Pickup swap guitar

[Zhangliqun]

There's so many different pu types, plus the different pots (500k/300k/250k) that there is no one testbed guitar that will do it all. I just suck it up and slack the strings on my guitars for a straight up swap.

I also use alligator clips to connect the leads instead of solder so I don't fry the pots.

[kevinT]

I have a test guitar that I use for quality control and my initial test once the pickup comes off the line. The guitar has multiple modules that are designed to take various types of pickups. You attach the alligator clamps to the hookup wire and install it in the module and then insert it into the cavity. The modules have copper contacts that contact the copper contacts in the cavity which are wired to the toggle switch and volume and tone pots.

The guitar is made by Player Insturment Corp. Patent # 4425831.

[Paulkstadden]

As for different pot values, different capacitor values, heck, even different numbers and types of pots (1 volume with push/pull, 2 volume and 2 tone, three volume and phase switch, etc.) it seems that it would also be a good idea to have different modules that contain different wirings depending on what the test is. I could have an SG or rear route hardtail Strat that could take a module of varying wirings, as well as whatever pickup selections I could want. Making some Trisonics? Swap in the Brian May wiring, etc. Anyone done that?
Kevin, I thought your pickup swap guitar looked excellent. Does Player Instrument Corp still sell those? The site looks like it's mostly info about classical guitar method. I couldn't find any info on the guitars themselves other than a couple photos from the ads.

[kevinT]

you know... I looked and looked too, and couldn't find anything on the guitar a while ago. Its the only one that I've ever seen. I won it at an auction on eBay about a year ago. You might try calling the company.

I included the patent number so that you could perhaps get more details about its design if you wanted to make your own. I don't think it would be that difficult.

I also visited TV Jones' site and they have a tester guitar that I found interesting. check it out.

[petemoore]

yup

I used a 6'' electric handsaw, and stops to bring a curved scoop of wood from the tops of the pickup holes, some sanding..
Cavities all made big enough for the biggest pickup, and a hole drilled in each pickup cavity to accomodate an RCA jack.
Each pickup wire gets an RCA plug.
Each pickup gets it's own pickup mount ring, made from countertop material, so the height adjustment is good.
I still had to drop the low E and A string down or pull hard on them to get the pickup under..., but pickup swaps were pretty painless [fixed tailpiece on LP type].
Worked just fine...for trying pickups, I'd recommend shooting for ~matched PU sets or volume pot R value mods, using one or the other PU worked fine, often the middle position took 'some getting used to and the controls seemed 'touchy.

[David Schwab]

There's so many different pu types, plus the different pots (500k/300k/250k) that there is no one testbed guitar that will do it all. I just suck it up and slack the strings on my guitars for a straight up swap.

How is slacking the strings any different from having a guitar where you don't have to loosen the strings? Your guitar that you are loosening the strings still has one set of pots, right?

It's very easy to make a test guitar that will "do it all" .... it's simple to have 250K and 500K pots. There's really no need for a 300K pot. Or you can do without any controls and shunt a 250K or 500K (or 300K, 1M, etc.)resistor across the output.

The other thing is that guitars sound different, so it's not like you are testing your pickups in every possible guitar. What I do is use an instrument that I know the sound of.

Bartolini pickups had a video of them with a test guitar where they were able to snap pickups out while still plugged into the amp.

I also use alligator clips to connect the leads instead of solder so I don't fry the pots.

I use alligator clips going right to a 1/4" jack most of the time. I also have a box with various controls I can switch in and out... plug the pickup into that, and then into your amp.

[Spence]

you know... I looked and looked too, and couldn't find anything on the guitar a while ago. Its the only one that I've ever seen. I won it at an auction on eBay about a year ago. You might try calling the company.

I included the patent number so that you could perhaps get more details about its design if you wanted to make your own. I don't think it would be that difficult.

I also visited TV Jones' site and they have a tester guitar that I found interesting. check it out.

Ever wondered why TV Jones' test guitar is this simple?

You don't need all sorts of bells and whistles; you're just testing the pickup.

That's why I use a cheap lap steel.

[David Schwab]

Ever wondered why TV Jones' test guitar is this simple?

You don't need all sorts of bells and whistles; you're just testing the pickup.

That's why I use a cheap lap steel.

Exactly. I'm thinking of bolting a neck to a 2X4...

Where is the TV Jones test guitar... I couldn't find it on the site.

[edit] I see it now!

Hey.. his covers are brass!

[soundmasterg]

I've seen and played Tom's test guitar at TV Jones. Its a really nice setup and very easy to use. I plan to make one myself, and I told Possum I'd make him one too when I get around to it. He has these blocks that the pickup mounts to that are a standard size for all pickups. They will accept full size humbuckers as well as single coils, P90's, etc. The end of the block uses copper tubing, and when you slide it into the cavity, the copper tubes contact a slightly larger copper tube which is wired to the rest of the pots and jack, etc. On the block, I don't recall if he clips the pickup wires to the copper tubes or just how he does it, but it is a quick swap. He uses it at all his trade shows to quickly demonstrate pickups and differences between them. The one in the picture isn't the same as the one I've seen, so I assume Tom uses the one I've seen at trade shows, and uses the one in the pics in production.

Greg