Humbuckers without rings

RadsRock

Junior Member
Messages
51
Having never had a 'bucker in a rear-routed guitar, I'm a little confused about mounting options.

First, if you mount without rings, how do you adjust height?

Second, under W's pickup options, in discussing mounting directly to wood, they say:

       "Our rout for this application is without the end plunge cuts and is to a single depth of 3/4".

This is how my body is currently routed.  By 'end plunge cuts' do they mean a bevel on the bridge side of the pickup route?  I have just learned the HB rings usually are beveled like that.  So, why is that?  (why the bevel to the rings, I mean)

Now, I have seen rings that are flat.  So if I decided I did want to use a ring, is there an advantage to routing in the 'end plunge cuts'?  Or is it just as good to get flat rings and not have to worry about that cutting?

Thanks!


 
The "Plunge Cuts" refer to the deeper part of a normal humbucker route, on the low e side, and on the high e side.  It is where the tabs that house the holes for the height adjustment screws screw into the base plate of most Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan, Gibson, and many other humbuckers are located.  When you take any of these pickups out of your guitar, you'll likely notice these two parts of that hole are a bit deeper than the rest, just large enough for you to stick maybe your pinky finger into.

Direct to wood elimates that particular part of the rout so that you can screw the pickup "Direct to Wood".

 
Hmmm.  Sorry, I apologize if I'm a knucklehead....  maybe I do have end plunge cuts!  Which would explain why I was initially so confused as to how I'd mount these things (Rio Grandes) to the wood.   ???

So, if I am looking at the pickup route, on the bass & treble sides, there are sorta ear-like flaps cut there.  The tabs on the base of the pickup slide right in there.  Do I have end plunge cuts?    :help:

If so I can understand how it could have happened.  When I ordered the body over the phone, there were a few details where I wasn't sure what I wanted - like this one.  John (I think that was his name) tried to help me sort if out... for rings vs direct to wood, he took a quick poll of people in the vicinity, and direct to wood won, so I thought that was what I had gotten.   :toothy11:
 
Call us again on Monday so we can look up your order and read back to you what you specifically ordered, then we'll be better informed to advise you.
 
The ear-like tabs are always there.  If they're routed out deeper than the rest of the route, then you have the normal humbucker route.  If it's all the same depth you have the to-wood route.

This one is normal, you can see how there's a deeper part:
S2230a.jpg
 
OK, so I'm finally getting my attention back to my guitar project (annoying life-stuff had me distracted for awhile)...

So, thanks guys - I now am completely confident:  I do not have end plunge cuts!  And after I saw the photos, the written descriptions made perfect sense.   :toothy11:

So, now I am back to question #1:  How do you (or can you) adjust height if you install direct-to-wood?  I've had a difficult time finding info on ring-less installation; one source I found (at Kinman, here) talks about using rubber tubes to set the height.  Which means that you'd have to take a best guess at it, and live with the result?


 
I think folks just layer some foam underneath the pickup or some other material (rubber etc.), until the desired pickup height is achieved. Tubed spacings on the shaft of the screws hold the pickup down, on the other side. :dontknow:

Maybe Dangerous can fill you in on how that is all achieved? He looks like he has done a project with this sort of pickup arrangement.
 
First I set up the bridge and get the string action set to where I like it. Then I'll cut some pieces of dense foam to put under the pup's uintil I get the desired height that I want. Then I use my calipers to measure the distance from the tab on the pup to the bottom of the pocket. Then take some metal tubing just big enough for the screw to fit in, and cut that to the length of the measured distance from tab to bottom of the pocket. Then put it all in place, much like this illistration, only I have the foam under the pup's and the tubing under the pup tabs. But it all depends on the depth of the pup rout, and the height of the  tabs on the pup's..
pickup_routing_humbucker2.gif
 
I'm sorry in advance as this has nothing to do with the subject, and is of no help, but in that pic that Dangerous posted, the word screw with the arrow pointing to what could only be a screw is just perfectly hilarious.
 
guitlouie said:
I'm sorry in advance as this has nothing to do with the subject, and is of no help, but in that pic that Dangerous posted, the word screw with the arrow pointing to what could only be a screw is just perfectly hilarious.
Wasn't my graphic, I stole it from Warmoth.... :icon_biggrin:
 
Hey, take nothing for granted! 

Danger, thanks for the advice.  I am seriously wondering if this is worth it, or should I just get some damn rings.
 
get the rings - it's better

it makes the sound all sproingy instead of foamy
 
RadsRock said:
Hey, take nothing for granted!  Danger, thanks for the advice.  I am seriously wondering if this is worth it, or should I just get some damn rings.
No problem Rads, I think it's worth it. I like the look without the rings better, plus it sounds better..... :guitarplayer2:
 
DangerousR6 said:
RadsRock said:
Hey, take nothing for granted!  Danger, thanks for the advice.  I am seriously wondering if this is worth it, or should I just get some damn rings.
No problem Rads, I think it's worth it. I like the look without the rings better, plus it sounds better..... :guitarplayer2:

Sounds foamy?  :doh: :tard: :laughing7:
 
OzziePete said:
DangerousR6 said:
RadsRock said:
Hey, take nothing for granted!  Danger, thanks for the advice.  I am seriously wondering if this is worth it, or should I just get some damn rings.
No problem Rads, I think it's worth it. I like the look without the rings better, plus it sounds better..... :guitarplayer2:

Sounds foamy?  :doh: :tard: :laughing7:
:laughing11:...just like Gillette
 
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