quadquadquadquad
New member
Yes. the Rok Lok works quite well. Can be a tad hard to disengage. Works on oversized stap buttons as well.
The useful advice thread
- Thread starter Securb
- Start date
Yes. the Rok Lok works quite well. Can be a tad hard to disengage. Works on oversized stap buttons as well.
Skarekrough
New member
Getting pickups mounted into pickup rings can be a pain with the springs being compressed and dealing with small screws and worn heads.
Place to pickup ring on the table with the screws pointing up.
Put the springs over the screws.
Take an alligator clip and compress the spring and put the alligator clip on the threads.
If you need to get the spring more compressed just turn the screw a few times while hanging on to the clip.
Do this with both springs.
Pick up the pickup ring assembly and line up the pickup and get the screws threaded in then release the alligator clips.
Place to pickup ring on the table with the screws pointing up.
Put the springs over the screws.
Take an alligator clip and compress the spring and put the alligator clip on the threads.
If you need to get the spring more compressed just turn the screw a few times while hanging on to the clip.
Do this with both springs.
Pick up the pickup ring assembly and line up the pickup and get the screws threaded in then release the alligator clips.
weepingminotaur
Well-known member
Practice with a metronome. Obvious, I know, but sometimes I feel like guitarists don't work on timing as much as we should.
I was looking for a way to do a simple quick connect setup on guitars where the jack is in a separate cavity from the switch and pots. Like when I want to test different pots or switches, or on a Strat swap an entire loaded pickguard. I read a tip from Doug Kauer to use RC car connectors instead of audio connectors. They're much smaller, no measurable resistance added, and they're rock solid. They're a little wider than 1/4" so they might not feed through wire channels, but they can be wired on after the leads are in place. Other types I've seen either take up more space or come loose easily.
I've use Molex connectors for this...Ernie Ball does that, too, on some models.
You can see it in this pic.
Sure...I looked into Molex but they need a crimping tool right? I had to change a broken one on an SG once I remember it was a pain. These attach with solder and pushback wire fit no problem. Not the best pic but here they are installed.
Mine came with wires already connected- at least they did when I got them 20 years ago. I just soldered them to the jack and ground.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Nice. Gotta link? (I guess I can "google" them.)
Got it. That was easy.
https://www.wsdeans.com/collections/micro-plug
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Yea that's them. I ordered direct and got them in a few days.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Use a Capo to change Les Paul pickups without removing the strings:
- Place capo on 4/5th fret (12 string Capo if you have one
- Loosen each string a bit
- Pull on tail piece a little, or pull up on string to pull slack through
- Repeat until the tailpiece can clear the studs
- fold strings back, do work
- Place stop bar in place and tighten strings
Also - always tie a string on the pickup wires after you disconnect, but before you remove to pull them through the cavity.
- Place capo on 4/5th fret (12 string Capo if you have one
- Loosen each string a bit
- Pull on tail piece a little, or pull up on string to pull slack through
- Repeat until the tailpiece can clear the studs
- fold strings back, do work
- Place stop bar in place and tighten strings
Also - always tie a string on the pickup wires after you disconnect, but before you remove to pull them through the cavity.
80's_Metal
Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Put Straploks on every guitar that you never want to drop.
It's the best insurance you can have for your guitars.
I've never dropped one with a schaller straplok on it. Ever.
It's the best insurance you can have for your guitars.
I've never dropped one with a schaller straplok on it. Ever.
Happy for you if they work, they probably do otherwise you wouldn't praise them
I have 4 or 5 sets of original Schaller strap locks, all satin chrome if that matters. And they all exhibit exactly the same problem without exception: the lock rubs against the button pretty badly, so much so that one of the buttons on my Charvel almost come off completely without me noticing. They're all in the shelf and I don't know what to do with them, basically ~200AUD down the drain. I even wrote to Schaller at the time and both Dr. Lars and Frau Alexandra were very helpful & accommodating, they even sent me one set free of charge, but that set had the same problem! WTF, do they swell or something? Is it the Queensland humid climate? No idea, but I gave up on the Schaller locks, for me they're just not working.I replaced them with either D'Addario or Dunlops, I'm not doing any Malmsteen acrobatics so I'm not expecting to have problems with them.
I don't doubt it but I can't quite picture what you mean..
What's odd is I was about to say I literally have 30 years old Schaller Straploks which work the same as they always did. And they were made at least a few years before I bought them bccause they were still stamped "Made In W. Germany." I have 5 sets of different ages all the older style that tighten to the strap with a hex nut. That nut can definitely loosen over time but the spring lock is rock solid.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Honestly, they may not be the most glamorous . . . but those little rubber Grolsh beer washer things are pretty easy to get and work pretty darned well when combined with even the 30 cent strap buttons. I think they should be sold together by law.
I have a bunch of ones in black, which work well. Even those being included would be an improvement. Also, you'd think there would be advancement in strap buttons/connections as a whole, but what we have now is a mish mash of aftermarket parts cobbled together because guitar companies don't want to standardize anything.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
The only thing they have standardized is the input jack, which is the noisiest and unreliable way to connect a guitar.
Agreed. Although using mounting tabs on a humbucker are standardized, there should be a better and cleaner way to put pickups on a guitar.
