubing or even electrical tape you should be gravy.

2) Depending on how much routing needed to be done, I might trim back the tabs on the pickups before rerouting the pickup cavities. Others may want to chime in and give their advise as well, I just think I'd rather trim the tabs of the pickups.

Mike,

(1) Used? Not exactly... it was a "scratch & dent" deal from Musicians Friend. I think they were returns. The pickups look good but I suppose someone may have cut the leads short (perhaps they needed the wire?)

(2) I had thought about trimming the tabs. I am concerned about metal filings finding their way into the magnets. And the wood just seems easier to cut than metal.

The first thing I'm going to try is to undercut the top layer leaving it cosmetically as close to stock as I can, then angle the pickup in until it seats correctly. (Not sure if that makes sense - but it may not work anyway).

Any other thoughts - anyone?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

One more question:

Is there a way to test the pickups without restringing it?

I would hate to get everything together, put on the strings, only to find that something is wrong and then have to take all the strings off again.

Just wondering,
Rick

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Installation challenges

One more question:

Is there a way to test the pickups without restringing it?

I would hate to get everything together, put on the strings, only to find that something is wrong and then have to take all the strings off again.

Just wondering,
Rick

You could just hold the p.u leads onto the guitar jack cord, and tap the pole pieces with a screwdriver or something. If you get a "popping" noise trough the amp, they work!

-Erlend

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

I'm with Mike, so long as you take your time you should be alright. Also a big Kudos for having the foresight to use the heat shrink. I also had to use shorter screws in my PRS.

Luke

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

UPDATE:

I went home on my lunch hour and routed out the hole for the Jazz. As I said above, I undercut the opening, leaving about 1/8" of finished top - but I really didn't need to cut out very much anyway. It fit well.

The JB didn't need any routing. It was a little snug, but I can still easily adjust it. Also, the lead wire is plenty long enough - so I will do a complete swap out on the wiring for this one.

Musicians Friend won't return pickups that have already been installed, but if you make a clean cut - unless they measure the lead before and after, they won't know. I think this is what happened with the Jazz. Pity it was the neck pickup with the longer distance to the pots.

Anyway, be careful buying scratch & dent pickups - check the leads. I've purchased 4 SD pickups this way, and this is the only one that has had this problem.

Oh - I did the screwdriver tap on the poles and it works great!

Thanks again everyone,
Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

Rick, glad to hear it all went well. Let me also underscore the importance of getting that JB close to the strings. (of course for all I know your other 3 pups ARE JB's) I saw a band this weekend that I knew the singer/guitarist, I talked to the other and he had a JB he didn't like, I told him to raise it up and see how he likes it.

BTW how are you liking the jazz?

Luke

 

[marvar]

Re: Installation challenges

you may have gotten a bridge pup, most of the ones I have seen have a shorter wire on a bridge pup, than on a neck pup. This was true with my SD little 59's

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

Luke,

I haven't wired in the JB yet. I saw on another thread something about using nickels for a height gauge. Or I could just follow the recommendations in the instructions. But thanks for the tip. (my other pickups are a hot rail and a cool rail in my strat - and of course the Jazz)

marvar

The stamp in the frame of the pickup clearly indicates it's a Jazz neck pickup. The more I think about it the more I think somebody bought it, installed it, didn't like it, cut it out, then returned it.

Thanks all,
Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

Good job reading up Rick, the nickel trick work pretty well. What I do these days is raise it as high as high as I can withought the poles touching. Then I give it a whirl, then depending on what I hear that I want to enhance, or light I lower appropriately and use the polepieces.

Isn't the Jazz a great pup?

Luke

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

Okay the install seemed to go without a hitch... I love the JB!

But the Jazz seems kind of thin. I raised it up as close as I could get it to the strings. I still have to set the volume for that pickup at twice the level of the JB to get it to balance.

Also, I'm getting a little hum from that pickup that I'm not getting from the JB.

