So what's the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

[Number Of The Priest]

If you can mount single coils without using pickup rings for them, why are so many humbuckers installed with pickup rings? I know you can direct mount the hums but is there any real advantage to pickup rings? They say that direct mounting gives a more accurate tone anyways. I wouldn't know.

[Jack Napalm]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

I thought one of the reasons so that you could adjust the overall height of the pickup. When flat mounted you don't have that ability.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Hmmm, perhaps I'm extrapolating myself here, but you can adjust the height of single coils by fiddling with the two screws on either side of the pickups, so this leads me to think there are two screws on either side of the humbuckers when direct mounted as well. I'm not too sure though since all the humbucker-equipped guitars I have owned all had pickup rings on them. I had no idea you couldn't adjust the height on direct mounted hums.

[Jacksonfan]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

NOTP , I have my cousin's Samick Gregg Bennett Model here and it has direct mounted pups. There is simply a spring over the screws under the tab or ear on each side of the pickup and you can adjust the height of them.

Chris

[mm2002]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

You can adjust the height of direct mounted hums just like ring mounted ones (except for opposite rotations of the screws) I think the only reason rings are used is cosmetics. In theory the pup mounting should have very little to do with the tone. (I'm sure the tone purists will bash me for that statement but fukem! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Ahhh, excellent. Thanks. Pickups would be pretty limited if you couldn't adjust their heights. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

I've also heard (read) that about direct-mounted hums sounding "better" than ringed hums - better tone, more sustain (somehow), etc etc - haven't heard/seen any proof of that though.

Personally I think direct-mounting makes the guitar look naked. While it's ok for a hot babe to go about skimiply dressed, it just don't fit on a guitar [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Newc

[Ace]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

I built a guitar body with direct mounted humbuckers, it looks and works just fine.

[delt]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Jani Liimatainen of Sonata Arctica (awesome finnish band) has a ibanez custom shop with direct mounted dimarzio's, in a guitar clinic he says it gives more sustain and resonance. and like Ace said, it looks & works fine.

[Jack Napalm]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Ok, this brings up a question then. I thought you took the flange on the pickup and screwed right into the body, flush. How does the pickup not wobble? If their are springs under the flange wouldn't the pickup have a wobble to it? I am missing something here.

[mm2002]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Hell Jack, if the spring is between the pup flange and the ring they wobble too don't they? Hang on..let me go check my guitars........................................... .................................................. ................................yup, they wobble too.

[Jack Napalm]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

Wouldn't something attached directly to the body that has a wobble in it affect sustain?

[delt]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

no, because you touch yourself at night.

[mm2002]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

[img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: So what\'s the deal with PICKUP RINGS?

[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't something attached directly to the body that has a wobble in it affect sustain?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not really. Many guitars are made with direct mounted pickups, and no one that I know of has ever complained about lessened sustain because of them. They should vibrate at the same frequency as the body. They only "wobble" when you push on them. If you were to play your guitar while "wobbling" the pickups with your hand, you'd REALLY hear something, like the springs and screws rubbing each other. In normal playing there is no real difference.