Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

[Gearjoneser]

I have a G&L Invader that had it's JB installed by woodscrews, which bored out the pickup's holes. Now, I want to install a new Duncan, but don't want to strip out it's holes. Should I fill in the guitar body's holes with woodputty, then screw the Duncan bolts into smaller, newly drilled holes? How do you guys do it? Does anyone know of a steel insert that can be installed into the body, so the Duncan bolts have a true threaded hole? Has anyone seen those sold anywhere?

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

The problem you may have is that the Duncan screws are pretty long, since they were intended to be used with mounting rings. I would see if you can find shorter screws with the same dimensions as the Duncan ones, and then fill and redrill the mounting holes and use the shorter screws to bolt them down. On my Wolfgang, the Duncan screws were way too long, and I was afraid I would actually drill through the back of the guitar if I tried making the mounting holes deeper.

Ryan

 

[crazytooguy]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Go here: www.woodcraft.com

Choose "Hardware" from the menu at the left, click on "Knock Down Hardware", then "Threaded Inserts" The #6 inserts are great for pickups, pickguards, control cavity covers, etc. I use them all the time on the guitars I build. These are nice heavy brass inserts, unlike others I've seen that are kinda flimsy.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Cool, thanks for that link crazytooguy. I'll check that out.
So, rspst14, you're saying that most guys installing direct into wood are basically drilling out the ends of their pickups? I've owned very few guitars that don't have pickguards or rings, so I don't know. It sucks to ruin a nice pickup by putting screws through the threads. I guess my choices would be to cut the Duncan bolts shorter, and feed them into tighter drillholes, or to find those threaded inserts. Then, I'd have to drill a fat hole (I try not to drill fat holes Ha Ha Ha) and glue that metal insert in.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Yeah, that's the one thing I absolutely hate about my Wolfgang. Not only do I have to enlarge the mounting holes when I want to try new pickups, but I have to grind down the mounting tabs into an oval shape just so the pickups will fit in the cavities. From what I've seen, most people modify the pickups rather than the guitar. I just use the stock mounting screws and enlarge the holes on the pickup mounting tabs. It does suck if you want to sell the pickup later, but it's a fairly easy fix. Just get some really strong super glue, fill the holes on the mounting tab, and then redrill the holes through the dried glue.

Ryan

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Crazytooguy, those threaded inserts you pointed out are #6 threads, and most Duncans and Dimarzios use #3 - 48 threads. Seems you'd still have to drill out the mounting tabs on the pickups, no?

There was a company called EZ lok or something that made these threaded inserts and they stop right at #4 - 40 arghhhhhhh!!!!!

Anyways I did find a #2 wood screw fits the holes barely, but I didn't try mounting it to a guitar yet as I have to rig up a wooden block underneath since the #2 wood screws aren't long enough.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Ryan if you are trying out alot of different pickups in your Wolfgang, would it be easier to just swap baseplates instead of modding each new pickup? You have to unsolder the ground and I guess it could be a hassle, but at least it only messes up 1 pickup instead of many. Just a thought.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Mine are mounted using woodscrews with the springs between the pickup base and wood.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Ryan if you are trying out alot of different pickups in your Wolfgang, would it be easier to just swap baseplates instead of modding each new pickup? You have to unsolder the ground and I guess it could be a hassle, but at least it only messes up 1 pickup instead of many. Just a thought.

I've done that before too, it's a hassle either way.

Ryan

 

[shred-dog]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

if you are going into the wood you are stuck having to drill out the mounting bracket :yell: !! my hamers have brass inserts but i found out the hard way that the duncan screws are to long as ryan stated !! i went through the back of the guitar :smack:

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

the mounting screws that a tele neck pickup uses should fit a duncan pickup though i have not tested this idea. The tele screws are wood screws but the stock screws fit through my duncan pickups that i installed. I might have two of them laying around somewhere to really check for you

What pickup are you trying out?

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Jonsey....you could always go to the hardware store and find some small wood screws that will fit thru the mounting hole in the Duncan legs without touching the sides (threads). Once screwed in tightly, the head of the screw will hold the pup down.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Jonsey....you could always go to the hardware store and find some small wood screws that will fit thru the mounting hole in the Duncan legs without touching the sides (threads). Once screwed in tightly, the head of the screw will hold the pup down.

just fill those holes well and use a tiny washer if you have to. it will work well without damaging the guitar or the pickup.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Mr Jones filling the holes and using a nut wouldn't be a solution for me. Once you drill out the hole and then decide to go back to a machine screw how are you going to adjust the height without the whole screw and nut turning, and also without having to preset the height in the mounting ring outside of the guitar as you'd need to hold the nut while screwing in the screw.

In addition you'd have to use a larger screw and unless you used both the same sized screws (for neck and bridge humbucker) it's going to look ridiculous with one small and one large screw for height adjustment. Where I live I'd call that ghetto (not exactly something you'd want to see on a nice instrument).

Like I said above a #2 sheet metal screw is what is the order of the day. See for yourself it works!

FYI: Everyone stop drilling out those baseplates, you are ruining your resale value and customers like me won't buy your used pickup regardless of what "jerry-rigged" idea to make it work once it's drilled out.

 

[RG 2570]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

is there ANY truth in the thing about the direct mount pups sounding better?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

I use inserts and screws from a local hardware store, more or less the same as Crazy´s idea. No drilling out the pickup holes, and no more stripped mounting holes

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Do you think using foam rubber under the pickup to keep it tensioned kills any tone or resonance? Screaming Daisy said he uses springs, I presume fairly fat ones. Ive always been curious about this as well. I've seen guys use bent cardboard, bubblewrap, and companies usually use a couple strips of foam rubber.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Zerberus I know you live in Germany but is it common to find inserts that fit #3-48 threads? I've yet to find one online or in a store.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

Zerberus I know you live in Germany but is it common to find inserts that fit #3-48 threads? I've yet to find one online or in a store.

Puh, that´s a toughie. I know mine are metric, and that they cleanly miss all of the pickup´s threads, 1 mmx20mm if that helps any, the inserts are 15mm deep by 2 mm Diameter

FWIW

ANd Jonesey, I use foam rubber and springs. The foam helps th pickup keep it´s angle, and the springs make sure the height stays put. I´m under the impression that it transfers tone a bit better, but I seroiusly doub´t there´s an audible difference between either one alone or both.

 

[DotNetTim]

Re: Pickups direct into wood. How do YOU do it?

There is absolutely no doubt that all things being equal that direct mounted pickups sound better.. My 7 year old daughter could tell the difference. They also control feedback better at loud volumes with high gain in my experience.. Hence Eddies Amps and guitars! The pickup the resonance of the guitar better.. Everything should be connected on a guitar if you want it to sound better.. Floating or anything that doesn't touch the wood of the guitar will not sound as good.. I don't care what engineers say about the sound coming from the pickups only, blah blah blah. I've been playing real world experience with many many guitars for about 35 years and I can tell you there is a difference in contstruction techniques and wood types, etc.. Everyting matters including the wood, pickups, types of bridges, types of steels used in screws, bridges, etc..etc..etc.. You want the best of everyting you can afford and get everything to touch and you'll sound much better because of it.. Promise
Just my two cents..
Tim

is there ANY truth in the thing about the direct mount pups sounding better?