How to Change Humbucker Pickups

One of the most important procedures involved in customizing your electric guitar is being able to change your guitar's pickups. The pickups (or "humbuckers") are basically magnets that pick up the vibration of the guitar strings, turns them into electrical signals, and allows the vibrations to be "picked up" by the amplifier.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Soldering iron
• New guitar pickups

1. Remove your guitar strings and use a screwdriver to remove the pick guard on the body of the guitar to expose the control panel. Place the screws in a safe place to avoid losing them.

2. Unscrew the control plate and desolder the pick-up wires from the volume and tone pots on the control plate.

3. Remove the old humbucker pickups and wires. Discard them, or if they still work, keep them as back-ups in case your new pickups fail.

4. Take your new humbucker pickups and slide the wires into the empty pickup slots in the body of the guitar. Run the wires down to the control plate.

5. Solder the black humbucker wires to the volume pot and the white wires to the toggle switch located on the control plate.

6. Place the control panel back into the empty slot on the body of the guitar and screw it into place.

7. Place the pick guard back on the guitar and secure it back in place. Then secure the pickups to the pick guard with screws.

8. Put your strings back on the guitar, tune, and play.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid electric shock or damage to your components, be sure your guitar is not plugged into an amplifier or powered effects pedal.

Resources

• Guitar Anatomy: Electric Pickups