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Post subject: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:23 pm
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Hello all.

Been thinking about replacing the stock humbuckers on my 2011 Blacktop HH. Interested in mimicking the pickups used in the Jim Root strat (EMG 81 and EMG 60) Can this be done on my strat and if so (having never done a pickup replacement) whats the rough cost for having a good shop do the replacement?

Thanks in advance.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:48 pm
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As long as they are split coil it should be a direct replacement for the black tops current wiring. If they are not split coil then the configuration will be changed from a conventional Strat 5 way switch style to a 3 way with HH (bridge alone/both/neck alone) with no taps. As far as how much it costs can vary widely from shop to shop and even location can make a difference.

If the size and mounting style used on the replacement pups are the same as what is coming out I would say 40-50 bucks a pup is average. However if it requires any other mods to mount and or fit that price will go up. Just shop around. Ask your local guitar dealers or do a google search under "luthier" or "guitar repair" with your zip code included.

EDIT: I think the pups you are wanting to use are active. That is going to require additional work and an external flush battery box unless you don't mind having to remove the pickguard every time you need to replace it. But same thing applies, shop around for a deal but also make sure whoever is doing it is competent.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:30 am
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ebaysux wrote:
As long as they are split coil it should be a direct replacement for the black tops current wiring. If they are not split coil then the configuration will be changed from a conventional Strat 5 way switch style to a 3 way with HH (bridge alone/both/neck alone) with no taps. As far as how much it costs can vary widely from shop to shop and even location can make a difference.

If the size and mounting style used on the replacement pups are the same as what is coming out I would say 40-50 bucks a pup is average. However if it requires any other mods to mount and or fit that price will go up. Just shop around. Ask your local guitar dealers or do a google search under "luthier" or "guitar repair" with your zip code included.

EDIT: I think the pups you are wanting to use are active. That is going to require additional work and an external flush battery box unless you don't mind having to remove the pickguard every time you need to replace it. But same thing applies, shop around for a deal but also make sure whoever is doing it is competent.


Thanks for the feedback. Never considered the coil. How involved is it to rewire to a 3-way HH?

The battery box is the one thing thats got me hung up. I hate to have to do such a significant mod, and id be worried what that would do to tone etc.

I may need to considered another pickup option (perhaps passive) i just thought it would be cool to make a poor mans Jim Root clone.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:38 am
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drfager wrote:
I hate to have to do such a significant mod, and id be worried what that would do to tone etc.


I'd be more worried about what EMG pickups do to the tone.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:01 pm
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GilgaFrank wrote:

I'd be more worried about what EMG pickups do to the tone.


Tru Dat


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:14 pm
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Sev Grey wrote:
GilgaFrank wrote:

I'd be more worried about what EMG pickups do to the tone.


Tru Dat


I am with these guys. Honestly the amount of material needed to remove for a 9v battery will not have any concerning or noticeable effect on tone but changing to active EMGs would drastically change the sound and might not be for the better. So it is kind of a big risk as if you end up hating are now stuck with a routed out guitar for no reason. If it is more the "look" you are after then just find passive pups that are an upgrade that have the look you are going for. If you decide on non split coils the best thing to do would be to order a 3 way strat selector switch. I know it would take me 10 minutes to wire up but I can't say what others will charge for that. As I stated earlier if you use split coils they only have to remove the wires from the old pups and solder in the news ones to the same locations...no brainer. However if size/mounting method wise they are not a direct replacement then it will be additional for the mods required to make it work and look right.

It could even require a new pickguard due to having extra holes left from the stock pups or might require mounting rings ala Les Paul.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:22 pm
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ebaysux wrote:
Sev Grey wrote:
GilgaFrank wrote:

I'd be more worried about what EMG pickups do to the tone.


Tru Dat


I am with these guys. Honestly the amount of material needed to remove for a 9v battery will not have any concerning or noticeable effect on tone but changing to active EMGs would drastically change the sound and might not be for the better. So it is kind of a big risk as if you end up hating are now stuck with a routed out guitar for no reason. If it is more the "look" you are after then just find passive pups that are an upgrade that have the look you are going for. If you decide on non split coils the best thing to do would be to order a 3 way strat selector switch. I know it would take me 10 minutes to wire up but I can't say what others will charge for that. As I stated earlier if you use split coils they only have to remove the wires from the old pups and solder in the news ones to the same locations...no brainer. However if size/mounting method wise they are not a direct replacement then it will be additional for the mods required to make it work and look right.

It could even require a new pickguard due to having extra holes left from the stock pups or might require mounting rings ala Les Paul.


