Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

J

Jason_Clement

New member
If I take a pickup off the baseplate to shave the baseplate to fit into a narrow cavity (coughcarvincough), and take the little screws (slugs?) in the pickups out and put them back in later, will it affect the tone of the pickups? Or is it just winding and magnet that matter. Thanks!
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

My experience with Carvins is that you sometimes have to use a Dremel to expand the pickup cavity a bit. Carvins are usually set up for uncovered pickups with short legs. I've never tried to shave a pickup baseplate. It seems to me that you risk breaking the pickup if you remove the baseplate. Getting it back on can be tricky. I don't think shaving the baseplate will effect the tone of the pickup if it can be done.
 
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Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Yeah, we already took the base plates off successfully. Just melted off the wax and will put it back on later. The coils and everything are held secure, the actual poles in the pick up thought moved a bit. I was just wondering if the poles had any affect on tone or if it was just a presence thing? :)
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

I am very anxious about shaving the baseplate. I don't feel like anything should go wrong, and yet...paranoia....
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Presumably, you are planning to round off the corners of the baseplate.

I would go with PK's suggestion to remove wood from the guitar's pickup routs. Otherwise, every time that you want to change pickups, it will be necessary to grind more pickup baseplates.

Never was the old adage, "measure twice, cut once" more applicable.
 
Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Yup. The best way to solve this is to sand the cavity until the pup fits, not the other way around.

However, to answer your question, polepieces and their heights do affectthe tone quite a lot. Taking them out and putting them back in is easy and safe, though you'll probably have to tweak them a bit to get the tone back where you want it.
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Kam said:
Yup. The best way to solve this is to sand the cavity until the pup fits, not the other way around.

However, to answer your question, polepieces and their heights do affectthe tone quite a lot. Taking them out and putting them back in is easy and safe, though you'll probably have to tweak them a bit to get the tone back where you want it.
Click to expand...

Will sanding the route affect the top at all ? it's satin finished, I don't want to crack or anything.
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

It shouldn't if you are careful. If you have doubts, have a professional do the work.
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Kam said:
Yup. The best way to solve this is to sand the cavity until the pup fits, not the other way around.

However, to answer your question, polepieces and their heights do affect the tone quite a lot. Taking them out and putting them back in is easy and safe, though you'll probably have to tweak them a bit to get the tone back where you want it.
Click to expand...

+1. I'd open up the slots a little before doing weird things to a PU.
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

I'm scared to do any routing of my guitar myself. I'm much more likely to shave the baseplates. Routing a rather expensive guitar seems risky :/
 
Re: Serious Pickup Installation Question, Urgent

Jason_Clement said:
Routing a rather expensive guitar seems risky :/
Click to expand...

Don't wish to appear rude but how do you think Carvin made the pickup cavities to begin with? :scratchch

The modification is a simple routing operation performed using a jig, clamps and a template. The DIY method involves removing a small amount of wood from the corners of the pickup cavities. This can be achieved by careful, methodical work with hand tools. If the satin finish is wax oil, you cannot possibly chip any of it off. When the modifications are complete, the humbucker mounting surrounds will hide them from view.
 
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