Mounting A Tele Neck Pickup

[Denis]

I am starting to build a tele. Mahogany body with a maple top.

Until I got the top jointed and sanded, I was just going to use a pickguard, but the maple is just too pretty to hide.

Personally, I think leaving the neck route showing just doesn't look right, and the pickup is one of those that mounts thru a pickguard (i.e. the pup is suspended from the guard in the same way that a humbicker is attached to a ring). so that woudn't work anyway.

I am thinking about making a "ring" out of an offcut of the maple - maybe thickessing it down to about 4mm (3/16"") or so.

I have tried searching, but can't find any reference to doing something like that on a tele as opposed to a HB.

Can anyone offer any experience of doing this please?

Thanks

Denis

[avengers63]

I am starting to build a tele. Mahogany body with a maple top.

Until I got the top jointed and sanded, I was just going to use a pickguard, but the maple is just too pretty to hide.

Personally, I think leaving the neck route showing just doesn't look right, and the pickup is one of those that mounts thru a pickguard (i.e. the pup is suspended from the guard in the same way that a humbicker is attached to a ring). so that woudn't work anyway.

I am thinking about making a "ring" out of an offcut of the maple - maybe thickessing it down to about 4mm (3/16"") or so.

I have tried searching, but can't find any reference to doing something like that on a tele as opposed to a HB.

Can anyone offer any experience of doing this please?

Thanks

Denis

From what I've been able to tell, the route for the neck pup on a tele is almost identical to that of a strat, except for the wiring chanel. S/C pup rings aren't too hard to find if you wanted to buy one. Otherwise, it's entirely feasable to make one from some scrap. Your thickness sounds about right. I suggest making the hole for the pup before cutting out the final shape. Less margain for error that way.

And, as always, post some pics of your progress.

[Mickguard]

The tele neck pickup is smaller than a strat pickup. I'm sure I've seen pickup rings for them though. Of course, making your own is just as good.

But just because the pickup came suspended, doesn't mean you have to mount it that way. Just replace the screws with the type that go directly into the wood.

Personally, I think pickguard highlight the wood, not cover it. Especially on a tele, since the pickguard is pretty small.

[Denis]

But just because the pickup came suspended, doesn't mean you have to mount it that way. Just replace the screws with the type that go directly into the wood.

Personally, I think pickguard highlight the wood, not cover it. Especially on a tele, since the pickguard is pretty small.

Mick - I just wasn't thinking. Of course mounting in the way you describe would make the whole thing more doable. Thank you!! One of my concerns was mounting the screws for the pickup so close to the route. If I don't need to do that............

Denis

[Southpa]

Same situation I had a while ago. Solid maple tele and didn't want to cover too much wood. I made a ring out of scuff resistant plexi (Acrylite) for a single coil sized HB. The cavity entrance is minimum size but I hollowed out the wood under the lower edge to accomodate the pickup base plate. ie. The pickup slips in on an angle, this way I have somewhere to screw the ring down. Three screws hold it down, w/ 2 adjustment screws on each end. The material was cut with a jeweller's saw, then edges filed, sanded and polished. I used some pearloid wrapping paper as backing for the clear plastic.

[Denis]

Neat solution, and a nice looking Tele.

Thanks a lot

Denis