Tired of my Cbomb I ordered a Cpig (update: installation done + pics)

[one]

I hope I didn't make a bad choice but I just found out they aesthetically aren't the same, the Cpig comes with two lines of magnet poles, I think it will suit my guitar though as I ordered it with a chrome cover a black poles







As it will go on this floyded guitar, I think I'll try to swap it without removing strings, can I do it properly without damaging the guitar top and not necessarily unlocking the nut, right?

[djpatb]

That's gonna be tough getting the old PU out and the new PU in without scratching everything up.

[Dave Sloven]

Sorry man, you're going to have to take the strings off, otherwise you will most likely scratch the surface of the guitar and the pickups.  And you probably won't manage to get it in anyway and besides you are going to have to back off the strings so much anyway that your set up is bound to be screwed.

One thing you could TRY is cutting off all of the strings except the highest and lowest strings, and seeing if that allows you to get the pickup in and out without losing too much of the setup.

Worse comes to worst just take the thing to a tech for a new set up afterwards, better than destroying the finish.

[PK]

It's best to take the strings off.
Just take a 9V battery, wrap a cloth around it a couple of times and place it under the floyd, this should hold it in place.
If you want to save the strings, you could try this and then loosen the nut and unwind the strings a bit (this is why I put the strings in the wrong way around in a floyd guitar, ball end goes through the tuner) you might have enough slack so you can take the strings out of the bridge, and later you can try to put the strings back into the bridge.

[Slartibartfarst42]

For the sake of a set of strings, I'd always put new ones on. I just fitted new pickups to my Strat and I'd only fitted a set of new Elixir strings a couple of months ago (nothing for Elixirs) but I still put another brand new set on and did a new set up. I'll grant you that setting up a guitar with a Floyd is a bit more of a pain but it's a very useful skill to have. I only ever take mine to a tech now if I need something like a fret dress done but restringing, setting the action, setting the bridge and adjusting the neck relief are all within my own abilities now and I'm happier as a guitarist having that knowledge.

[Yellowjacket]

If you don't change the string guage, it shouldn't mess with your setup. 

[one]

Huge noob question coming:

How do I know what side of the pickup goes installed where?

Sorry in advance if stupid.

[Lord Blakers]

Not a stupid question. The bridge pickup should be orientated so that the cable is at the bottom of the pickup - nearest the hole to the control cavity. Other way around for the neck.

It'll work either way, but might sound a bit different upside down. Depends on how the pickup is wound.

[Slartibartfarst42]

You'll notice that on yours, the screw polepieces face away from the middle so they're either towards the bridge or towards the neck. If you look at various pictures of guitars you'll see that this is usually always the case unless you're Peter Green or Gary Moore. It only then becomes more problematic if, like me, you always have double rows of screws, in which case Lord Blakers is correct that the wires are always at one end of the pickup and it will be the bottom end because that's generally where the routing is for the wires.

[pac90]

Stunning guitar by the way, love that wood

[Dave Sloven]

The neck pickup kind of looks upside down.  So, for example, if you have an SG with the pickups mounted into the pickguard and you remove the pickguard upside down and hold it with the neck pickup at the top you will notice that the writing on the bridge pickup is the right way up for you to read it whereas the neck pickup looks upside down.

I hope this helps you make sense of the orientation.

[one]

Thanks a lot, mates, I think I understand all your answers. I know it's different depending on the side you install it. I have a CrunchLab I love turned opposite because it is loaded in a mahogany axe.

I didn't realize at first it has a double pole row, so it will slightly unmatch my original guitar aesthetics, but I think not so much:



But anyway I have a bad feeling about it. First of all, though some other people told me not to worry and don't even remove the strings, I'm going to do what you suggest, no strings in the way. However, I am very reluctant to leave my bandmate (or almost anyone) touch my guitar. It cost a lot, I am a bit a maniacal of cleanliness and order and I treasure it like my baby, you probably know what I mean :) buuut my soldering skills are totally nonexistent and he is a electronics wizard (though very clumsy and dirty), he fixes TVs and whatnot.

In short, I think it is going to be a pain and after all I'm afraid I won't like the Cpig either and probably have to change it back. We'll see. Maybe I take a pic of the reverse later to show you and make sure I understood the way you told me I should install it.

I was playing yesterday with it (Cbomb yet) and I almost like it in my Blackstar, darker amp, but it makes me cringe in my 5153, I hope the Cpig helps here.

[Yellowjacket]

Since you have the pickup you might as well try it at least.

[one]

So should the part where the cable comes out point towards the bridge when I install it tomorrow?

[djpatb]

Yes, down and to the right.
Directly towards the control cavity.