Replacement polepieces for Higains?

[sloop_john_b]

I recently got some Higains, one of which I’ve been using in the bridge position of my ’68 330. The first thing I did was remove the polepieces (they are the adjustable type) and pop a toaster cover on. The pickup makes sound for now with no polepieces, but the signal is very weak.

To get a hotter signal, I tried replacing the polepieces with these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 06008K9000

But they seemed to make no difference in the signal. IN fact, it may have even been weaker! They are perhaps not the best material for carrying a magnetic field.

So I was wondering what kind of screws you guys have used to maintain that hot Higain signal? Should I just buzz the tops off the stock polepieces?

[cjj]

Yeah, stainless (well some types anyway) isn't the best at conducting a magnetic field. Those screws are 18-8 stainless, also known as "Austentitic" or "300 series" is generally not ferromagnetic. Try using plain old steel set screws, you should be able to find 'em at most decent hardware stores...

[sloop_john_b]

Thanks CJ! I'll give it a shot and report back tonight (if they have 'em at Home Depot...)

[ken_j]

Make sure they are not too long. If they go through the magnet you will have a lower output also. I only know this from repairing another's work on a higain conversion.

I fabricated a fixture to grind flat head screws to the proper length. The flat heads replicate the originals a little closer. I can grind a set for you if you wish. PM me.

[sloop_john_b]

Ken, I actually bought flathead screws at first, but the taper at the top was causing them to not fit. Is that the problem you encountered too? It looks like you widened the holes, which I started to do as well until i realized the taper was going to make this impossible.

[johnallg]

John, you should have pulled out the set screws in the pup you sent me to convert.

[sloop_john_b]

John, you should have pulled out the set screws in the pup you sent me to convert.

D'OH!!

[johnallg]

John, you should have pulled out the set screws in the pup you sent me to convert.

D'OH!!

Do you still need screws? I can send them back to you.

[ken_j]

Ken, I actually bought flathead screws at first, but the taper at the top was causing them to not fit. Is that the problem you encountered too? It looks like you widened the holes, which I started to do as well until i realized the taper was going to make this impossible.

I countersunk the holes. I used flatheads so that when stringbending the string remains over the poles and if the pickup allignment isn't exact. The diameter of the flat head is very close to that of the stock button head screw and pushpin poles used by RIC.

countersink

[aceonbass]

John....The screws you used were stainless steel, which is not magnetic. In our email exchange on this I advised you to use the most magnetic material you could find per John Hall's suggestion.

[johnhall]

For optimum results you should consider using a filister head screw.

91737a259-b01-p1l.png (6.39 KiB) Viewed 3732 times

This gives you extra mass where it counts. You also can countersink using only a standard drill bit. As noted, stainless would be a very poor choice of material. If there was such a thing as a pure iron screw, that would be the best but you'll have to settle for some type of steel.