New bucker won't fit! *help*

[kirs]

I am replacing my stock HB-102 Korean Duncans with a Jazz/JB combo. Small problem. The old pups were not covered, the new ones are nickel. The bridge pickup fits fine, but the neck pup does not clear because of the solder buckles at the base of the cover. It's literally off by a fraction of an inch.

Looking at the situation, it looks like if I could melt the solder and squeeze the cover in place it would clear. Bad idea?

I'd rather not take a saw to the body of the guitar. I'd like to keep the nickel covers. I don't want to harm the pickup either.

[Aceman]

Just sand lightly. Or very carefully with a dremel tool. I have a p-90 that's kinda tight and that's what I'm going to do.

[Jeffrec]

Just sand lightly. Or very carefully with a dremel tool. I have a p-90 that's kinda tight and that's what I'm going to do.

That's not a bad idea, but be real careful. It may not take much to get it to fit. Sometimes the finish just beyond the edge of the cavity is a little thick and can be sanded down.

[Luke Duke]

Welcome to the forum man!

What kind of guitar is this going in? If you want to remove the cover you can use a soldering iron, or desoldering iron. If you want to keep the on go with what Aceman said. Sandpaper+time=nice results.

Luke

[kirs]

The guitar is not a great one. It's a sort of obscure Fender Les Paul clone (from when they bought DeArmond). It has a nice body and I would hate to tamper with it. Sanding the body might do it, but the buckle is rather fat and may took a good chunk of the guitar off.

[Luke Duke]

So what you are saying is that the pup is too tall then? If that's the case you can simply heat the solder and use a solder sucker or desoldering braid to get rid of it.

Luke

[kirs]

So what you are saying is that the pup is too tall then? If that's the case you can simply heat the solder and use a solder sucker or desoldering braid to get rid of it.

It's too wide on the north and south sides (the parts facing the neck and bridge).

[Lewguitar]

Try this:

Mask the sides of the cover so you don't scratch it.

Then take a C-Clamp or put the pickup in a vice with the back side up so you can heat the solder blobs and at the same time pinch the sides of the cover tighter to the sides of the pickup.

Take your soldering tool and heat up one solder blob while tightening the Vice or C-Clamp and see if you can make that side tighter.

Let it cool.

Do the same thing to other side and see if you make it tighter.

Good luck!

When I install covers I use two clamps: one to press the cover on tight against the top of the pickup and the other to pinch the sides of the cover tight.

Lew

[Luke Duke]

Try this:

Mask the sides of the cover so you don't scratch it.

Then take a C-Clamp or put the pickup in a vice with the back side up so you can heat the solder blobs and at the same time pinch the sides of the cover tighter to the sides of the pickup.

Take your soldering tool and heat up one solder blob while tightening the Vice or C-Clamp and see if you can make that side tighter.

Let it cool.

Do the same thing to other side and see if you make it tighter.

Good luck!

When I install covers I use two clamps: one to press the cover on tight against the top of the pickup and the other to pinch the sides of the cover tight.

Lew

Lew that is an EXCELLENT idea! I guess when you've been in the music biz as long as you have you learn a few tricks.

Luke

[Lewguitar]

Lew that is an EXCELLENT idea! I guess when you've been in the music biz as long as you have you learn a few tricks.

Luke

You learn alot of things you should never try again too!

[Luke Duke]

Hey Lew, any jewels you should share that fall into the do not try again category?

Luke

[Lewguitar]

Hey Lew, any jewels you should share that fall into the do not try again category?

Luke

Oh yeah: Never strip your original '56 Les Paul and paint it polka dot. I did (when I was 18) ...wish I didn't!

And never add two Strat pickups to your original '51 Telecaster. I didn't but I asked Dan Erlewine to do it for me when I was about 20. Again: I wish I didn't!