Triple Shots on a San Dimas?

[iffy50]

So, I got myself a white Japanese San Dimas yesterday. That's 2 promods now. The stable's growing.

I love the sound of this thing. OK, I'll need to spend a bit more time with it, but my initial impressions are that it sounds fantastic. But as with my SoCal, I'd like to have the option to split the coils for a bit more versatility.

I also love the cream pickups / rings and brass on a white body look and I wouldn't mind going for that.

Then the idea hit me: What about getting some SD Triple Shot rings?

But the San Dimas has direct mount pickups and I really don't want to drill holes to mount them. So, the question is, can you install pickup rings without drilling? Is there a kind of glue that would work for this, but be removable at a later date without taking the paint with it?

Cheers,
Ian

[Nightbat]

Why don't you simply grab a longer mounting screw that goes through the ring and the pickup tabs?

[ginsambo]

I just drilled mine with Cream Dimarzio pup rings. Taped it up from neck to floyd posts as a guide and pencilled on that, left pup screwed in, as another guide and used a wood bit, just watch the ring placement as the edges of Dimarzio rings are very tight on the pup routes. The second one I did by eye and it came out better, but by then I knew I wasn't going to chip the poly or anything so probably was more relaxed.

Regarding Dimarzio pups, I know for sure that an AT-1 bridge and Breed neck will fit with room for adjustment and to spare and so will a set of 36th Anniversary pups as that is what I have in them. I have the pole pieces about 1/8 inch away from the strings, but they'll back off quite a bit also. I cut the pup ring adjustment screw springs when I installed them and reduced the length of the adjustment machine screws to fit.

Neck angles on these vary though, as do the USA pro mods. I think you'll have trouble with something with a huge magnet, depending if you strike lucky with the neck angle or not.

Also I find the JB, which, incidentally is the greatest pickup ever made, is way too far from the strings on my red USA direct mount Wildcard.

At the end of the day, it's a japanese made production guitar, designed for playing. Just drill it, you can always get another body.

Brass or cream rings on a white body look the nuts. If the guitar sounds and feels good and you reckon you'll keep it, just drill it.

[Newc]

I agree with both posts; drilling it won't kill it, as long as you don't screw it up too bad. Or get longer mounting screws (bass versions might do it?) and mount the rng to the pickup, though the screws may be thicker than the ring/board holes, so you'd want to check that.

[Nightbat]

Or get longer mounting screws (bass versions might do it?) and mount the rng to the pickup, though the screws may be thicker than the ring/board holes, so you'd want to check that.

I replaced directmounted 'long tab' oem p'ups on my Ibanez with 'short tab' aftermarket versions without installing rings using shortened p'up mountingbolts
instead of woodscrews, while the p'ups are held at the right height by some simple foam
they're still holding after 4 p'up swaps and 12 years

-the Pro-mods having short tab cavities would be much more solid, since the tab rests on the wood
the only thing you'd want to prevent is lifting the tabs when screwing in, which is easily done by securing the p'up with some double sided tape on the tabs
to keep it in place

[iffy50]

I ordered a few rings last night to try out and I'm going to see if I can put some longer screws through the ring, the pickup and the wood to hold them in place. If that doesn't work and I find that I'm liking the look, then it's time to get the drill out...

Right, now to start looking for brass parts on the Bay...

[ginsambo]

One final word of advice. I know brass rings are as authentic as cream Dimarzio ones. But if you do decide to get the drill out in a few months, check your brass mounting hole alignment with Dimarzio Cream rings and Seymour duncan F spaced low profile rings. Rings wouldn't kill your value at all on a white Pro Mod, but some people, including myself, despite them being steeped in tradition, find brass rings on a strat body a bit too bling.

There is a guy over here been trying to sell a blue Japanese Pro mod with gold rings and it isn't moving because it looks ass like some pimp's 30" chrome wheels (And it's also overpriced).