Correct tubing size for pickup heights?

[Babaluma]

Hi all,
The rubber tubing under the neck and middle (Strat style) pickups on my Nashville Tele have eroded. I can't tell what size they were originally. Is there an optimum size for the tube under these two pickups please? I was imaging between 109-15mm length?

Thanks in advance.

 

[guitar_paul1]

I got mine at a bait shop. Latex 1/4" surgical tubing. I bought a couple feet so I'd have spare.

If I understand your question, that is.

 

[sjtalon]

as a Fender part they are apx. 1/4" in height or 6.35 mikemike

 

[Steve Holt]

as a Fender part they are apx. 1/4" in height or 6.35 mikemike

I would agree with this based on my experience. You don't want them very tall.

 

[schmee]

15mm definitely too long I think. They tend to bind up when squeezed too much.

 

[Boreas]

All of mine is 1/4" latex tubing. It tends to begin to break down after 5-10 years or so. Your pickups will likely let you know if they are rattling in the cutout or howling. Buy a foot of it somewhere, but don't buy a ton, because it breaks down whether it is in a guitar or not. And keep it away from nitro!

 

[teleplayr]

Any medical supply will have it in stock.

 

[Wound_Up]

I would agree with this based on my experience. You don't want them very tall.

Why not? Seems like they aren't tall enough IME. I had to stack 2 on each screw or it only kept pressure on the screw for like 4 or 5 turns. If I tried to lower the pickup any more than a little it just basically fell into the pickguard. It's like taking a humbucker, cutting the springs in half, and installing them. It doesn't work for me.

 

[Wound_Up]

All of mine is 1/4" latex tubing. It tends to begin to break down after 5-10 years or so. Your pickups will likely let you know if they are rattling in the cutout or howling. Buy a foot of it somewhere, but don't buy a ton, because it breaks down whether it is in a guitar or not. And keep it away from nitro!

Why not use silicone tubing instead? It doesn't dry up and crumble like latex.

 

[Steve Holt]

Why not? Seems like they aren't tall enough IME. I had to stack 2 on each screw or it only kept pressure on the screw for like 4 or 5 turns. If I tried to lower the pickup any more than a little it just basically fell into the pickguard. It's like taking a humbucker, cutting the springs in half, and installing them. It doesn't work for me.

Just my experience. I've used the precut ones that come with pickups, and I've also bought a length of tube and cut it myself. And I always struggled with getting the length right. Seems like if I went too long it just made it really hard to turn the screw.

So it's all preference.

 

[Boreas]

Why not use silicone tubing instead? It doesn't dry up and crumble like latex.

Don't know why you couldn't. But I don't think it is as soft and compressible as latex.

 

[Wound_Up]

Don't know why you couldn't. But I don't think it is as soft and compressible as latex.

I bought some thin-walled silicone tubing that I intended to try and never got around to it. I may dig it out and give it a try next time I have screws accessible on one of my guitars.

Edit: its pretty much like this stuff

 

[Boreas]

I bought some thin-walled silicone tubing that I intended to try and never got around to it. I may dig it out and give it a try next time I have screws accessible on one of my guitars.

Let us know how it works.

 

[Killing Floor]

You can buy it from StewMac last time I looked. But it’s nothing special.

 

[Beebe]

Why not use silicone tubing instead? It doesn't dry up and crumble like latex.

+1. I really liked the orange tubing that came with a set of Kinman pickups. I looked into it and he uses "Silicon Rubber."

The trick would be finding the right inner diameter.

 

[Blues Power]

I just use springs.
Those tubes never last long and dry out

 

[Babaluma]

Thank you all, very helpful thoughts!