Material under pickups

When I changed my pickups, I took the pads off the old ones and stuck them under the new ones. I didnt need to glue them because the screws hold it down ok. If you want new pads, I've heard that a piece of an old mouse pad works well.

 

The material used on the stock MIM is rubber weather stripping. You can find it at most major home improvement centers. Just make sure to get rubber and not the foam which is not stiff enough.

 

John - Being a luthier, do know what the purpose of the foam rubber padding is? I found it under the pups I had on cheap basses I had long ago (never messed with the pups on my better basses).

Absorb vibration??? Thanks!

 

Hey Rick I am not John but I am quite sure it is for pickup height adjustment. Some have springs around the pickup screws that serve the same purpose, to hold the pickup up while the screw holds it down. This will keep the pickup at the height you want it.

 

Thanks, biz. I was thinking the same thing. But when I have done pup height adjustment on my "decent" basses, it feels like it is just the screws going in/out of the wood. Maybe I just don't feel the springs.

This may be good to know when I replace a pup.

 

I thought that stuff was just a build up of dirt and sweat???

 

Yep,

It's for height adjustment. I have seen springs used as well, but in the case where the PUP has a removable cover (most) the spring support must come from under the coil bobbin. It seems kind of low tech to use weather stripping, but it works and is cheap!

 

I wouldn't know about any of those quality basses. My whole line up is pretty modest. I guess the pup could be fixed to the screw and would therefore go up and down with it. Naw, I bet there is still something under the pup to dampen it from vibration. It's primary purpose being height adjustment, and secondly to dampen the pup from vibration.