# Removing plastic pickup ring?



## youheardme (Aug 8, 2010)

Hey guys,

I'm currently working on an Ibanez rg470dx rebuild... picstory will be up once complete! However... i'm not a huge fan of the plastic pickup rings and want to switch this up to a direct PU's mounted to the body...
(picture of the guitar before i gutted it)
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16265&stc=1&d=1281266636 

However... where i would want to screw the pickup's into the body doesn't have any wood available to screw into... it's been hollowed out to allow for the pickup height to be adjusted with the pickup ring. 
(See red arrow below - Gutted guitar)
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16266&stc=1&d=1281266636


Whats the best approach to doing this and still having the ability to adjust pickup height once complete? Perhaps getting some wood filler... fill holes and just screw the pickups right to that? will it be stable enough? will the pickups sit in the body to low? will it look stupid?

If anyones done this before or have any tips hit me up. 


Also...unrelated...but ... for when I finish this project and am ready to post up the picstory whats the best method for adding multiple pictures to a thread for maximum viewage?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 8, 2010)

I would cut some small dowels to glue in right there, opposed to filler, and mount the pickups to them. It would be a more solid mounting point. Then of course just place some foam on the bottom of the route to put pressure against the pickup, making it stable.


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## youheardme (Aug 9, 2010)

thanks max,


anyone one else any tips?
Or has done this before?


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## youheardme (Aug 31, 2010)

bump. tips anyone?


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## Mordacain (Aug 31, 2010)

Not to thread hijack, but what's the best way of filling the screw holes for the mounting rings if you would prefer not to refinish the guitar? Obviously the goal would be trying to get to look like the holes were never there. I was thinking of doing this to my Showmaster as well.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 31, 2010)

Mordacain said:


> Not to thread hijack, but what's the best way of filling the screw holes for the mounting rings if you would prefer not to refinish the guitar? Obviously the goal would be trying to get to look like the holes were never there. I was thinking of doing this to my Showmaster as well.



It really depends on the finish on your guitar.

For typical opaque, solid color, poly finish, fill the holes with a colored poly as close to your guitar's finish as possible. To do so, get some clear poly and some dyes that they make to add to poly. Mix it really good, test it out on a scrap piece of wood before using on the guitar. Now, mask off around the screw holes and using an injector put some in the screw holes, be sure not to overflow. Let it harden over night. Then put some clear over top. Remove the tap and use some sandpaper to even out the poly and surrounding finish. Finish up by buffing and polishing the top until everything is glossy and even. If done right you won't be able to tell unless you really look up close.


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## Mordacain (Aug 31, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It really depends on the finish on your guitar.
> 
> For typical opaque, solid color, poly finish, fill the holes with a colored poly as close to your guitar's finish as possible. To do so, get some clear poly and some dyes that they make to add to poly. Mix it really good, test it out on a scrap piece of wood before using on the guitar. Now, mask off around the screw holes and using an injector put some in the screw holes, be sure not to overflow. Let it harden over night. Then put some clear over top. Remove the tap and use some sandpaper to even out the poly and surrounding finish. Finish up by buffing and polishing the top until everything is glossy and even. If done right you won't be able to tell unless you really look up close.



So that would work well for the OP looks like, what about dye finish? Try and match the same way or is it something best left alone and deal w/ the mounting rings?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 31, 2010)

Mordacain said:


> So that would work well for the OP looks like, what about dye finish? Try and match the same way or is it something best left alone and deal w/ the mounting rings? For reference:



It's going to be a bit more difficult as you'll have to find a shade of yellow that blends well with the grain and coloration of the top. It's certainly doable. 

It all depends on how much effort you're willing to put in vs. how much you mind the pickup rings.


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## Mordacain (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks for the info, I was trying to cut down he photo to just to a small section of one of the humbucker routes. Photobucket fail.

I might give this a shot. It looks like my routes have the same deeper cut as the OP's so would it be better to rough out a piece of wood that would fill that whole space or just a dowel large enough to fit snug? And I assume roughing out the finish and attaching with wood glue?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 31, 2010)

Mordacain said:


> Thanks for the info, I was trying to cut down he photo to just to a small section of one of the humbucker routes. Photobucket fail.
> 
> I might give this a shot. It looks like my routes have the same deeper cut as the OP's so would it be better to rough out a piece of wood that would fill that whole space or just a dowel large enough to fit snug? And I assume roughing out the finish and attaching with wood glue?



Well, you're only going to need to put a dowel where the pickups are going to be screwed down, so you're not going to need to fill the whole "space" on the sides. 

Also, you're correct in assuming you'll need to remove some finish to get to wood and attach with wood glue.

When it comes to stuff like this where it's not going to be seen, and you just need something solid, go the path of least resistance. Typically a simple fix, is a long lasting one.


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## youheardme (Sep 21, 2010)

For filling the screw holes of the pickup ring on a natural finish guitar do you think that mixing wood glue/sawdust combo would be a viable solution that will look good?


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 21, 2010)

youheardme said:


> For filling the screw holes of the pickup ring on a natural finish guitar do you think that mixing wood glue/sawdust combo would be a viable solution that will look good?



It would definitely be viable, and may be the only way to easily match the hues of the wood.


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## youheardme (Sep 21, 2010)

Perfect, thanks again


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