Spring or Tubing for pup screws?

[vegetablejoe]

Hi,

I just got a Fender Vintage Tele Bridge pup for my MIM Std. Before I install it, I thought I would check with you guys whether I should use the rubber tubing that comes with the new pup's screws, or should I substitute springs for it instead?

Would it make a difference at all in any way?

Also what are your opinions on pup height? Should I just start from flush with bridge and work my way up, according to taste? :)

Thanks for any info.

Jaime

[davidmenke]

I am using springs ... tubing is (i believe) new technology. Height for pickups.... Fender has a specific height set for pickup height.. Spec out on each model... may get an answer from Fender site..
You can get springs from Angela.com. Tubing comes with most new pickups, included>>>

[Caper]

I personally find that the tubing binds on the screws making it a pain sometimes to adjust the pickups. Springs make the job a lot smoother, your local music store should have some in stock. Even if you get some that are too long you can cut them. People here say they use one nickel on the treble side and two on the bass side to rough it in. Also the specs can be found at
http://www.mrgearhead.com/

[da dougster]

the tubing is old tech, they've been going back and forth between the two since forever ( or so it seems!).

One thing I like about the tubing is that since it isn't under compression you don't launch them across the room when you're trying to install the pickups. Also the hardware store around the corner sells it for a buck a foot so on sunday when I lose the last spring I have, I'm not totally screwed.

[rickyralph]

i read in an interview with seymour d. once where he thought that tubing helped a bit more than springs for helping reduce michrophonic squealing in guitars.i use tubing.

[Mike Better]

Tubing - there is no choice..

Springs can push a bridge that is already prone to microphonic hysteria over the edge... Just find the good surgical tubing stuff..

Mike

[Deaf Eddie]

... one of the first things I do when I re-pup is to swap all the springs for tubing.

[Mark Davis]

When I setup my Tele as an Esquire I actually wanted a slight microphonic sound when cranked ala Roy Buchanan so I used the springs and they worked perfect gave me just the right touch of microphonics without going into solid feedback.

Try it both ways it does sound different with the springs and rubber.