How to mount Strat pickups on wood

[animal control]

Hi, brand new, first build.

On a rear rout body, how do I mount the pickups and still be able to adjust their height? What hardware do I need?

 

[bbl4ck]

First, welcome to the forum...

I am sure there are different ways of doing this type of mount, but this is how I did it on Cherry Bomb [seen below]

I used Fender bass saddles screws for the mounting.  Drilled my holes in the body and placed a piece of Fender rubber pickup tubing on the screw after running the screw through the pickup.
Then just screw her onto the body.  The rubber tubing allows you to adjust the height.

I did not like the way the pickup was functional, yet still wobbled around a bit.  So, I also placed a piece of foam under the pickup to keep it steady.

Works like a charm!

Good luck &  :rock-on:

 

 

 

[animal control]

Thanks, gorgeous guitar btw. It doesn't look like the heads of the screws in the photo, is that just the angle I'm looking at them from? Am I correct that you're drilling pilot holes and then screwing the machine screws into the pilot holes to the desired depth?

 

[swarfrat]

I'm a skeptic anyway, but...

If you're doing this for some perceived sonic reason rather than aesthetic, wouldn't a hard shim not be a requirement to reap any rewards for wood mounted pickups?

 

[bbl4ck]

It doesn't look like the heads of the screws in the photo, is that just the angle I'm looking at them from? Am I correct that you're drilling pilot holes and then screwing the machine screws into the pilot holes to the desired depth?

Yes, those are the screw heads you are seeing.  You are also correct with the drilling process; first drill pilot holes [being careful not to go through the body] and then place the screws to the desired depth. 
Believe me, I have no problem with sonics.  This Cherry Bomb rocks...

 

[TJD]

I know it depends on the look you're trying for, but I used single coil p/u mounting rings from stew-mac..very easy to use, they cover the holes and have a very clean look. Mine are black but I think they come in other colors. Super high quality and finish--I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[animal control]

I'll take a look at the single coil rings, thx.

I'm doing the rear-rout purely for looks. This will be the first solid body I've ever owned that doesn't have the pickups suspended from the pick guard. I've never thought about sonic issues with the pickup/body relationship. I've always thought the body/fingerboard connection with the strings was the tone factor along with the string/pickup connection. The more I learn about this the less I know.