How to Change Electric Guitar Pickups
- 1). Remove the strings from your guitar and set them aside if you plan on using them after the pickup installation. This is the only way to fully gain access to the pickups to replace them.
- 2). Unscrew the pickups from their cavities. Turn each screw counterclockwise until the pickup lifts up enough to pull it out of its cavity. Turn each screw a few turns at a time, alternating screws, as this will allow the pickup to slowly come out of its cavity. You can now access the wires that connect the pickup to the guitar's controls.
- 3). Unsolder or cut the wires going to the old pickup. For most aftermarket pickups, you can use the existing wiring from the old pickups to wire your new pickups. The wires may be bundled together for overall cleanliness and you may have to strip an inch or two of the sheath to gain access to the wires you will need.
- 4). Match the wires attached to the new pickup with the ones on your guitar. Some companies use different colors for certain wires. Consult with the company that made your guitar for what each wire leads to so you can match your new wires. The new pickups may even include this information as well.
- 5). Solder the wires together that match up according to the diagrams you have used. There are usually wires for ground and hot leads that eventually make it to the output but are wired to pots in the control cavity or to pre-amp modules.
- 6). Cover the individual wires with electrical tape and then re-sheath the bundle so that the wires are together. This will prevent any of them from ripping when you feed them through the small hole that leads to the control cavity.
- 7). Slide the pickup into its cavity and screw the two screws, one on the left and one on the right, into the wood. This will also allow you to raise and lower the pickups for finding your tone.