Newby Question

[chacam]

Hi all,

I am building my first guitar and have a question about mounting the pickup. I have the cavity cut in the body and am ready to install the pickup. I am assuming that the screws that came with the pickup screw into the bottom plate of the pickup with the springs beneath the cover. Isn't that how the pickup height is adjusted? The screws don't fit in the holes. Should the holes be threaded? I just have a single coil pickup from StewMac. The guitar is a lap steel. Thanks for your help.

[vonFrenchie]

I'm guessing that it should look something like this (based off your description)

Turning the screw clockwise would raise the pickup. Counterclockwise would lower it. I believe thats correct but I may be wrong.

If the screw doesnt fit the pickup take some sandpaper and roll it up and sand the hole of the pickup until the screw fits but the head of the screw does not go through the hole. The holes shouldnt have to be threaded

[sumgai]

chacam,

Hi, and to the forums!

There is another explanation for what you're seeing, regarding the pickup from StewMac. It is meant to be located within a pickguard, and that means that the holes in the bobbin ("pickup", in vF's diagram above) should be smaller than the screws - the screws will "tap" the hole the first time they are threaded into the bobbin.

The layout would then be: screw into pickguard (with head remaining above the 'guard), then through the cover, then threaded into the bobbin. The springs would be placed between the underside of the pickguard and the top of the pickup's cover.

However, you have said this will be a lap steel, and I'll bet you anything that StewMac didn't bother to ask you about that little detail. The pickup itself isn't going to change (much) for this application, but they should have included instructions, or at least a pair of screws that would fit throught bobbin, and into the guitar's body. But instructions would have been better.

Unless your lap steel is unusual for having a pickguard, then follow vF's diagram above. (But his 'turn the screw' description is indeed backwards - clockwise will lower the pickup into the body.) And I'd cheat by skipping the sandpaper - I'd use a small drill bit to hog out the hole! ;D

HTH


sumgai

[chacam]

Thanks Sumgai,

That's what I neded to know. I will be making a pickguard and just assumed that the screws would cut threads into the bobbin as you noted but wasn't sure. This is my first time doing this and no instructions came with the pickup.

Thanks also to vonFrenchie for the reply.

[vonFrenchie]

Well if youre mounting the pickup under a pickguard then you would place the springs on top of the pickup/cover. Also the pickup would need to be threaded.

Many single coil pickups are mounted on top of foam instead of springs. If you intend on using foam then just place it between the screws and dont puncture it with them.