Any advice for installing threaded single coil pickups direct mount to body?

[tonemonster]

I have a few guitars without pickgaurds, a Soloist and a spectrum that I want to put a cool rails and a hot rails into. but I believe the pickups have threaded inserts in them to be mounted to pick guards with springs. but I need to mount them direct to body. I am assuming the threaded inserts are going to be a problem because the screws are going to be too big to fit thru them. anyone ever get around this?? did you pop the inserts out? how did you mount them direct to body?

I am open to any and all suggestions. THANKS!

[warlok]

All the duncan's I have the inserts are brass. I just drilled through the threads. Works perfect. May affect resale but I'm not planning on selling any so...

[DonP]

All the duncan's I have the inserts are brass. I just drilled through the threads. Works perfect. May affect resale but I'm not planning on selling any so...

LOL!, what if he tries these pickups and doesn't like them?

Oh the irony!

[sully]

why not use smaller screws?

[dg]

+1 to smaller screws

When I put a new Hot Rails in my Model 6, the screws were small enough not to grab the threads in the pickup. If it turns out that you need to downsize your screws, a toothpick or two in the existing screw holes in the body should do the trick.

[tonemonster]

why not use smaller screws?

where can I get smaller screws like that? Stewmac???

[warlok]

LOL!, what if he tries these pickups and doesn't like them?

Oh the irony!

If he doesn't like them, chances are they're going to be sold to someone here.... For a J/C... That's going to be body mounted... Awful lot of SL1's, Pro's, Model 6's Model 4's, DK2's, Other HSS's, Other HS's, (can I stop there??) around this site.... I really don't know that it'd matter to drill them..

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

My old Charvel uses what looks like 6-screw Strat bridge screws. I forget what the Soloist uses, but they're not that big. Worked fine with a stock Duncan out of the box.

I just used some small screws with large heads and a little foam under the pickup when I did it. They were actually mounting ring screws.

[tonemonster]

I will see when I get the pickup if I can find some smaller screws to fit thru them, if not I can drill them out.

[jdr94]

i just take old extra set of regular humbucker screws and cut em short. they fit right in there. well most do. there's some screws that come with epi pickups and a few others that are thick.