SH-5 Duncan Custom

[JMP/HBE]

I just scored an SH-5 with Nickel cover on a trade but i really need just regular black bobbins.
Can you un-solder & remove a SD factory cover without screwing up the pickup ?

 

[Mincer]

Yup! People here do that all the time. You might need to have the iron a little hotter than usual to break the connection to the baseplate. Some people score (cut) the solder connections. That might work as well.

 

[SweetClyde99]

I’ve cut through the solder with a box knife before too. Just be careful.

 

[hwiho2002]

I kinda do a mix of both. I heat up the solder and stick the box knife blade in between the cover and the solder, just deep enough to separate them. The solder won't stick to the blade easily.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Got it in there, sounds fantastic, was not a huge deal.
The more i played the old honky pup the more it had to go.
Any potential issues with the coil wire showing ?
I was going to tape it up but thought not to mess with it.
Its coated in wax.
Hope the pickup is not microphonic when i hook up my rig tomorrow. Too late to do that tonight.
No issues thru the practice amp.
3 higher string pole pieces don't line up perfectly like a trembucker but it sounds amazing anyway.

 

[jeremy]

not a huge deal the coil is showing but id still wrap it in tape just for my own ocd needs

 

[Mincer]

Yes, there is special 'pickup tape' made of cloth that is used to cover the coils. Resist the urge to use electrical tape as it gets really gummy over time.

 

[jeremy]

usually paper tape over the coil and cloth over that, but either would be better than none

 

[beaubrummels]

I would have wrapped the coils in cloth tape before the install.

 

[LLL]

Yes.

To both:

1) can you unsolder the cover without screwing it up

2) owning an SH-5 Custom

 

[GuitarDoc]

You definitely should wrap the coils...to protect the delicate coil wires. I ruined a Strat pup once by leaving the wires exposed like yours. I was playing hard and my high "E" string got caught under the bobbin and broke a coil wire. It ended up being cheaper to replace the pup rather than having it re-wound.

 

[Aceman]

I just scored an SH-5 with Nickel cover on a trade but i really need just regular black bobbins.
Can you un-solder & remove a SD factory cover without screwing up the pickup ?

Can it be done? Absolutely.

Can you do it? We'll see...

Shouldn't be a thing. Usual procedures apply. i.e. Don't drop hot solder INTO the pickup, etc...


A Custom in that Lynch would be excellent...

[Edit] Ahhh - it is in there. Yeah no problem with the coils showing, but I'd tape them just in case. Too easy to tape. Likely damage would come from dirt getting on there and then something going wrong when you try to clean it.

Just use electrical tape. It works. Don't make it harder or more expensive than necessary.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Holy sheep-shit Batman, incredible tones.
Between the big brass on the Floyd/pure tone output jack & the new SH-5 this guitar has been reincarnated into the ghost Tiger !