How to Replace a DeArmond Pickup With a Filtertron

These are hollow-body jazz guitars.

Swapping out pickups in an electric guitar is usually a very straightforward process. Switching from a DeArmond to a Filtron pickup, both prized for their performance in primarily "jazz"-style archtop guitars, is no exception, especially since the Gretsch Filtron has only a two-wire connector, similar to that of a single-coil pickup. It does, however, require some skill with a soldering iron. Otherwise, it is an operation that can easily be competed in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

• Gretsch Filtron pickup
• Screwdriver
• Soldering iron
• Rosin core solder

Instructions

1. Place the guitar face down on a sturdy work surface. It is a good idea to place an old towel or blanket on the work surface to prevent the guitar hardware from marring the finish.

2. Remove the control cavity cover. Most guitar control cavities are plastic and secured by screws, whereas Gretsch hollow bodies, on which Filtrons are commonly found, have unusual snap-on covers.

3. Disconnect the red, white and ground wires for the DeArmond from their respective connections using the hot soldering iron. To disconnect a wire, melt the solder on the connection and gently pull the wire away from the pot.

4. Turn the guitar back over and carefully unscrew the mounting ring. Pull the DeArmond pickup out of the body of the guitar.

5. Remove the pickup from the mounting ring by unscrewing the mounting screws on either side of the mounting ring. Keep track of the mounting springs.

6. Mount the Filtron pickup in the mounting ring by screwing through the mounting hole on either side of the ring, through the mounting springs, and then into the hole in the tabs on either side of the pickup.

7. Place the new pickup into the cavity and screw the mounting ring back on.

8. Turn the guitar back over, face down on the work surface.

9. Solder the black wire to the bottom of the casing of the volume pot. To solder the connection, hold the exposed core of the wire against the bottom of the casing of the volume pot. With the same hand, hold a 4-to-6-inch section of rosin core solder directly above the connection. Hold the tip of the heated soldering iron against the end of the section of solder until it begins to melt. As the solder begins to flux onto the connection, remove the soldering iron from the connection and allow it to cool.

10. Solder the white wire to the leftmost tab - when looking at the tabs from the bottom - of the volume pot.

11. Tug gently at the wires just enough to make sure the connections are secure.

12. Replace the control cavity cover.

References

• Single Pickup Wiring Diagram

Resources

• Soldering 101