Im not going for a "look". To be perfectly honest I think i got carried away with the idea of having a dual humbucker strat when i bought it three years ago and probably should have just gone with a standard single pickup configuration. I find the blacktop sits in the middle of no mans land, not quite the cut and clarity of standard strat, and not quit the warmth and bottom end of say a les paul. Rather than relegate this guitar to the closet i thought id look into replacing the pickups. I came upon the jim root series strat watching some of the anderton videos and thought that may be a cool experiment putting them in blacktop to create a poors man clone. That said after really digging in to it, im not sure I want to butcher the guitar to accomplish it.

Perhaps i need to look for another pickup option, probably passive.


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 6:07 pm
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I'd really recommend a rethink, I've always found EMG pickups to be one-trick pony pickups. Sure, they can grind the living bejaysus out of your amp but I've never heard them do anything else. Maybe that's just me though, YMMV as they say. I just find that EMG's make the sound your amp makes, not the sound your guitar makes.

There's always Uncle Seymour to fall back on. Or these guys ...

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/p ... humbuckers

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 7:39 pm
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Well an HH blacktop Strat is essentially an MIM standard but with the 2 overwound hot pups. You can slap an SSS loaded pickguard in there as well.

With the current wiring setup position 2 and 4 give you the taps which should give you a somewhat Fenderish sound and quack. But if you are not happy with it you might want to try a set of higher quality passive humbuckers that are warmer. That might be what you need.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 7:51 pm
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Putting EMGs into a blacktop. Been there and done that and super happy with the results:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=92923

Sure its on a tele but same bodywood as yours. I bought the splitable EMGs and wired it as such

3 way switch (rewired a 5 way to a 3 way)
2 vol push pulls so I could split each pickup individually.

Thing is a tonal BEAST and don't listen to what these guys are saying about EMGs, sure its different to a passive, but that doesn't mean its worse. This guitar is my Go-To guitar now thanks to those EMGs, and the Split coil Neck Pickup is the go-to position. Sounds bluesy, very SRV type tone on a tele.

Now I drilled out a battery spot, but you'll have space in the back for a battery if you get fancy with the springs, like so

Image

If it was me I'd block the trem too so that the spring doesn't pinch your battery cable, either that or just put some card over that spot on the string and tap the leads to it (any old business card should do the trick) that way you wont get the wire.

Just got setup in my new house so I'll have some sound bites for you shortly.

Dan

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:43 pm
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Liking that idea of shoving the battery into the trem cavity. This way it is reversible if you don't like the sound or ever want to put it back to original for any reason.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 7:33 am
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ebaysux wrote:
Well an HH blacktop Strat is essentially an MIM standard but with the 2 overwound hot pups. You can slap an SSS loaded pickguard in there as well.

With the current wiring setup position 2 and 4 give you the taps which should give you a somewhat Fenderish sound and quack. But if you are not happy with it you might want to try a set of higher quality passive humbuckers that are warmer. That might be what you need.


Interesting idea with converting to an SSS.

Mind blow. :D

How much more or less work is that to accomplish?


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 7:35 am
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Impulse7 wrote:
Putting EMGs into a blacktop. Been there and done that and super happy with the results:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=92923

Sure its on a tele but same bodywood as yours. I bought the splitable EMGs and wired it as such

3 way switch (rewired a 5 way to a 3 way)
2 vol push pulls so I could split each pickup individually.

Thing is a tonal BEAST and don't listen to what these guys are saying about EMGs, sure its different to a passive, but that doesn't mean its worse. This guitar is my Go-To guitar now thanks to those EMGs, and the Split coil Neck Pickup is the go-to position. Sounds bluesy, very SRV type tone on a tele.

Now I drilled out a battery spot, but you'll have space in the back for a battery if you get fancy with the springs, like so

Image

If it was me I'd block the trem too so that the spring doesn't pinch your battery cable, either that or just put some card over that spot on the string and tap the leads to it (any old business card should do the trick) that way you wont get the wire.

Just got setup in my new house so I'll have some sound bites for you shortly.

Dan


Would love to hear some sound from the setup. Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 4:00 pm
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drfager wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
Well an HH blacktop Strat is essentially an MIM standard but with the 2 overwound hot pups. You can slap an SSS loaded pickguard in there as well.

With the current wiring setup position 2 and 4 give you the taps which should give you a somewhat Fenderish sound and quack. But if you are not happy with it you might want to try a set of higher quality passive humbuckers that are warmer. That might be what you need.


Interesting idea with converting to an SSS.

Mind blow. :D

How much more or less work is that to accomplish?


It depends. The most economical/simplest way to do this would be to purchase a fully assembled loaded SSS pickguard to your liking. Then it is only a matter of soldering to the jack and bridge ground....done. It would take me 1/2 to an hour tops. And if you ever decide to put it back to original, same thing in reverse. Cake.

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Post subject: Re: Blacktop HH pickup replacement (jim root clone)
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:42 pm
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ebaysux wrote:
The most economical/simplest way to do this would be to purchase a fully assembled loaded SSS pickguard to your liking.


+1


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