these things are the devil

[Progbusters]

can someone please invent a better way to adjust or even just plain put in pickups without these damned springs.

anyways, in my latest build I direct mounted. I filled the depressed wood space that was routed for the extra length of the screws in a guitar that has humbucker rings, I filled it with wood putty. Then I used DiMarzio bass pickup screws (which are thicker than normal... oh well) and screwed that sucker in. works.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: these things are the devil

Stew Mac actually sells a tool to hold those, but I'm sure it's not cheap.

I sometimes grind a shallow point on the end of the pickup screws, so they stay centered in the hole while I'm fumbling around, holding the pickup/screw/spring with one hand and picking up the screwdriver with the other.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: these things are the devil

I just use shorter stiffer springs so I don't have to compress the spring while trying to thread the screw into the hole.

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: these things are the devil

Rubber tubing...

 

[Mincer]

Re: these things are the devil

I agree, I hate springs. I'd think an engineer would come up with a better system, although tradition and cost is why springs are still used.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: these things are the devil

Yep. Springs suck. Even worse than losing them while screwing stuff in though, is when you hear them rattling around as you're strumming your guitar unplugged. Drives me nuts.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: these things are the devil

You can use an alligator clip to hold the spring place until you start the screw. This method works much better when using pickup rings, but it can work with some direct mounts.

I also recommend using foam under the pickup on direct mount. Make adjustments easier, and helps prevent noise.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: these things are the devil

Stew Mac actually sells a tool to hold those, but I'm sure it's not cheap.

I sometimes grind a shallow point on the end of the pickup screws, so they stay centered in the hole while I'm fumbling around, holding the pickup/screw/spring with one hand and picking up the screwdriver with the other.

Stewmac 5 cent part with $50 shipping. But if you buy 4,000 you get free shipping.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: these things are the devil

I agree, I hate springs. I'd think an engineer would come up with a better system, although tradition and cost is why springs are still used.

I find that either old fashioned rubber tubing like on a single coil or tapered springs like on some newer pickups more than do the job. There's not much point from a business perspective to spend R&D dollars to over-engineer a part that will inevitably cost more to produce while having no marginal effect on the public opinion of the product or the company itself. Especially given that very few people even interact with the part outside of the factory or a tech's workbench.

 

[Archer250]

Re: these things are the devil

Someone could invent an alternative, and us guitar players would complain about how it changes the tone indirectly

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: these things are the devil

Someone could invent an alternative, and us guitar players would complain about how it changes the tone indirectly

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

This is the truth. A better system (and a cleaner look) would be a system with no screws at all.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: these things are the devil

This is the truth. A better system (and a cleaner look) would be a system with no screws at all.

Like the magnetic system on Relish guitars, looks clean, and you can swap pickups in seconds. Unfortunately they're also $3800.

 

[donaldr]

Re: these things are the devil

And why still soldering pickups and pots and switches? Why not a standard quick connect system where we can try/swap pickups easily?
And why still using 1/4" connectors when XLR are so better?

 

[AlexR]

Re: these things are the devil

Once you apply logic to the situation it becomes clear......
No benefit to guitar makers for OEM installation
Only about .01% of all guitar buyers would go so far as to swap pickups themselves
Of those, maybe less than 1% would be auditioning multiple sets in the one day.
Even fewer would possess the zero patience that would make the couple of seconds over and above the time spent mechanically doing the swap such a chore.
You often can't get the quick connect through the body wiring channels. So you'd have to remove and attach them for many guitars.

XLR........well better is a comparative word, without context it is utterly meaningless.
The word better is often used to describe the improvements of digital over analogue too.

 

[EDX]

Re: these things are the devil

I think the ultimate solution would be just stiffer springs that are about 1mm shorter than the screw

 

[Clint 55]

Re: these things are the devil

^ I chop the springs to that length.

 

[Discharged]

Re: these things are the devil

Defeated by a spring?

What a bunch of whiners! You should be ashamed of yourselves! :lmao:

Just kidding... but... complaining about not being able to handle a spring...? Really? :smack:

/Peter

 

[VinceT]

Re: these things are the devil

Yup, alligator clip holding spring short while setting screw works every time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: these things are the devil

Cutting the spring length is how I deal with it now, but several springs have flown across the room, never to be seen again. The entire spring/pickup system looks like something from the 1890s, really.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: these things are the devil

if it were easier people would change their pickups more, and it would help Duncan at least, in sales