Hole Threads in Humbucker Mount??

[oldlefty]

I'm upgrading all the electronics on my Jay Turser 335 knockoff.  I bought a new DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniv. from Musician's Friend and just went to mount it in the ring.  I can't get any of the four supplied mounting screws ( 2 phillips head or two straight slot) to thread into the holes in the legs??  I assume those holes should be threaded, right?  Looking with the magnifier I can't see any threads, and no matter how I try to screw the screw in, it just sits on the hole and doesn't "bite".  I'm suspecting they forgot to tap the holes, but this is my first time mountin a humbucker, so I just wanted to get a second opinion before I contact DiMarzio.  Thanks guys!

 

[Paul-less]

legs of the humbuckers? You would be correct. The puppy rings, however, should not have threads. If that's what's up, call them

 

[-CB-]

if the screws drop through, then you have stripped holes

if the screw wont start easily - start them BEFORE you put the spring and ring on... the screw is harder than the brass and will cut its own threads, then you can assemble the pickup the regular way

 

[oldlefty]

Paul-less:  Yes, correct- it's the hole in the leg.

CB:  The pickup I took off looks like a brass bottom and legs, but the DiMarzio is "silver-looking".  Not as polished as the cover, but it looks like steel?  The screw heads on the bottom that hold the windings to the bottom plate look like brass.  I tried puting some force on the screw to get it to bite, but it just sits on the hole.  I tried it without the springs, no luck.

 

[pabloman]

Try putting the screw in from the bottom. Sometime the first threads can get a little muffed.

 

[oldlefty]

pabloman- tried that, no luck.  Using a magnifier I can see threads on the old bickup, but in the DiMarzio it just looks like a bushing on the inside??

 

[spauldingrules]

I've had this happen with sever dimarzio's I've tried - some just take 30 mins of pushing hard and turning.  On one I actually used a touch of my dremel to open it/clean it just a bit and it worked fine.  It's insanely frustrating, to be sure, but normal.  Just be sure to get the screw in a couple times before you actually install it - once it goes in, it should go back in easily.

 

[oldlefty]

If I could see any threads I'd try forcing it, but I don't.  I called DiMarzio and they said "Oh, sounds like the holes weren't tapped, send it back.  Or if you can find a 3-48 tap, go ahead and tap it yourself."  I looked all over and nobody local has a tap that small.  I could order one, but the postage to return the pickup is less that the cost of a tool that I hope I would only need once.  I mailed it back to DiMarzio today.  Thanks fo all the advice guys.

 

[oldlefty]

Replacement pickup arrived, screws thred right in- just like they should.

 

[-CB-]

I thought they were 3-56 ???? not 3-48

 

[-CB-]

a little google says  yes, 3-48... my bad

 

[oldlefty]

3-5-6 was my old Porsche...  ;-)

 

[Klark]

I've seen this many times over the years.  Either holes that weren't tapped, or holes that were stripped out.  Easiest solution is to order a bag of brass 3-48 nuts from McMaster Carr, then solder the nut onto the bottom of the humbucker ears.  Just a tiny bit of solder on either side of the nut is all you need.

 

[DangerousR6]

I just drill them out anyway and hard mount them...we don't need no stinking rings.... arty07:

 

[Alfang]

or go buy a tap and make some threads

And I also like my pups solid mounted like dangerman