The Electra Forums

I bought it new in 81, I think, the neck serial number is 102138 Ash body Maple neck black pick guard with a fixed bridge. I'd like to upgrade the 2 MMK45's ... I was thinking about two new Seymore Duncan SH1's .. is this a just do it?

I'm sure you'll have no problem selling those pickups, the MMK45's are legendary, in fact, give me first refusal on them!! Can we ask why you want to replace them? I know that at stage volumes these unwaxed pickups will squeal, and 'some' users feel that they are a bit midrangy, but 'most' users think the MMK45's are some of the best pickups from the 80's, if not ever.

These pickups have 'unbalanced' coils, in other words, the coils are not wound with the same amount of wire, as the vast majority of present day mass produced pickups are. When used with a coiltap switch, many people think they are unequalled. Just don't toss them out IF you do replace them, and try to save as much lead (wiring) as you can.

Humbucking dimensions have been standard for decades (exceptions do exist, Ibanez sometimes have three height screws) so you should have little if any trouble physically mounting different pickups in the route and original mounting ring.

Personally I think the amp has a LOT to do with your sound, run your axe through a small to midsize tube amp cranked up... you may be hooked. The whole charm of a tube amp is in the power tubes, not the overdriven preamp section as many people will talk about. I have a number of 2 and 3 channel amps, but the roundest, most natural sounding distortion is when you dime (turn all the way up...) the clean channel, no extra preamp gain, just the power tubes singing. I prefer a pair of 6L6's or 6V6's, never been a big fan of EL84's they use a funky socket and seem finicky and lightweight (to me).

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I will take second dibs on the pickups.

Seriously, like Proendorser says, wax pot them and keep them in there. Nothing against the SD pickups but you will sound like every other guitarist out there.