Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

gtrgrl

gtrgrl

New member
Here is the next bit o help I need - How do I actually change the pickups?

I watched the video on here that shows how to do it. I am just not not an electronics kind of person. For starters, I don't have the soldering iron that you need. And I really do not want to mess up my first time around, especially with this guitar. Plus I want to do some fancy things like split the pickups too.

So, how do I go about asking at a shop to get the pickups changed, without sounding too dumb. I have been around enough guitar guys to know that they can be less than decent people. So I don't want to get ripped off right out of the gate because they think they can get over on me just because I'm a woman. Being blond doesn't help for first impressions either.

How exactly should I ask to get the pickups replaced and have the coils split, so I don't sound like a dumb blond, even if I look like one.? And what would be a reasonable price for this? What would be too much? How long should it take?
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

I'd say the first thing to do is get the going rate in your area for a pickups swap, then don't let them jerk you around on price. Talk to some other musicians, call a few shops, just ask them what it would cost to install a pickup with coil splits or taps or whatever it is you need done. Be straight about it just like you are here, and you shouldn't have a problem.

As far as how long should it take, that depends on the shop's workload. The fellow I go to has had guitars done the same day, or in three weeks. I don't know that I'd go more than say $40 for a pickups swap, if that? Listen though, I've been doing them since I'm sixteen, and if you think this is something that you're going to be doing once awhile, then get an iron and just do it. Got an old guitar to practice on? Do it to that one. It is a VERY satisfying thing to do, and you're not going to screw it up. If it doesn't sound right, come on the board here and we'll get you through it. Unlike the guitar guys you know, there are LOTS of great people here :smokin:

Rock it.
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

pickups + labor ( $40 to $70) depending on the market where you are at

how do you plan on switching
with a five way - strat style switch?
a mini toggle switch ( involves drilling a small hole in the pickguard or face of guitar)
also you can have a single switch do both coil splits
or one switch per pickup

or you can get push pull tone/volume pots that do the coil switching
either volume pot does one and the tone does the other
or have one push pull split both PU's (usually the tone pot, but your choice)
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

Best would be to get an iron and practice on a beater guitar.
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

pots are cheap
simple thing to do
the guys here have walked many folks thru it
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

I've already decided that I don't want to drill holes in the top of my Hardtail (TOO PRETTY!!!!!!), so I'll have to go with push/pull pots.

As for practicing on a cheap guitar, I only have one other besides my Hardtail and my EC1000, and it has a Floyd Rose. I like playing with the bar, but i can't stand adjusting it. I don't think practice on that guitar would be much fun.

I know a couple of other guitar players I might ask, but I don't know that they have ever changed the pickups in their uitars.

Thanks for calling me "straightforward" 75LesPaul! ; )
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

gtrgrl said:
Here is the next bit o help I need - How do I actually change the pickups?

I watched the video on here that shows how to do it. I am just not not an electronics kind of person. For starters, I don't have the soldering iron that you need. And I really do not want to mess up my first time around, especially with this guitar. Plus I want to do some fancy things like split the pickups too.

So, how do I go about asking at a shop to get the pickups changed, without sounding too dumb. I have been around enough guitar guys to know that they can be less than decent people. So I don't want to get ripped off right out of the gate because they think they can get over on me just because I'm a woman. Being blond doesn't help for first impressions either.

How exactly should I ask to get the pickups replaced and have the coils split, so I don't sound like a dumb blond, even if I look like one.? And what would be a reasonable price for this? What would be too much? How long should it take?
Click to expand...

as a geniune no idea solderer, electronics guy who just started doing this stuff I'd say have a go. the money you spend on installation you'll get a decent enough iron to do it yourself .

I had no idea and just bought an iron and watched a few you tube vids and now I've done Pu's , pots and a switch myself . now most of those pots I fried myself learning to solder but they are cheap and its good learning .

if you mess up the peeps here will help you sort it out. once you do your 1st one and it works its all free and easy
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

ask around, find out who other musician's trust to work on their guitars.. most guitar techs I've run into are pretty good about answering questions.. it's called customer service..

but honestly, it's not hard to learn how to solder.. my wife taught me the "correct way", she went to electronics school.. haha.. and once you learn, you really "connect" to your instrument..

okay.. that was dumb.. but seriously.. it gets addictive.. like getting tattoos
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

TeleLubber said:
ask around, find out who other musician's trust to work on their guitars.. most guitar techs I've run into are pretty good about answering questions.. it's called customer service..

but honestly, it's not hard to learn how to solder.. my wife taught me the "correct way", she went to electronics school.. haha.. and once you learn, you really "connect" to your instrument..

okay.. that was dumb.. but seriously.. it gets addictive.. like getting tattoos
Click to expand...


It really is. I always had just as much fun fiddlefartin around on my guitars as actually playing. That said...it shows. :laugh2:
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

cheameup said:
as a geniune no idea solderer, electronics guy who just started doing this stuff I'd say have a go. the money you spend on installation you'll get a decent enough iron to do it yourself .

I had no idea and just bought an iron and watched a few you tube vids and now I've done Pu's , pots and a switch myself . now most of those pots I fried myself learning to solder but they are cheap and its good learning .

if you mess up the peeps here will help you sort it out. once you do your 1st one and it works its all free and easy
Click to expand...

Wheres a good place to get a decent soldering iron?
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

The problem with asking random musicians who might do it for fun and free is liability.

What if they drop your guitar when putting in the pickups?
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

A couple of suggestions.
Since you plan on going with push/pull pots and if you don't really want to DIY, I'd go to the trouble of finding a decent tech to do the soldering for you... those things can be fiddly and frustrating.
And hey, ask the tech if you could watch him do the install because you want to learn.

If you really want to DIY, may I suggest a Seymour Duncan Triple Shot set and a 40 watt pencil iron, not unlike what ehdwuld suggested, along with some solder from Radio Shack.
Much less difficult to wire/solder and you get coil selection, coil split, and series/parallel for both pups. At some future point you could add 2 push/pulls for phase and series/parallel for both pups and you've got the Jimmy Page mod.

MM
 
Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

I like how learning to change mine out helped me get closer to the guitar. Now I'll probably do the same mod you're wanting -- mine would be with the switch in pot -- no drilling!

I got my soldering iron from Radio Shack just because there isn't anywhere else. I do have an electronics background (from 1975) but I don't work in that kind of field. I can tell you it's easier than it looks. You can do this!

One trick I did was take a bunch of pictures. Not only for the fun but to help me remember where things went if I screwed up. Seriously ;)
 
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Re: Ok, so I have decided on the pickups, how to install them?

Yes to DIY.

At least a 40 watt iron, any smaller and you will have a tendency to leave the iron on the pot too long to get the solder to flow and you'll fry the pot. Also get rosin core solder no larger than .032 diameter.

I would also suggest getting Triple Shot rings for you pups. It is by far the easiest and most convenient way to get all of the options from a pup (series/parallel/split to slug coil/split to screw coil.
 
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