Preferred Single Coil Rings (or not)?

[migetkotla]

I've built a large number of Warmoth guitars and still alternate how I design my strats with single coil pickups.  I am designing a rear routed strat on Warmoth, and so there will be no pickguard.  Do most of you use pickup rings, direct mounted pickups, both......other?  I have one guitar that has what appears to be a base below the ring that the pickup sits on.....ordered that a long long time ago so kind of forgot where/when, although it seems to keep the singe coils in place firmly.

Any recommendations for a tried and true way of handling rear routed single coil mounts?  Thanks so much......no better advice then what I've read from you guys here.  Amazing how it is often very different from other blogs whose members don't actually build guitars but seem to know it all......  Thanks again!

 

[line6man]

There are exceptionally few guitars out there with single coil pickup rings, that don't look horrifying ugly. For this reason, I would avoid them like the plague, unless there was a very well-spec'd build planned out.

The trouble with direct mounted single coils is the unsightly mounting flange that is made visible by the lack of a pickguard. My solution is to choose pickups with no mounting flange. They look much better than traditional direct-mount, or pickup rings.

 

[stratamania]

I prefer the look of single coils in a rear rout without pick up rings. 

Good suggestion of Line6man to get ones without the flange.  I believe DiMarzio offers this as an option.

 

[Cederick]

I very much prefer the mounting rings because I think it looks "uncomplete" without them. The same thing goes for direct mounted humbuckers, for me it looks like it's not finished.

Here's my warmoth soloist/strat with HSH... It started out as a 1 humbucker only guitar but I added additional humbucker, and then a single coil. VERY crooky routings, because I had no idea what I was doing, hahaha. But I don't care, I like guitars that looks a bit wacky but plays and sounds great.

 

[Stonker]

Is it just me that thinks strats just don't look right without a pickguard?

 

[Updown]

This Q all depends on different things.

What look your after.

Your personal choice or the person it's for.

I've used single pup rings on 2 builds as I needed to use them.
One had a GK-3 wire that needed hiding.
http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=16573.0

The other has a bridge humbucker wired up to a SD Triple shot.
So looked much better using the single pup rings.  :icon_thumright:
http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=19269.0

 

[Sp4zRX]

My vote is in favor of pickup rings.

 

[Neo Fender]

No rings.

 

[AutoBat]

I think pickup rings make it look like an afterthought, especially for single coils.  I only have them on my VIP because there were already holes from the previous pups.  I'm not handy enough to fill 'em in and have it not look trashy.

 

[Fat Pete]

From an aesthetic point of view, one man's "horrifying ugly" is another man's "uncomplete". Go with what looks good to you.

In terms of function, as long as the pickup doesn't rattle about, I don't believe it makes any difference.

There is at least one company out there selling mounting plates that you screw into the cavity and then attach the pickup to the plate. Possibly some practical benefit but I think they make claims about magical tone improvement that have a snake oil whiff to them - as do the prices. There's a thread on here somewhere about these.

Is it just me that thinks strats just don't look right without a pickguard?

No it isn't.

 

[stratamania]

Good point it is in the eye of the beholder.

Whereas on a rear rout Strat type guitar for single coils I am not a big fan of rings, for humbuckers it could depend on the guitar.

For a Les Paul style, though it would to me look wrong without pickup rings.

 

[Stonker]

Fat Pete - Glad you agree lol.  If others think a rear routed strat looks nice, each to his own.  For me, without a scratchplate though, a strat just doesn't look right.  a tele on the other hand looks fine.  Just my opinion though of course

 

[Cederick]

Now that is a guitar I've been drooling over for a few times since joining these forums  :icon_thumright:

Is it just me that thinks strats just don't look right without a pickguard?

I kindof agree, actual strats with regular SSS and standard 3-knob control scheme looks weird with no pickguard.

However it only needs a tweak in the control department to make it look good, like the above image.
Also H-H charvel like strats look awesome without a pickugard.

 

[Stonker]

I must admit, that white one with black binding does look quite nice