"Repairing" a direct-mount pickup

[Fiesta Red]

Is there any way to repair or reverse the holes in a pickup after it has been directly mounted to a body with larger screws? Is it destined to be a direct mount forever, or is there an easy fix so that it can be used in a pickup ring?

Thanks in advance!

 

[homespun]

Yeah. Just hit up the hardware store for a pack of bolts that fit the smaller screw. Superglue or solder it into place.

In the past I’ve cut the little tabs off of broken pickups before and just glued them to the pickup with the too large hole.

 

[Dave M]

• Solder hext nuts to the ears
• Replace the baseplate with a new one.

 

[_actual time_]

I've had good luck with the soldering a nut onto the baseplate idea--file down any burrs on the baseplate, tin it and the nut, put a pickup bolt and spring through the hole into the nut, and when you hit it with the soldering iron, the tension on the spring pulls the new nut right into place.

But you need a nut made from a solder-able material, like brass. I had to buy a 100-pack.

(PS: anyone who wants a half dozen, PM me...)

 

[Dan Gleesak]

Tap and die kit will work, you will just need to use slightly larger mounting screws

 

[OUTLAW1969]

I have always utilized threaded C clips.

Just slide them on the "butchered" pickup tab (sometimes from the end, sometimes from the side), until the threaded section is lined up over the old, enlarged hole. Then install the pickup, as you normally would.

When you find some, buy about 10 of them (they are cheap), because you undoubtedly will be looking to do the same thing again, in the future.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

+1 to everything that has been suggested. All will work equally well.

 

[boltzthrower]

I’ve used Scotch Mount 30lb foam tape to mount a pickup with no tabs. You can add layers if u need to increase pickup height. It will hold solid if the surfaces are clean.