408 neck pickup or TCI pickup size?
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toothace
Zombie Thirteen, DFZ
Nop-er-ino.
Mozzi
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I believe they are narrower. I don't own a guitar with either myself but I have heard others 'complain' that buying a 408 and the 'new' Paul's guitar with the TCI pickups is limiting the choice if someone wishes to swap the Pick-ups - yet you buy either of these in part because of the Puckups. Also, when I have watched video's o the new Paul's guitar comparison with the SE version, one of the big differences is that the SE TCI pickups are 'regular' sized but with a PU ring made to simulate the shape of the Core version.
Is the humbucker mounting screw hole width different?
Will they fit a regular humbucking route if the PRS 408/TCI mounting ring is used?
Mozzi
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The actual ring, the routed hole to fit the Pick-up into are different. You cannot take a normal humbucker to replace a TCI/408 pickup - regardless of the ring. If you are lookung to buy a 408 or a Paul's guitar - you buy it because the Pick-ups are what you want and NOT to be replaced. If you want to put your own PU's into a PRS, buy a Custom 22 and swap those PU's. The whole point about guitars like the 408, 509, 513, Paul's guitar is that they are built to be sold as 'one' complete guitar, built around the PU's and Body. They are specialist (signature in the case of Pauls) guitars, built to function with the PU's. You either like the PU's and Guitar as a complete item or don't - in which case you buy something else...
But will the 408 neck pickup or the TCI pickups fit into a regular humbucker route?
toothace
Zombie Thirteen, DFZ
yes, I believe it will fit into the hole. How you mount it is up to you.
Mozzi
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I am sure its possible but you may have a visible gap and will need to make different drill holes for the mounting ring if you opt for the 408/TCI pick up rings.
Thanks. I’m trying to understand the difference in the size. Which side is larger?
Do you have a regular humbucker and a 408 neck or TCI pickup to measure the difference in their mounting holes and the measurements of the pickups?
Bowtiefanatc
Confirmed Bird Snob
The neck pickups are definitely smaller than HBs. The pickup rings are around the same size as a P90. Some of us have put the narrow 408’s into P90 guitars.
garrettb
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They are longer than your typical humbucker, so no, they will not fit lengthwise in a standard humbucker rout without modifying either the pickup or the guitar.
They do not fit in a standard ring.
The width is the more troublesome one. The narrow 408 ring will cover up the edges of a P-90 rout, but there will be gaps on the sides of a normal humbucker rout. The wide 408 is most likely going to take some routing of the guitar.
They do not fit in a standard ring.
The width is the more troublesome one. The narrow 408 ring will cover up the edges of a P-90 rout, but there will be gaps on the sides of a normal humbucker rout. The wide 408 is most likely going to take some routing of the guitar.
Mozzi
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Great... some say the 408 neck and TCI humbuckers will fit in a regular humbucker body route and some say it will not.
It maybe that it will 'fit' but only in that the Pick-up is smaller than the cavity that was routed out for a 'larger' humbucker BUT that doesn't mean it will fit without looking nice, won't fit in a standard pick-up ring without leaving ugly gaps due to it being narrower. I didn't think the PU's are longer though but maybe they are so it won't fit on length. Either way though, they are not built or designed for a standard humbucker cavity. I didn't think they were available separately anyway...
Bowtiefanatc
Confirmed Bird Snob
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
Thank you!
garrettb
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My curiosity is piqued. Is this a theoretical discussion, or do you have a line on some pickups that you want to install?
I am not aware of anyone who has replaced regular humbuckers with narrow 408s.
Here's a quick pic to show the difference in the rings. The 408 ring might actually cover the rout east/west, but you're gonna hit some ugliness north/south.
I am not aware of anyone who has replaced regular humbuckers with narrow 408s.
Here's a quick pic to show the difference in the rings. The 408 ring might actually cover the rout east/west, but you're gonna hit some ugliness north/south.
Mozzi
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My curiosity is piqued. Is this a theoretical discussion, or do you have a line on some pickups that you want to install?
I am not aware of anyone who has replaced regular humbuckers with narrow 408s.
Here's a quick pic to show the difference in the rings. The 408 ring might actually cover the rout east/west, but you're gonna hit some ugliness north/south.
That's really interesting! I would never of thought that the 408's are that much longer. It would seem that they wouldn't fit into the cavity because of length - certainly wouldn't fit into a standard PU ring. As expected, the ring mount holes for the screws into the body are in completely different positions so you would, at the very least, have to make new holes and won't be able to hide the old holes.
Seeing the rings together in this way does give a clearer indication of the differences in size between the two. They are not just narrower but also quite a bit longer too. The PU's won't fit into a standard ring and probably not into the cavity either. I didn't think it would be an 'attractive' fit even if they would fit the cavity somehow.
I also didn't think the TCI or 408 PU's were up for sale. Maybe the OP was hoping to buy the SE Pauls and drop in the core TCI or 408 PU's...
garrettb
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The 408 pickups appear on the aftermarket once in a blue moon. TCI are unobtainum unless you buy a brand new Paul's.
Here's what I did to mine in order to fit a P-90 rout. I clipped off a mm or two from each end of the mounting tabs, leaving the bare minimum of material for the screw threads.
Here's what I did to mine in order to fit a P-90 rout. I clipped off a mm or two from each end of the mounting tabs, leaving the bare minimum of material for the screw threads.
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Bowtiefanatc
Confirmed Bird Snob
The 408 pickups appear on the aftermarket once in a blue moon. TCI are unobtainum unless you buy a brand new Paul's.
Here's what I did to mine in order to fit a P-90 rout. I clipped off a mm or two from each end of the mounting tabs, leaving the bare minimum of material for the screw threads.
Did the same to make it fit and not bind when adjusting the height.
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