Jackson Swee-Tone Jazz`R pickup change

[cristinelo]

Yeah.
Anyone here tried at least to change pickups on a Swee-Tone Jazz`R?
The lack of back plate makes me wonder how is it even possible....

Routing one would be an alternative I guess, but you never know what can you find in there.

I`ve tried to find a blue print or anything that would tell me more about its construction, but no success there.

Any ideas?

[sully]

Pretty sure those are semi-hollow, so you'd need to do it through the cavities. If you've got to rout an access cavity, don't; take it to a tech.

[cristinelo]

hahaha...I wouldn`t do it myself. Not a chance.

Sounds like a big pain ,eh!

[sully]

I have a feeling it'd require a skillset similar to that of a gynecologist.

[DonP]

Similar problem with the Les Paul Supreme. You have to wire it through the output jack hole.

[cristinelo]

Techs charge like triple fee for that kind of operation I guess....

Cheaper a gynecologist maybe.

[VitaminG]

I imagine any tech that regularly works on the old-style jazzboxes would be able to help you. All those old Gibson, D'Angelicos, etc would be the same, with all the work happening through the pickup cavities.

[Newc]

I tried it on mine. Couldn't get the pickups out of the cavities. I think they're hammered in place and the rings are just for show

[cristinelo]

I tried it on mine. Couldn't get the pickups out of the cavities. I think they're hammered in place and the rings are just for show

Can you at least adjust the pickup height?

[Newc]

Not that I could tell. I mean, they're in an ideal height tonally, so I guess I never really tried. I suppose if you took the height screws out completely it might be easier, but if not, then you're screwed trying to get them back in.

[cristinelo]

Any other Jazz`R owners can share their experience with the pickups swapping?

[cristinelo]

Not that I could tell. I mean, they're in an ideal height tonally, so I guess I never really tried. I suppose if you took the height screws out completely it might be easier, but if not, then you're screwed trying to get them back in.

Thanks a lot for your reply. ;-)

[Newc]

I've never heard of anyone even attempting to swap the pickups, possibly due to the lack of a control plate. When they came out, there was a small pic of whoever was installing the pots doing it with a "specialized tool". Looked like it may have been a modified coat-hanger.

I attempted it a few weeks ago, and ran into the problem mentioned earlier.


You'd have to remove the knobs, jack, and switch to do it, though. I'd suggest tying strings to each component and use those to pull each piece back through their holes once you replaced the pickups.

[cristinelo]

I've never heard of anyone even attempting to swap the pickups, possibly due to the lack of a control plate. When they came out, there was a small pic of whoever was installing the pots doing it with a "specialized tool". Looked like it may have been a modified coat-hanger.

I attempted it a few weeks ago, and ran into the problem mentioned earlier.


You'd have to remove the knobs, jack, and switch to do it, though. I'd suggest tying strings to each component and use those to pull each piece back through their holes once you replaced the pickups.

Awwww God....
A custom job back cavity would solve that issue, but would perhaps damage it`s value.

[Newc]

Yup. You could expect to sell it for about $500 tops after that.

What pickups did you have in mind as replacements?