Re: Replacing PUs in a Wolfgang
I've swapped many a pickup in and out of my '99 Standard. First, let me say that you'll most likely find the Jazz neck too bright and trebly in the Wolfgang. Depending on whether you prefer brighter or warmer pickups, the JB may also be too bright. The Blues Trembucker is my absolute favorite bridge pickup. It's warmer than the C5, Demon, '59, or Jazz, with a nice balanced EQ and medium output. The Custom Custom also works well, but it didn't have enough bass for my tastes. In the neck, I like the Alnico II Pro best. If you're interested in swapping pickup magnets, you can come up with a whole bunch of new combinations that sound really nice in a Wolfgang.
As far as modifying the baseplate, you'll have to do it yourself. Duncans aren't available with the oval mounting tabs, so you have a couple options here. One is to use a Dremel tool to cut off the excess metal on the tabs. The other is to use an electric drill with a grinding bit attached to grind the tabs into an oval shape. For the mounting screws, you can either cut the Duncan screws so that they're the same length as the stock screws, or you can slightly enlarge the holes on the mounting tabs and then use the stock Wolfgang pickup screws. I used a drill bit that was the same size as the hole, and just shaved away a very small amount of metal. This will enlarge the hole just enough to allow the stock screws to fit, and you'll still be able to use the Duncan screws if you want to use the pickup in another guitar someday. Don't enlarge the holes too much, or you won't be able to use that pickup in another guitar without using a washer of some sort. Of course, all this modification will void the 21 day exchange policy, so it's a good idea to pick the right set of pickups the first time. My vote goes to the Blues Trembucker/Alnico II Pro combo.
Ryan
