Does anyone NOT like direct mounting their pickups?

toneboy · #1 06-22-2006, 03:05 PM

I'm just curious is anyone has not liked dealing with direct mounted pickups and decided to install pickups rings on a guitar that had direct mounted pickups.

Thanks.

rastachild · #2 06-22-2006, 03:49 PM

only problem i have with direct mounted pickups is that they usually don't have the adjustability of the ones that are mounted on pickup rings (typically when you want to lower them). sound-wise, some people claim to hear a difference, but so many things affect tone on a guitar, i think it's impossible to link it to just one aspect of the design.

rgr · #3 06-22-2006, 04:28 PM

I think pickup rings are ugly on super-Strat guitars w/o pickguards. They are fine on LP and PRS type guitars though. It's purely an aesthetic thing for me.

toneboy · #4 06-22-2006, 05:11 PM

I agree with both of points. I do think that the lack of mounting rings looks nice, especially on a guitar with the nice looking top (I've got a quilted maple RG2720).

However, adjusting the height with direct mounting is a pain in the but compared to mounting rings.

Well, I've got something to think about now.

Dee · #5 06-22-2006, 05:14 PM

I'd always go for direct-mounted. Good enough for EVH , it's good enough for me. That guys knows good tone. Pickups shouldn't need a huge amount of adjusting. Plus having springs between the pickup and body, it's all good.

toneboy · #6 06-22-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deeswift

I'd always go for direct-mounted. Good enough for EVH , it's good enough for me. That guys knows good tone.

EVH knows what he likes and I know what I like and you know what you like in tone. "Good tone" is very subjective, right? For me, direct mounting does make a perciptible difference in tone.

Quote:

Pickups shouldn't need a huge amount of adjusting. Plus having springs between the pickup and body, it's all good.

What matters to me is being able to adjust the height of a pickup to balance output, sensitivity and string pull. This is much easier to do with ring mounted pickups.

Dee · #7 06-22-2006, 05:50 PM

Yes, good tone is subjective, but I kinda trust Eddie, I like his tones and I think he knows how to achieve it.

**moebius** · #8 06-22-2006, 06:49 PM

I always thought direct mounted pickups were ugly. The body has those points on either end of the pickup which stick out. I like pickrings better, its a more clean look in my opinion.

Dee · #9 06-22-2006, 10:11 PM

It's the sound that's important.

**moebius** · #10 06-23-2006, 10:16 AM

Eric Johnson "the tone ranger" uses a strat with pickguard mounted pickups. His tone is pretty good.

TonyT1000 · #11 06-23-2006, 11:06 AM

I don't like direct mounts, though they look OK on some guitars. I prefer the appearance of pickup rings and the adjustment precision they provide. That is of ultimate importance in getting the best sound out of the pickups, IMHO.