Your preferred method for direct mounting pickups?

[NefariousShredd]

New body and neck just arrived, earlier than expected so pickups are still on their way. I’ll post another thread at some point with pictures and the build process.

But, one thing I’ve been procrastinating on is how to direct mount the pickups. I’m getting EMGs (Super 77 in the bridge, Maverick Five single coil neck), so wiring will be easy and I don’t have to worry about grounding or anything.

There seems to be a few different ways to direct mount them, and I’m just curious as to what method you might prefer, pros and cons, what’s easiest, or most functional, etc.

Do the Aaron method of drilling out the threads and using Tele pickup screws? Threaded brass inserts? Drilling on a pickup baseplate? A shit load of duct tape? Staples?

Never direct mounted pickups before and I’m already nervous about drilling. And since it’s one single coil and one humbucker, they might need different techniques. Any input appreciated!

 

[rockandroller]

Duct tape AND staples for the win...

 

[Fartcaster…Undercover]

Duct tape AND staples for the win...

And if that fails, pools of epoxy resin

 

[stratamania]

This is not a build in progress thread. Appropriate sub forum tech talk.

See existing threads. e.g.

T

Thread 'Let’s talk about direct mounting guitar pickups!'

Jun 2, 2025

Regarding Humbuckers:

I’ve seen the video with Aaron from April of 2020. Since that was a whole half decade ago, I was wondering if there have been any updates regarding materials and technology available for this.

The idea of drilling the screw holes in the pickups to make them bigger makes me a bit queasy and unnerved. Has anyone come out with screws for this purpose yet? Like screws that can just go into the pickup and pilot holes?

I’ve looked at some other videos of direct mounting, and some other methods are even more complicated than what Aaron does with the Telecaster...

• ThisIsHuhWow404
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Tech Talk

 

[Tretgeraet]

Do the Aaron method of drilling out the threads and using Tele pickup screws?

In my experience drilling out the threads isn't even necessary, if you use said tele pickup woodscrews.

The only bad experience I had with these was with my purpleheart body: While I stayed relatively cool, a screw completely lost it's head... and it was very difficult to get it out of the wood again. But purpleheart ist VERY hard.

If I could travel back in time I would probably use different, more modern and maybe thicker wood screws for that guitar, even if that meant drilling out those threads on the pickups.