Flat humbucker surround my arse

skinfreak

So I've been struggling to find a humbucker surround for my partscaster to fit a nickel covered SD Custom. I found that the Framus wide ones were more than wide enough and queried Thomann if they could source them. Yes was the answer and they promptly appeared on the website. Now, full disclosure, I did not look at all the images on the website in engouh detail - just checked the dimensions that it was the right part in terms of opening size. 

They arrived today... and aren't flat!


Having gone back to the Thomann page I can see that the schematic shows the angle so this is my fault for not checking enough. But the damned thing confused the hell out of me. Although the angle is slight, their chromed ones are totally flat so I may replace the order as I'm not convinced it will look right on the telecaster. Or alternatively, take a punt on the ones at Axesrus. 

Funkfingers

Try ‘em anyway.

If the pickup cavities in the guitar are cut tightly enough, the pickup may be forced to elevate perpendicular to the top of the guitar rather than to the top surface of the mounting surround. 

Alternatively, if your guitar set-up involves a fair amount of neck heel shimming, the angle in the offending mounting surround may turn out about right after all.

dindude

Flat often refers to the bottom of the base which yours looks like. Some are curved on the base to allow for fitting to a carved top guitars such as a Les Paul. The tapered top as per yours is different again. 

You can get curved bottom / flat top, or flat bottom / tapered top, or flat / flat, or......you get the idea, it’s a minefield!

skinfreak

The thought had occurred to me. Semantics!

mrkb

Just sand the bottom to the angle you want, dead easy!

imalrightjack

Somewhat deflated to find no picture of your arse surrounded by flat humbuckers. 

victorludorum

mrkb said:

Just sand the bottom to the angle you want, dead easy!

This

Kittyfrisk

imalrightjack said:

Somewhat deflated to find no picture of your arse surrounded by flat humbuckers. 

I was relieved... 

SteveRobinson

I've got some thin black metal surrounds that you are welcome to if they'd work?

CarbonCopy

It looks flat to me, or at least what I would understand they mean by flat i.e. Not curved for a Les Paul, but I can understand the confusion.

skinfreak said:

... and queried Thomann if they could them. Yes was the answer...

I'm curious to know what the question was!?

skinfreak

Sorry I wasn't clear. I found the surrounds on the framus website but couldn't see them on thomanns. I asked them if they could source them.

10thumbs

@skinfreak I had this exact problem many years ago , just rub it on a piece of sandaper as mrkb suggested , works a treat.
I took mine right down to under 3mm , more for effect than practicality, nice and tidy , took 10 mins tops.
It was a cream surround with a zebra SD Jazz ,on a black Tele plate , in a 52 Blackguard partscaster, looked great.

skinfreak

SteveRobinson said:

I've got some thin black metal surrounds that you are welcome to if they'd work?

It's the internal spacing that's the problem. The trem buckers are slightly wider. 

But I'll give the sanding a go. Cheers!