Uh oh! How do you test pickups in a direct mount guitar?

[Top-L]

I had to drill out and reshape the base of a pickup to fit in my new direct mount guitar. I already owned this pickup so it was no big deal.

If I order new pickups, the only way to test them out would be to modify them, which would void any trade policy. Do they make pickups with rounded base to fit in direct mount cavities?

 

[Masta' C]

Some brands fit better than others, but body routs vary between guitar manufacturers, so it doesn't make sense for most pickup companies to offer a bunch of different baseplates. If you insist on Duncans, you're pretty much out of luck unless you are going through the Custom Shop and they are familiar with the guitar you're putting it into.

I guess the key here is to choose as wisely as possible the first time!

 

[Top-L]

Some brands fit better than others, but body routs vary between guitar manufacturers, so it doesn't make sense for most pickup companies to offer a bunch of different baseplates. If you insist on Duncans, you're pretty much out of luck unless you are going through the Custom Shop and they are familiar with the guitar you're putting it into.

I guess the key here is to choose as wisely as possible the first time!

I just thought of a solution.

I had to use an angle grinder on a Dimarzio to round off the corners. In the future, if I need to try another dimarzio, I can reuse this base plate. Likewise with the duncan OEM i took out.

 

[Mincer]

You can order SDs with direct-mount tabs. But as far as testing them out, I think this is one of the concerns of any guitar with the direct mount area already routed out into a triangle. You won't be able to test out pickups or return them if they are modified. So to future buyers, just now this might be a concern. I love direct mount pickups, but I know going in that this will be a concern.

 

[Masta' C]

I just thought of a solution.

I had to use an angle grinder on a Dimarzio to round off the corners. In the future, if I need to try another dimarzio, I can reuse this base plate. Likewise with the duncan OEM i took out.

Just be prepared to de- and re-solder the ground wire to the baseplate each time you make a swap. Honestly, I wouldn't use a direct-mount guitar as my "test" platform if I was looking to try several different pickups

 

[Top-L]

Just be prepared to de- and re-solder the ground wire to the baseplate each time you make a swap. Honestly, I wouldn't use a direct-mount guitar as my "test" platform if I was looking to try several different pickups

This new guitar is unlike my others tonally.

When I bought it I honestly didn't even think about difficulty of swapping pickups.

I like how it looks with direct mount, but honestly, direct mount improving tone is hogwash.

 

[Mincer]

I don't think it improves the tone, either, but I think it looks a lot better than using rings.

 

[Masta' C]

Agreed!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Ha!
Different strokes.
I much prefer the look of pickup rings to direct mount.
Direct mount looks like “something” is missing.

 

[Mincer]

Rings, to me, look like just an extra piece of plastic to break up the look of a guitar. I think we need to really re-imagine how pickups are mounted, though, as standard direct-mounts aren't a great solution either. I do like how the Relish guitars do it, and I love how it looks, but pickups would have to change, too.

 

[Top-L]

Rings, to me, look like just an extra piece of plastic to break up the look of a guitar. I think we need to really re-imagine how pickups are mounted, though, as standard direct-mounts aren't a great solution either. I do like how the Relish guitars do it, and I love how it looks, but pickups would have to change, too.

Yesterday I was admiring how a Stratocaster does it. You can take off the pickguard and wire the entire thing separate from the guitar.

 

[Lewguitar]

Someone ought to start making humbucking pickups with three tapped screw holes on each foot.

That way you could use vintage style pickup rings or modern style rings with 3 or 4 ht. adjustment screws.

Maybe that someone could also make and sell the new rings. Three ht. adjustment holes would be enough to correct tilting.

If that eventually became standard (on all but PAF style repro pickups) it would solve a lot of problems.

 

[Top-L]

Someone ought to start making humbucking pickups with three tapped screw holes on each foot.

That way you could use vintage style pickup rings or modern style rings with 3 or 4 ht. adjustment screws.

