First Pickup install, hole misalignment?

[Alex Huddleston]

I just did my first aftermarket pickup install on my MIM Fender P bass last night. It's was the EMG Geezer Butler signature and it sounds amazing compared to the stock pickup! The install went very smoothly and the instructions were easy to follow except for one small hiccup. When I went to mount the pickups to the body, the screw holes where the original pickups were seemed to be about 1/8th of an inch, maybe less, too wide to fit the EMG in. I thought this was very strange as the pickups are the exact same dimensions. I just ended up lining up the pickup with the pickguard set on the body, used one of the original holes and screwed a new hole in the body where it lined up. Everything looks fine and aligned now, I just thought it was strange. Maybe the holes on the original were a bit farther out on the "tab" part of the pickup?

 

[Slater]

A variance like that probably isn’t uncommon on MiM Fenders.

 

[96tbird]

Dimensions may be the same but the mounting ear holes likely aren’t. If you look at the covers in the Fender the ear holes are likely wider at the bottom (tapered hole) and the EMG are likely straight. The tapered hole allows more slop when installing the pups at fender factory.

You can’t expect that two makers of pickups have their shells made by the same company to exact duplication.

What you did is fine. If you like you can glue in some toothpicks in the old hole just to prevent any tear out over time if the new hole is very close to the old.