An Ibanez SoundGear bass came in with a set of active humbuckers the owner supplied, and cavities too small to take them. Both cavities were routed out to the new size, checked against each other, and the pickups fitted. Two hours, and the new cavities look factory.
- Instrument
- Ibanez SoundGear bass
- Tech
- Dave Eastwood
- Customer complaint
- Enlarge the pickup cavities for active humbuckers
- Diagnosis
- Existing cavities too small for the new pickups
- Work performed
- Cavities routed out to the larger size; checked they matched each other; new pickups test-fitted
- Parts
- None (pickups supplied by the owner)
- Bench time
- 2 hours
- Outcome
- New cavities look factory
What Came In
An Ibanez SoundGear bass and a pair of active humbuckers the owner had bought for it. The stock cavities were too small for the new pickups.
What We Found
The existing pickup cavities were smaller than the new pickups. Both had to be routed larger before anything could be fitted.
What We Did
Set the body up in a routing jig and routed both cavities out to the larger size. Confirmed the two were the same size and that the new pickups fit. The pickups themselves were the owner's. About two hours on the bench.
Result
The new cavities look factory, in Dave's words.
Can any pickup go in any bass?
Not without a look at the cavity first. Pickup shapes and sizes vary by maker, and a swap that needs the body cut has to be planned: a jig, a template, a route that ends up square and matched on both cavities. Done right it looks like the guitar shipped that way, which is the standard here.
Related
- The Repair Vault
- Guitar Repair at Paul's Guitar Hideout
- Upgrading a Cheap Guitar: What's Worth It
- Ibanez 7-String: Bridge Pickup Back to the Factory DiMarzio
- Kramer Aluminum-Neck Bass: A Noise the Quick Fixes Did Not Catch
Bring It In
Pickups that do not fit the holes? Bring the bass and the pickups. Guitar repair at the Hideout.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com