convert direct mount pickups back to suspended

[djf67]

Not as daft as it sounds - I've got a pair of HBs on which the PO has drilled out the mounting holes so the usual ring-mounting screws are useless. I've had the pickups direct mounted (just screwing them down with wood screws) but want to be able to use them with rings now. Any ideas? I thought about something like this but dunno if they go small enough -

 

[CrackedPepper]

What is that?

 

[Soylent]

Studio MAX? Maya?

The chrome makes me think studio max...  :icon_thumright:

 

[tfarny]

fill in the holes (dowel or toothpick, plus glue) and re-drill, unless I don't understand the question.

 

[AndyG]

fill in the holes (dowel or toothpick, plus glue) and re-drill, unless I don't understand the question.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the pickup flanges themselves .... they have to be drilled out to accomadate the screws for direct-to-body mounting.

I have a single coil pickup that I want to repurpose in exactly the same way (from body-mounted to pickguard mounted) so I too am eagerly awaiting a solution!!!!

 

[jackthehack]

Assuming the pickup mounting holes are just reamed out, take the pickup ring mounting screws down to Ace or other local hardware store. You should be able to find some small nuts that fit them, get 2 for each pickup and 2 small matching washers.

You'll need to mount the pickup in the ring or pickguard prior to installing either. Slide the mounting screws through the ring/pickguard and screw one of the nuts up to an approximate height, then slide a washer on. Run the mounting screws through the reamed holes and then add another washer and the other nut; play around until you have the PU height adjustment right, then install the PU mounting ring/pickguard.

 

[djf67]

What is that?

Captive nut

fill in the holes (dowel or toothpick, plus glue) and re-drill, unless I don't understand the question.

Your second guess was correct  :icon_jokercolor:
My bad wording to blame.

Assuming the pickup mounting holes are just reamed out, take the pickup ring mounting screws down to Ace or other local hardware store. You should be able to find some small nuts that fit them, get 2 for each pickup and 2 small matching washers.

You'll need to mount the pickup in the ring or pickguard prior to installing either. Slide the mounting screws through the ring/pickguard and screw one of the nuts up to an approximate height, then slide a washer on. Run the mounting screws through the reamed holes and then add another washer and the other nut; play around until you have the PU height adjustment right, then install the PU mounting ring/pickguard.

Yes, that would work, thanks. No more inconvenient than hard mounting them in the first place.

Any other solutions to make 'em height adjustable with the strings on?

 

[-CB-]

Well... I used two different approaches.

On the BFG, I was able to put #4-40 screws in place of the 3-56 that normally hold a pickup - due to the same reason.

On another pickup - I was able to do "almost" the same thing.  I had to solder brass nuts to the bottom of the pickup body.  Worked great.

You also need to chuck the 4-40 screw in a drill... and file/grind its head down a little to fit the space available for the head

 

[Schlieren]

I had to solder brass nuts to the bottom of the pickup body.

or you could superglue nylon ones, if you suck at soldering and dont want to learn on your guitar

 

[Cagey]

Not as daft as it sounds - I've got a pair of HBs on which the PO has drilled out the mounting holes so the usual ring-mounting screws are useless. I've had the pickups direct mounted (just screwing them down with wood screws) but want to be able to use them with rings now. Any ideas? I thought about something like this but dunno if they go small enough -

You can repair the pickup by replacing the baseplate, which would give you back the standard mounting ears tapped for the standard spring/screw mounting scheme.

That part is ~$7 at Stewart MacDonald's (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Pickups:_Parts/Humbucker_Pickup_Parts/Humbucker_Baseplate.html). But, orphaned humbuckers are a dime a dozen. You don't need a good one - just ask around for a cast-off from an upgrade. A lot of guitar players have junk drawers full of them. Then, take the thing apart, use whatever you need, and toss the balance.