Direct mount strat pickup question

[ptirman]

I am going to direct mount my pickups to my 7/8 strat using pickup rings. Should I use a compressible foam? I have seen it recommended and also seen that it isn't necessary.
My gut tells me yes to use it.

 

[stratamania]

You would normally use foam if direct mounting. If you are using rings why would you need foam?

 

[ptirman]

You would normally use foam if direct mounting. If you are using rings why would you need foam?

That's my question which came out of my uncertainty looking it up. With single coil pickups and pickup rings with a direct mount, do you need foam to give you the extra ability to adjust the height more precisely or should you try to use springs or nothing? I'm a hack just trying to make it a bit easier while trying to actually do it myself.

 

[Fat Pete]

Possibly there's a terminology issue here(?) 'Direct mounting' a pickup refers to attaching the pickup to the body without using a pickup ring/surround - if you used a ring as well, you'd end up with unused pickup mounting/adjustment screw holes.

So - with pickup rings: hang the pickup from the ring in the normal way, using springs or tubing - OR - direct mount: screw the pickup directly into the wood (or possibly into threaded inserts), with foam, shims or springs underneath and don't use rings.

 

[ptirman]

Possibly there's a terminology issue here(?) 'Direct mounting' a pickup refers to attaching the pickup to the body without using a pickup ring/surround - if you used a ring as well, you'd end up with unused pickup mounting/adjustment screw holes.

So - with pickup rings: hang the pickup from the ring in the normal way, using springs or tubing - OR - direct mount: screw the pickup directly into the wood (or possibly into threaded inserts), with foam, shims or springs underneath and don't use rings.

Thanks so much, very helpful.

I won't use a pickguard. I read another topic where someone asked the question about direct mounting and Cagey gave an informed answer about using pickup rings to give the same aesthetic of nothing outside the pickup cavity but a more stable mounting option allowing minute pickup height adjustments. This is along my line of thinking. Thanks again.

 

[stratamania]

If you are using pickup rings it is equivalent to the way you would mount a pickup in a pickguard.

I am not sure what you mean about pickup rings giving an aesthetic of nothing outside of the pickup cavity because it does the opposite.

Another possiblity what you may have read was in response to someone wanting to direct mount pickups with screws to the wood with foam underneath for "tone" but wanted to retain the look of using a ring.

 

[ptirman]

If you are using pickup rings it is equivalent to the way you would mount a pickup in a pickguard.

I am not sure what you mean about pickup rings giving an aesthetic of nothing outside of the pickup cavity because it does the opposite.

Another possiblity what you may have read was in response to someone wanting to direct mount pickups with screws to the wood with foam underneath for "tone" but wanted to retain the look of using a ring.

Thank you for your reply. The rings I ordered are supposed to arrive any day. When I ordered them I had just seen a photo of them in use and they fit inside the triangular pickup cavity so weren't visible outside the cavity (that is what I meant by preserving the aesthetic of nothing outside the cavity). At the bottom of the cavity you just see the ring and what I ordered were black so  hopefully not distracting. If they fit outside the cavity then I screwed up and I'll go the direct mount route by screwing the pickups directly to the wood. I did a few searches for both videos and photos of rings for single coils without pickguards and was fairly surprised by what little I could find. Could be entirely my fault using bad search terms. Hell, I can't even get across what I am trying to do using appropriate terminology on this forum!

 

[ptirman]

Here's the Cagey quote from the thread I was referring to. I see where the confusion came. He was saying don't direct mount, not here's another way to direct mount.

Re: Pickguardless strat
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2014, 12:35:34 PM »
Given a choice, I always use the mounting rings. There's no tone advantage to wood mounting, and it generally looks like a bargain-basement installation. I don't care if Mr. VanHalen did it - that doesn't make it right, pertinent or effective. hell, he put cigarettes out in one of the pickup routes. Does anybody suppose that made the thing sound better? Plus, if you need to adjust height (and you do), it's a real pain in the shorts without mounting rings. I've done the wood mount thing a number of times for myself and others, and what I learned from the experience is: don't do it.

 

[Rick]

Don't fear the springs.  Use this hack

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=31131.msg437698#msg437698

 

[ptirman]

Don't fear the springs.  Use this hack

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=31131.msg437698#msg437698

Turns out this hack will definitely use that hack. Thanks.

Rings came in today and I completely misinterpreted the photo that I referred to. It doesn't fit in the cavity. Of course if I would have thought about it, it wouldn't make sense to do so. I've been making some bonehead moves so far. Need to take a breath and one step at a time. I will be direct mounting to the pickup cavity after all.

 

[Rick]

Inquiring minds want some pics!

 

[stratamania]

I was going to ask how rings would work that fit in a cavity but I see that turned out not to be the case.

Now we have Cagey's quote he was basically confirming a similar thing just use the ring if that is what you are doing. Where I differ is if someone intends to direct mount it is up to them.

 

[ptirman]

It's a combo quilted maple and spalt with a transamber finish. Body is Korina. Looks Halloweenish. The spalt looks like a spider web.

 

[PhilHill]

Now THAT is beautiful!  .. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:

 

[stratamania]

Indeed it is a great looking body. I must say personally I am not a fan of pickup rings for single coils and in this case I think they would detract from the aesthetic of the body.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Indeed it is a great looking body. I must say personally I am not a fan of pickup rings for single coils and in this case I think they would detract from the aesthetic of the body.

I agree with Stratty.
Maybe some shielding paint in the p/u cavities or tape, then a simple traditional direct mount will showcase that beautiful body more appropriately.  You could do threaded inserts for the direct mounting, but even that might be making it more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[ptirman]

Indeed it is a great looking body. I must say personally I am not a fan of pickup rings for single coils and in this case I think they would detract from the aesthetic of the body.

Thanks guys and I agree, I will venture into direct mount territory. I should get the weather strip foam in the mail in the next few days and mount those dudes.

 

[Rick]

What I do when i'm mounting pickups is I put the neck on, and strings, so that the strings line up perfectly over the pole pieces.  Yes, I know it's OCD.
Beautiful piece of wood by the way.

 

[ptirman]

What I do when i'm mounting pickups is I put the neck on, and strings, so that the strings line up perfectly over the pole pieces.  Yes, I know it's OCD.
Beautiful piece of wood by the way.

Great idea. Thanks I'll try that.

Indeed it is a great looking body. I must say personally I am not a fan of pickup rings for single coils and in this case I think they would detract from the aesthetic of the body.

I agree with Stratty.
Maybe some shielding paint in the p/u cavities or tape, then a simple traditional direct mount will showcase that beautiful body more appropriately.  You could do threaded inserts for the direct mounting, but even that might be making it more complicated than it needs to be.

  Thanks. After reading this I looked up threaded inserts and that would be both stable and a pro thing to do but would require woodworking experience in association with dexterity, both of which are deficiencies of mine.  :sad1:

 

[Logrinn]

Wow, that's an awesome looking body!
Very cool!