Remember, I had to splice into an existing wire - could I have a loose connection? Or is this normal for a Jazz? I can EQ it to sound good with the JB - actually makes a nice sound together - but I can't imagine playing the Jazz by itself...

Any thoughts?

Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

Okay the install seemed to go without a hitch... I love the JB!

But the Jazz seems kind of thin. I raised it up as close as I could get it to the strings. I still have to set the volume for that pickup at twice the level of the JB to get it to balance.

Also, I'm getting a little hum from that pickup that I'm not getting from the JB.

Remember, I had to splice into an existing wire - could I have a loose connection? Or is this normal for a Jazz? I can EQ it to sound good with the JB - actually makes a nice sound together - but I can't imagine playing the Jazz by itself...

Any thoughts?

Rick

HMMM, thin jazz.....are you sure it's all wired up right?

Also another thing as far as the buzz/hum did you make sure to extend the bare wire to the back of the pot too?

Luke

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

HMMM, thin jazz.....are you sure it's all wired up right?

Also another thing as far as the buzz/hum did you make sure to extend the bare wire to the back of the pot too?

Luke

I'm getting a signal from both coils (checked with a screwdriver tap against the poles) - so I THINK it's wired correctly.

The original wire that I had to splice into only had one wire and the shield - so that was kind of a no-brainer. However, before I realized my lead was too short, I had diconnected the leads from the pot - I'll check that out and make sure my re-solder connections are good.

Thanks for the tips,
Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

I'm getting a signal from both coils (checked with a screwdriver tap against the poles) - so I THINK it's wired correctly.

The original wire that I had to splice into only had one wire and the shield - so that was kind of a no-brainer. However, before I realized my lead was too short, I had diconnected the leads from the pot - I'll check that out and make sure my re-solder connections are good.

Thanks for the tips,
Rick

Sounds right, I think.

You might want to examine the shield braid. I had a problem with a P90 of mine that I got the braid too hot and the solder seeped into cloth, so sometimes I had a short, sometimes I didn't. Either way....does the pup sound thin by itself, or only when combined?

Luke

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

Sounds right, I think.

You might want to examine the shield braid. I had a problem with a P90 of mine that I got the braid too hot and the solder seeped into cloth, so sometimes I had a short, sometimes I didn't. Either way....does the pup sound thin by itself, or only when combined?

Luke

Thin by itself... really thin... The JB sounds really meaty - and with the Jazz - after I get it balanced - it has a nice effect. I just have to boost the Jazz up a bit to make it match.

Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

Thin by itself... really thin... The JB sounds really meaty - and with the Jazz - after I get it balanced - it has a nice effect. I just have to boost the Jazz up a bit to make it match.

Rick

The jazz (as you noticed) is nowhere NEAR as hot as the JB, but mine are still pretty thick sounding. Did you measure the resistance? Is it around what the site states?

Luke

 

[RW James]

Re: Installation challenges

The jazz (as you noticed) is nowhere NEAR as hot as the JB, but mine are still pretty thick sounding. Did you measure the resistance? Is it around what the site states?

Luke

Okay... now I'm getting to the point where I have take the strings off and I really don't want to do that if I can help it... and then unsolder everything... but if it comes to that - I guess I have to.

I didn't think to measure the resistence before I installed it. I should have - but I should have noticed the short lead, too... I probably should have not ordered from Musicians Friend... A good deal isn't that good of it doesn't work.

Rick

EDIT: Wait! I should be able to measure the resistance without removing the pickup! If I disconnect from the pot, I should be able to measure across the lead - right? I'll give that a try tonight.

Thanks Luke - you've been a big help with this,
Rick

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Installation challenges

EDIT: Wait! I should be able to measure the resistance without removing the pickup! If I disconnect from the pot, I should be able to measure across the lead - right? I'll give that a try tonight.

Thanks Luke - you've been a big help with this,
Rick

Yes you can, just unsolder it at the pot like you said and measure the resistance.

I glad I could help!

Luke