Opinions needed.

[zeegler]

Here's the deal. I got a very rare Aria Pro II set neck Custom X.



Now, this thing is 20 years old, but is the epitome of a N.O.S guitar. When I got it, there weren't even any string marks on the frets. There are a couple now.

Anyway, here's my problem. The stock rail pickups are kinda shitty sounding, and I have new pickups to go in it. However, the original chrome pickup rings have 2 pickup height adjustment screws on each side rather than one each side like Seymour Duncans have. So, I have to either use some black plastic pickup rings, or drill the pickup ears for the extra screw holes, so they will fit in the stock rings (which I would prefer). That means I would have to find a tap of the correct thread to tap the new holes.

One more question. The stock ACT II trem is a decent unit, but I have a Schaller Floyd with no home. If I swap in the Schaller, I'd have to plug and redrill the guitar for the studs, since the stock trem has a different pivot point. It is much farther back than the Schaller. I probably shouldn't fuck with such a virgin guitar should I?

[Junior]

If you plan on keeping it, go for it. It's like a '69 Camaro, you can keep it stock or: port the heads, open up the exaust, swap out the cam, etc.,
Either way, it's a nice guitar.

[Model1VH2]

Nice axe!
I wouldn't mess with it if I were you.

JMO

[fett]

What he said. Play with it awhile. Just as long as the pups aren't EMGs.:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF:

[straycat]

Leave it as is, these are getting hard to find and you could get a decent buck for it if you had to sell it.
I found a pro II explorer ( a little pointier than an explorer) today on a pawn shop run. Neck thru maybe set neck I didn't look that close $180.00 blue burst paint too.
The same shop had a pro II L.P. copy bolt on neck,2 piece mahogony body, 3 piece mahogony neck decent shape wine red in color 200.00.
Try an RS guitarworks pot upgrade kit with the pickups you have you may want to keep them in there.I just installed a kit in a guys strat mutt and he was blown away with how good it sounded.Just a thought.

[Grandturk]

Some Duncans come with three holes in the legs of the pickups for just this kind of mounting. It might only be the trembuckers though. You might try custom ordering them from Duncan. Also, maybe Budman can help you out here with new rings.

[jackson1]

What is bothering you about the ACT trem? If it has stability issues, you could install a Tremsetter (if you like those).
Plug and redrill would mean refinising... i would avoid that on such a well kept guitar.

[straycat]

+1.

[zeegler]

The trem actually isn't a bad piece at all. It's definitely quality hardware. I'm gonna leave it as is.

The rail pickups are pretty low output compared to what I'm used to, and the pots are decent quality. Some of the newer Duncans do indeed have 3 screw holes in each side, but the outer holes are just holes, and aren't tapped for screws. It might be just the trembuckers, I'm not sure. I have a Custom trembucker like it. I think I'm gonna drill the new pickups I have. That way if I ever need to put the guitar back to original for any reason, it will just be a simple matter of swapping them out.

[Wayniac]

You might be able to have Budman figure something our for you (www.fretsonthenet.com)

[zeegler]

Oh, I'm sure I could get some new chrome pickup rings, but I can't spend ANY money right now, so it doesn't really matter.