Plastic Mounting Rings Versus Ringless Setups

[Trussrod]

After dealing with plastic humbucker mounting rings chipping and breaking I like the idea of mounting humbuckers directly to the wood like single coil pups are often mounted. I suppose I could buy steel rings, but I like the ringless look, too.

What do you like and why?

[sully]

I guess it depends on the guitar, but I normally prefer humbuckers in a mounting ring. It's a visual thing more than anything else.

sully

[Trussrod]

I guess it depends on the guitar, but I normally prefer humbuckers in a mounting ring. It's a visual thing more than anything else.

sully

I think a lot this has to do with tradition. Not many people want a ring around their single coil pups on a superstrat, but they usually don't come that way...

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I definitely like rings. It's easier to get the pickups where you need them, looks cleaner, etc.

[sully]

I think a lot this has to do with tradition. Not many people want a ring around their single coil pups on a superstrat, but they usually don't come that way...

Agreed, I think singles in rings look weird as hell...

Sully

[Trussrod]

Agreed, I think singles in rings look weird as hell...

Sully

Stomach-turning weird--like orthopedic shoes.

Are ringless humbuckers more likely to have issues with being bumped/moving around, hitting the strings, etc.?

[Axewielder]

I like the looks of the direct mount humbuckers, but you need really precise pup routes that are cleanly painted to pull it off.

[MetalMedal II]

My pinky finger of my picking hand likes the pickup ring. I use the face of the guitar, the ring and the pickup itself as a set a of steps - so to speak - that my pinky rests on. I never realized it till I tried had a guitar with direct-mounted pickups and tried to figure out why it felt so weird. I don't anchor my pinky they there, but use it as a quick reference to as a zero point, liking getting back to homebase.

[unknown]

I like pickup rings. Though I only like humbuckers.

This guy makes good pickup rings:

www.fretsonthenet.com/other_parts.htm

I like how he can do an inside taper on the ring to match the pickup:

[Grandturk]

I think certain guitars, like the EBMM Axis (EVH) look right with direct mount pickups. Others don't.

[Nightbat]

Direct mounted imo looks great on natural finishes, on painted guitars I find it miss or maybe

[Musician78]

I like pickup rings. Though I only like humbuckers.

This guy makes good pickup rings:

www.fretsonthenet.com/other_parts.htm

I like how he can do an inside taper on the ring to match the pickup:

I haven't utilized his services, but everyone says he does really good work. I think he might actually be a member here. Can't recall. That is a cool looking pickup ring though. What is it going on?

[warlok]

Yup... Dave = fretsonthenet.com = budman68 on JCF