I have a 72 deluxe RI tele and I've just swapped out the stock pickups for some from the creamery. Having done that, I can't figure out how to run the various cables through the body cavities while still allowing room for the pickups to move. Specifically, I can't get the wires past the bridge pickup without having the pickup adjusted really high against the strings.
So the cables for the bridge and neck pickup, and the one to the pickup selecter, plus a ground wire need to get through that little cavity by the bridge pickup to the control route. But there doesn't seem to be enough room in the cavity for the cables to run next to the pickup, and there doesn't seem to be enough room for them to run beneath the pickup, unless I raise the pickup up higher than I like it.
The replacement pickups seem very slightly taller and the mounting base slightly wider than the originals, but we're talking about 1mm here.
Here's some pics below. You can see that there's no room for wires to go around the pickup (once the screws and springs are in place), and if they go underneath, the pickup's pretty high.
Am I missing something here?
looks like you may have to deepen the router slot for the PUP so the wires can fit beneath it. you may have to add a mounting shim for the PUP screws.
when a larger pickup is added the original space allowed has to change. you shouldn't have to remove too much wood. perhaps a chisel to cut a slot or chnnel for the wires.
good luck.
Well the new pickup is really only very slightly larger - less than 1mm if anything at all. Maybe I should try and see if I could get the original pickup back in ok.
Well IIRC that's all covered by a pick guard right? if you ease back those two corners in the last picture from the pickup cavity, to the channel, you should have room. That would be pretty easy work with a sharp chisel.
Paul B
