Can direct mount humbuckers be adjusted for height?

[Last Triumph]

In the final stages of choosing the spec for my new project and need to know if frameless humbuckers can be adjusted for height. 

I just want to know that once the action is set, I can still set the gap between the strings and the pickup to control tone and sensitivity etc.

Thanks

 

[bagman67]

Seems like they should be (this is not the voice of experience, but an educated guess).  You stuff some foam under the pickup as you would do for a P90 - and then back the screws out or drive them in to get the pickup altitude you want.

 

[DangerousR6]

It depends on how you mount them, I usually figure out where I want them and make some wood platforms and screw them to the pocket and then mount the pups on them. But I have direct mounted pups before with springs under the tabs and some dense foam under the pup.

 

[Last Triumph]

Cool.

I just love the look of cream/black zebra frameless humbukers.

 

[Strat Avenger]

My bridge humbucker on my Warmoth Soloist is direct-mounted, and it is adjustable for height. I used the typical pickup springs (cut in half) under the legs (as opposed to on top of the legs when using a ring) and screwed directly into the body. While you don't get as much adjustability as a ring-mounted pickup provides, you get enough.

 

[mayfly]

It depends on how you mount them, I usually figure out where I want them and make some wood platforms and screw them to the pocket and then mount the pups on them.

I actually did this for my Les Paul gold top back a long time ago.  was a pain to get the platforms the right height, but I managed at the time. 

but you know what?  didn't affect the sound.  At all.  I was very disappointed after reading about how EVH did this and all.  :tard: YMMV. 

 

[DangerousR6]

It depends on how you mount them, I usually figure out where I want them and make some wood platforms and screw them to the pocket and then mount the pups on them.

I actually did this for my Les Paul gold top back a long time ago.  was a pain to get the platforms the right height, but I managed at the time. 

but you know what?  didn't affect the sound.  At all.  I was very disappointed after reading about how EVH did this and all.  :tard: YMMV. 

Oh but it did affect the sound, your hearing is just not as sophisticated as the rest of us... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Updown]

Ummm ... No one has stated as yet, that you may need to drill out the holes on your Hum pickup legs.
To fit the screws though ....
Depending on the pickups used & what type of screws used !!
Once you do that you can't go back & use them on mount rings.

This is what I used on a mates guitar build .... http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Screws_springs/Pickup_Height_Screws.html
Used item # 3358
Which comes with rubber tubing. Which works like springs.
With some foam underneath, like already stated.

So yes they can be easily adjusted to your preferred height.

 

[mayfly]

I just used smaller screws that didn't damage the threads on the humbuckers.

 

[bagman67]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

 

[DangerousR6]

I just used smaller screws that didn't damage the threads on the humbuckers.

C'mon Trevor, that's pretty boring, live a little and get out the drill bits... :toothy12:

 

[Cagey]

I doubt he's afraid of torturing a little sheet metal. Probably more concerned about future use.

 

[MikeW]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

This is exactly what I did in my last build. I put some aluminum tubing cut to the correct length between the body and the base of the pickup to adjust to the correct height and then just screwed them in. Worked out great.

 

[Last Triumph]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

This is exactly what I did in my last build. I put some aluminum tubing cut to the correct length between the body and the base of the pickup to adjust to the correct height and then just screwed them in. Worked out great.

Did they not tend to rock back and forth with them only mounted in the middle of the length axis?

 

[DangerousR6]

I doubt he's afraid of torturing a little sheet metal. Probably more concerned about future use.

I was being sarcastic, after what he did to 8 ball tele, I'm sure he's not skeered to take a drill bit to a pick up.... :guitarplayer2:

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I use humbucker mounting ring screws because they are just a tad smaller diameter than the threaded holes on the humbucker itself.  That way, I can swap them out if I want to and used them with rings with no permanent altering of the pickup.

 

[bagman67]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

This is exactly what I did in my last build. I put some aluminum tubing cut to the correct length between the body and the base of the pickup to adjust to the correct height and then just screwed them in. Worked out great.

Did they not tend to rock back and forth with them only mounted in the middle of the length axis?

You can put a layer of foam rubber under the pickup to diminish the tendency to rock.


Also, what I had in mind is a smaller version of this (and obviously I know that the point of the things in neck installations is to provide a higher-torque connection and make the connection more re-usable, which ain't necessarily the case here):

 

[MikeW]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

This is exactly what I did in my last build. I put some aluminum tubing cut to the correct length between the body and the base of the pickup to adjust to the correct height and then just screwed them in. Worked out great.

Did they not tend to rock back and forth with them only mounted in the middle of the length axis?

That's what the aluminum spacers were for. As the screws tighten down, the base of the pickup contacts the spacer and holds it in place. Others have used wood or foam to get the same result.

 

[bbl4ck]

I dunno if they make 'em small enough, but seems like the brass threaded insert thing might not be a bad way to go here.

This is exactly what I did in my last build. I put some aluminum tubing cut to the correct length between the body and the base of the pickup to adjust to the correct height and then just screwed them in. Worked out great.

Did they not tend to rock back and forth with them only mounted in the middle of the length axis?

You can put a layer of foam rubber under the pickup to diminish the tendency to rock.


Also, what I had in mind is a smaller version of this (and obviously I know that the point of the things in neck installations is to provide a higher-torque connection and make the connection more re-usable, which ain't necessarily the case here):

There is an old thread on this forum somewhere with some detailed pics of a guy using similar inserts for pickups. 
His purpose was because he wanted to be able to easily swap out pickups. 
I will post a link if I come across the thread...
:rock-on:


EDIT:
Here is the link.  I remember now why I did not go this route was because of the cost of the inserts. 
They were $4.47 each with a minimum of 15 pieces.  Too much money for an experiment at that particular time...

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=11650.msg165229#msg165229

 

[Updown]

:icon_scratch: Could you use small one's, something like these as inserts ? ...

This is what I thought I might try, in an upcoming build.