How to clean old nasty pickups?

[jed9]

I just got a '93 reverse and the pickups are pretty nasty looking, but sound good enough to not justify buying new ones. Is there anyway to clean the pole pieces? thanks

[CharvelRocker]

A ScotchBrite Heavy Duty Scour Pad may clean up the pole pieces, but beware it will mark up the bobbin/plastic. A little spritz of WD40 on a paper clothes you then rub on the pole pieces will clean them up as well. You may also be able to find a Jackson pickup cover and just cover it up.

[jed9]

Do you think the corrosion and sweat build up will affect the tone at all? I know it has to reduce the pull, but I could not tell either way with these pick ups. The wd-40 idea sounds prime. Thanks

[CharvelRocker]

Do you think the corrosion and sweat build up will affect the tone at all? I know it has to reduce the pull, but I could not tell either way with these pick ups. The wd-40 idea sounds prime. Thanks

Rust has zero effect on tone. And with the WD40, my advice is spray a towel with just a pinch, and rub the towel together. It will clean it without leaving a sticky film. Another way to do it is to spray a little in a paper cup, and lightly dab a cotton ear cleaner/swabs in it, and then clean the pickups with that.

[m2pmd70]

All I know is don't use steel wool. Ask me how I know. lol

[toejam]

If the pole pieces are adjustable, just unscrew them to take them out and clean them easier.

[jed9]

The bridge pickup has poles. What about electronic cleaner and a little scrubbing? I might try the covers as well. Good idea. Jackson made some pretty good pickups (80c and 85). I was surprised, thought I would have to do a pickup swap asap. Thanks for the input guys.

[jed9]

I did the best I could to clean those pickups, but they are still a little tarnished. They sound absolutely amazing, and I am keeping them. Where can I get covers for them? Going for EMG style, jackson logo preferred but not necessary. Also its the kind with no pickup rings and the bridge pickup "tabs" sit kind of low and are not threaded if that matters. Sorry for bumping up an older thread, did not want to start a new one. Thanks again for your input and feedback

[DonP]

ebay?

[Jacksonguy666]

Would adding the covers affect tone? Those EMG style jackson covers look bomb as HELL though!

[tonemonster]

Nasty old pickups are like nasty old whores........no matter what you do, you really cant clean them up much.

[jed9]

Nasty old pickups are like nasty old whores........no matter what you do, you really cant clean them up much.

Aint that the truth. I restored the thing, and it looks amazing with the maple top but those pickups look like ass. Anyway, they have ones on ebay I saw a couple weeks ago for emg pickups. How do they attach to the pickup?

[BRADSTANG]

tape up to the pickup poles,wrap a piece of 1000-1500 grit sandpaper over something thin and flat and run it over the non screw-type poles, when you are done with that, you can take a very fine rubbing compound , then a glaze/swirl remover over the whole pickup, it will shine the metal and plastic equally well, just watch out if it has a logo on the pickup ,try to to go over that lightly as not to wear it off.

[jed9]

tape up to the pickup poles,wrap a piece of 1000-1500 grit sandpaper over something thin and flat and run it over the non screw-type poles, when you are done with that, you can take a very fine rubbing compound , then a glaze/swirl remover over the whole pickup, it will shine the metal and plastic equally well, just watch out if it has a logo on the pickup ,try to to go over that lightly as not to wear it off.

What about the adjustable pole pieces? Those are the worst part. Sounds like a really good method. I thought about doing sand paper on the blade pickup.

[Rupe]

What about the adjustable pole pieces? Those are the worst part. Sounds like a really good method. I thought about doing sand paper on the blade pickup.

Like Toejam said, just unscrew them out of the pickup and clean them...then put them back in