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How much do shops usually charge to install pickups?

52K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  mahogany_sabre  
#1 ·
Anyone know prices shops will usually charge to install pickups for you?
 
#4 ·
Hi -
I recently had Sam Ash install one pickup and install a push/pull pot. They also changed my strings as well.
This cost me $60 which included the push/pull pot and the strings.
Got in done in one hour which was the real selling point for me.

jeff
 
#5 ·
The speed issue really makes a difference actually. Some places around town here actually will take 2 weeks to install pickups. Usually these are places where there's only one guy that does the work and s/he is usually not there(ie. they take your guitar to another place to get it done at).
 
#7 ·
It definitely varies from place to place. I got EMGs installed in one of my RGs (which involved changing out the switch and all the other electronics in the guitar) and the guy only charged me $30 along with the electronics that he pulled out the other guitar. I was out of state when I had that done but I think it was a pretty good deal. I got charged $35 to replace the pickups in my S470DX when I had Dimarzios installed. The real difference was that it took the first guy like a week to finish with my guitar AND I had to keep taking it back because there were wiring issues that we had to track down and it only took the other guy one full day to get them installed and that's only because he was the only person working at the shop so he had to stop everytime a customer came in.
 
#10 ·
waylay00 said:
Take the small amount of time to learn how to do it yourself...soldering is a valuable skill to have.
+1. I'm not electronics whiz but if you can read a map, you can read a pickup wiring schematic. The only time I ever paid to have a pickup installed was when I was having other work done to the guitar.

If I don't like the PAF Pro in the bridge position of my PGM301, I will be swapping it out with a Tone Zone and I will do that installation myself.
 
#11 ·
It definitely depends on whether you're a regular customer or not because the guy that runs the local guitar shop that I frequent said that his base rate is $30 a pickup but he only charged me $35 to install two humbuckers in my newest guitar.
 
#12 ·
lyconxero said:
It definitely depends on whether you're a regular customer or not because the guy that runs the local guitar shop that I frequent said that his base rate is $30 a pickup but he only charged me $35 to install two humbuckers in my newest guitar.
That package deal makes sense because if you're changing 1 pickup already, changing 2 isn't that much more work at all.
 
#14 ·
I put EMG's in my brother's RG560 and had to change out the pots and wire in his 1 passive pup. All totaled I think I spent about 3 hours working on it. I only charged him $20 but if I was doing it for anyone else I would have to get at least $60.

That's for all three pickups...
 
#15 ·
I have a permanent hand tremor that makes soldering nearly impossible, thankfully never had to take anything to a shop as I ask my friend to do it and pay him in beer. Last time he did an exceptional job of putting a new output jack in considering he'd already drank the whole 8 cans before he started the soldering!