Maybe that someone could also make and sell the new rings. Three ht. adjustment holes would be enough to correct tilting.

If that eventually became standard (on all but PAF style repro pickups) it would solve a lot of problems.

The SD Custom 5 I removed from the LTD m-400 I just bought has a rounded plate, two threaded holes on each side, and two central holes for direct mounting. The baseplate is shaped like the coils so it will fit in pretty much any direct mount. If I need to mount in with pu rings, just need to get a modern ring with two holes per side.

I think they should all come this way... but there are so many pickups out there that are the old style.

 

[Lewguitar]

The SD Custom 5 I removed from the LTD m-400 I just bought has a rounded plate, two threaded holes on each side, and two central holes for direct mounting. The baseplate is shaped like the coils so it will fit in pretty much any direct mount. If I need to mount in with pu rings, just need to get a modern ring with two holes per side.

I think they should all come this way... but there are so many pickups out there that are the old style.

I've seen that on the Custom series pickups.

I was under the impression that only the two middle holes are tapped for use with a standard mounting ring and the four other holes are not tapped.

 

[Top-L]

I've seen that on the Custom series pickups.

I was under the impression that only the two middle holes are tapped for use with a standard mounting ring and the four other holes are not tapped.

I will double check later to see whats up. The outer holes are tapped, the center hole may be tapped too, but used double duty for direct mount.

 

[Mr. 80's]

This new guitar is unlike my others tonally.

When I bought it I honestly didn't even think about difficulty of swapping pickups.

I like how it looks with direct mount, but honestly, direct mount improving tone is hogwash.

I've noticed that guitars with direct mount pups have noticeably better sustain and sound more meatier and woody than ring mount or pickguard mount, especially FR equipped ones. But there is a but, They need to be either mounted solid to the guitar feet to body or have wood spacers that make solid contact to the base. Once you use springs or rubber tubing on the screws or foam for spacers (which is commonly used) it negates the benefits of direct mounting and it's really no different than just mounting to a ring or pickguard that just absorbs all the vibration isolating it from vibration of the wood/body. So done properly they do IMHO make a noticeable difference in tone and sustain. Direct mount also looks so much nicer IMHO as well but that's personal preference looks wise.

 

[Top-L]

I've noticed that guitars with direct mount pups have noticeably better sustain and sound more meatier and woody than ring mount or pickguard mount, especially FR equipped ones. But there is a but, They need to be either mounted solid to the guitar feet to body or have wood spacers that make solid contact to the base. Once you use springs or rubber tubing on the screws or foam for spacers (which is commonly used) it negates the benefits of direct mounting and it's really no different than just mounting to a ring or pickguard that just absorbs all the vibration isolating it from vibration of the wood/body. So done properly they do IMHO make a noticeable difference in tone and sustain. Direct mount also looks so much nicer IMHO as well but that's personal preference looks wise.

There isn't any science that backs this up. It's like saying a sports car is faster because it's red.

The resonance of the body, if it somehow translates through the pickup, is not going to alter how the pickup generates an electric signal from the string.

 

[Mr. 80's]

There isn't any science that backs this up. It's like saying a sports car is faster because it's red.

The resonance of the body, if it somehow translates through the pickup, is not going to alter how the pickup generates an electric signal from the string.

You can believe what you want. I just know it does make a difference from personal experience. It's just like people want to believe that solid body guitars wood doesn't matter once under any gain especially heavy.

 

[devastone]

This does work for mounting pickups, I grabbed one from Mike Learn who helped develop it a few years ago. Doesn't help with having to reshape tabs for weird cutouts though.

https://www.fu-tone.com/product/pms-...unting-system/

And red is faster, that's why red cars get more tickets! Come on, statistics don't lie!

 

[Mincer]

I personally haven't experienced a difference in sound direct vs ring-mounted. I do think the FUTone gadgets are a very elegant solution, though.