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Why doesn't pickups come with connectors?


Faber

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A few manufacturers like EMG supply their pickups with connectors, making it possible to install/remove them without soldering. Why doesn't all manufacturers do this? It seems positively stone age that the replacement of an electrical component in a guitar should require this, rather than being a simple clip on job.

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Right, most people won't change PUs. But of course there is also the question og maintenance and failure of PUs.

I can't for the life of me see why anyone would want it to be a challenge, esp a repairman that may have to do it several times a week.

I'm sure there was a time where a soldered connection was the only reliable way, but surely these plugs/clip connectors have developed to the point where neither tone nor reliability is affected.

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Guitar manufacturers will never agree on the same standardized plug. They would all want their own design.
Can you see Gibson and PRS agreeing on something?
Hell, pickup manufacturers won't even use the same color coded wiring.

Soldering isn't that hard.

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Originally posted by Faber

A few manufacturers like EMG supply their pickups with connectors, making it possible to install/remove them without soldering. Why doesn't all manufacturers do this? It seems positively stone age that the replacement of an electrical component in a guitar should require this, rather than being a simple clip on job.

 

 

why add something that will add cost to their production when the old method still works

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Originally posted by Faber

I can't for the life of me see why anyone would want it to be a challenge, esp a repairman that may have to do it several times a week.

 

 

Would their be any repairmen if everything was easy to repair/replace?

 

Technically there is no reason why a connector would not be as good.

 

I also agree that it would not be easy to get everyone to agree on a standard. It might also be hard to convince manufacturers that the extra cost will be recovered.

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Originally posted by Matter-Eater Lad

Because soldering is chimp-simple.



:thu:

plus all the other common sense reasons already mentioned. It's an interesting idea but there really isn't the demand to make it practical.

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Originally posted by Matter-Eater Lad

Because soldering is chimp-simple.


"Why doesn't pickups come with..."


Whatever happened to grammar? Are people this ignorant now?

 

 

I dont think its amatter of soldering is hard but more like unsoldering it and thus making the wires shorter

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Originally posted by supercow3



I dont think its amatter of soldering is hard but more like unsoldering it and thus making the wires shorter

 

 

Unsoldering wires isn't exactly hard. Not to mention that it leaves the same amount of wire intact as was there before you unsoldered it.

 

If you have leads that are too short, you can just splice additional wire inline.

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Originally posted by Matter-Eater Lad

Because soldering is chimp-simple.


"Why doesn't pickups come with..."


Whatever happened to grammar? Are people this ignorant now?



1) well, I'm dumber than a chimp then, cause I don't know the first thing about soldering. I guess I could learn, but I still say it would be convenient if I didn't have to. It's not like I have to whip out the soldering iron to install a new cd drive in my computer, or a new tuner in my stereo. Electric guitars are equally modular, so why not deliver the same ease of operation?

2) Grammer: Yes, yes I am :D I actually thought about it beforehand , and then I chose the wrong option.
Still, I bet my English is a whole lot better than your Danish ;)

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Not to mention that soldered connections are about 1000x more vibration and corrosion resistant than most connectors, cheaper and reduce the possiblity of intermittent static, in addition to being (quote of the day) "chimp simple."

:D


Larry

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Originally posted by larryguitar

Not to mention that soldered connections are about 1000x more vibration and corrosion resistant than most connectors, cheaper and reduce the possiblity of intermittent static, in addition to being (quote of the day) "chimp simple."


:D


Larry



That'd be why all high voltage/current applications use compression connectors rather than solder then.

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Originally posted by Faber

1) well, I'm dumber than a chimp then, cause I don't know the first thing about soldering. I guess I could learn, but I still say it would be convenient if I didn't have to. It's not like I have to whip out the soldering iron to install a new cd drive in my computer, or a new tuner in my stereo. Electric guitars are equally modular, so why not deliver the same ease of operation?



If you want to keep it simple, and avoid the horrors of learning to solder, use these7875big.jpg

For the rest of us, soldering is fast, easy and the connection does not degrade. It's also much cheaper in the long run, since using plugs would require pot mfgrs to solder the ground lead on to the case, resulting in higher pot prices.

We don't need more expensive pot, now do we?

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Originally posted by walfordr



That'd be why all high voltage/current applications use compression connectors rather than solder then.

 

 

No, that'd be because trying to 'solder' high tension lines would actualy be welding:idea:

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One sound technical reason for solder is that connectors might be prone to oxidation.

I think manufacturers leave the obstacles in the process regardless because

if it got too convenient, consumers might notice that they're dealing with wire coils that "basically sound the same" and

that their $500 'instrument' reminds them strangely, of band sawed lumber.

Edit:

Musical ears NOT withstanding.

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