Switching over a single coil pickup to a humbucker. Please help.

[copperandstars]

Hello,

I recently purchased a humbucker and new pickguard to replace my single coil pickup in the bridge position. I know many of you people are against putting humbuckers on strats, but that is the path I have decided to take. I have been told that all you do is unsolder the original pickguard and the solder the humbucker in it's place. Is there anything else I should know about?

Also, one more question. The pickup I bought is a used DiMarzio and is fairly old (late 70's). I got it cheap so I am not too worried if it does not work well. But I was just wondering, over time do pickups start to lose their effectiveness?...if that is the word I am looking for.

This site is an amazing help, thanks a lot!

Ryan

 

[juststartingout]

No, pickus don't wear or loose anything. It is a magnet with wire wrapped around it. Not much to go wrong. It either works or doesn't.

 

[flash2ace]

vintage rules>

in my opinion the older pickups age and begin to sound better with age. just make sure you save your original stuff and use a litlle tendar care when you do this change over,if youve never done this you might wanna take it to a guitar shop and have it done by a professinal because if anything happens your covered. anyway good luck with your project, god bless tim pate

 

[PFDarkside]

Basically, if the magnet is Alnico then yes it can "mellow" a little with age. If it's ceramic, then no, it's all or nothing.

How many leads on the pickup? Of there are two or three, then just solder them in where the others were. (A bare goes to ground along with the ?black?) If there are 4 or 5, then you have to look up color codes, then connect two of them together.

 

[Clive Hugh]

You have made a good choice, I have installed DiMarzio humbuckers in strats a couple of times and have been pleased with the results, I put it in the neck position tho' but have done one on someone else's strat in the bridge position. Enjoy it.

 

[lesterpaul]

is from a strat

was it originally on a strat iread in GUITAR WORLD where th spacing for astrat is different than like a Les Paul and you would need a Trembucker which is made for strats....just my 2 cents

 

[ecs113]

I put a PAF in my Strat, no prob. If you are putting it in the bridge position, I recommend installing inline with the strings, rather than at an angle. The trick is the wiring. You will need to do a little research if there are more than 2 leads on the pickup.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/colorcodes.html