Remove mounting plate from pickup...don't lose screws or springs. Position the plate where you want the pickup to be. Mark with a pencil the holes and the rectangular area occupied by the pickup. Cut out the rectangular area. Drill the 4 holes for the plate, and the two holes for mounting pickup...be sure that the holes for the plate are a bit smaller than the screws, so they hold. The two holes for the pickup mounting screws should be a hair larger than those screws, so the thread don't bind on the box top...makes installing the pickup & springs easier.
Once everything is drilled, cut out and cleaned up, install. Mount the plate first. Then place the two pickup screws through the top of plate. The springs go on the inside, between the bottom of the box lid and the small "ear) on bottom of pickup, where screws thread. Only twist the screw in so it holds, then do the other. Once this is done, you can use screwdriver to continue turning the screws, which will cause the pickup to raise higher...or if loosening the screws, will lower it...do this until the top of the pickup is about 5/16 to 3/8 inch from strings. If pickup is too far away from strings, the signal will be weak. But if too close, the magnets will slow down the vibrating strings, and reduce the sustain (how long the plucked strings vibrate).
I usually add a "heel" that runs under the neck and extends the length of the box, and also glue-on some sort of wings to support the mounting screws. Then rout a cavity through the lid and into the neck for the pup. Both necks in the picture are set up for the mini humbuckers. You will need to bend the screw tabs out a little bit in order for them to match up with the pickup mounting ring that goes on the outside of the lid. The mounting plate/ring also makes a nifty template for the routing, although you can't tell from the raggedy-ass job I did on these two. :-)
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Check out the diagram Reeds posted in this recent discussion. You may find it helpful.http://http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/neck-to-box-question
Remove mounting plate from pickup...don't lose screws or springs. Position the plate where you want the pickup to be. Mark with a pencil the holes and the rectangular area occupied by the pickup. Cut out the rectangular area. Drill the 4 holes for the plate, and the two holes for mounting pickup...be sure that the holes for the plate are a bit smaller than the screws, so they hold. The two holes for the pickup mounting screws should be a hair larger than those screws, so the thread don't bind on the box top...makes installing the pickup & springs easier.
Once everything is drilled, cut out and cleaned up, install. Mount the plate first. Then place the two pickup screws through the top of plate. The springs go on the inside, between the bottom of the box lid and the small "ear) on bottom of pickup, where screws thread. Only twist the screw in so it holds, then do the other. Once this is done, you can use screwdriver to continue turning the screws, which will cause the pickup to raise higher...or if loosening the screws, will lower it...do this until the top of the pickup is about 5/16 to 3/8 inch from strings. If pickup is too far away from strings, the signal will be weak. But if too close, the magnets will slow down the vibrating strings, and reduce the sustain (how long the plucked strings vibrate).
Thanks this is the details I was looking for, now I have a better understanding and will follow this when I get started, Thanks again, Sonny
I usually add a "heel" that runs under the neck and extends the length of the box, and also glue-on some sort of wings to support the mounting screws. Then rout a cavity through the lid and into the neck for the pup. Both necks in the picture are set up for the mini humbuckers. You will need to bend the screw tabs out a little bit in order for them to match up with the pickup mounting ring that goes on the outside of the lid. The mounting plate/ring also makes a nifty template for the routing, although you can't tell from the raggedy-ass job I did on these two. :-)