What is the 'fix' for my Dano pickup blues?

[Chiogtr4x]

Hi folks,

This has been an issue I have NOT addressed in I bet 10+ years, with the lipstick pickups on my '97 ( I think when I bought, new) Danelectro '56 U2 reissue ( love this guitar!)

Years ago I ( thinking I was tightening the loose screws that attach the NECK, dummy!), basically stripped the screwholes inside the Dano ( mainly the neck PU, but both) for the height adjustment screws, that are on the back.

I basically put duct tape on the back of the body, covering the screws to keep them from falling out! So they go thru the holes of the mounting bracket inside but no longer adjust height ( stripped).
They just kind of hold the pickups loosely in place...

On the front, see pic, I put Scotch tape over pickups to keep them from literally touching strings if guitar is tilted forward!

I have lived with this forever but now sick of it, because or 2 issues ( related to neck PU) seem to have gotten worse:

1. Neck PU is so high that my high E or B string touches PU when I fret 15th fret or higher ( which I do, playing blues) on these strings

2. The Volume between both pickups is out of balance because of this height difference- because bridge PU is lower, I have to turn its Volume all the way up, to match neck PU at 1/3 volume.

So what do I need to do, buy to fix this?
( if possible myself or a buddy)

* I have never taken screws all the way out or pickups out for fear of making things worse.
But I'm running out of patience with my ' tape repair'
This is a great playing and sounding guitar

Thanks for any direction!

 

[Chiogtr4x]

Bumpo, Bumpo!

 

[ReverendRevolver]

More pictures? I'm not familiar with what you're describing, but theres often a way.


Nice Supro though.

 

[Jay Jernigan]

Is there a way to get inside that thing? I know nothing about Danelectro guitars but I can probably rig a fix if it can be accessed.

 

[Peegoo]

You have to repair the threads in the pickup bracket or base plate.

Here's how I've done it in the past. Get a small nut that fits your pickup mounting screw; any hobby shop that sells railroad and R/C stuff carries minuature hardware.

Drill out the stripped screw hole so the screw slips through, clean all traces of wax from the metal, slip the screw through the plate and snug the nut down onto the threads so it's in full contact with the plate.

Use the point of a toothpick to apply a little 5-Minute Epoxy around the perimeter of the nut.

IMPORTANT: the nut goes on the base plate opposite to how the spring mounts. For instance, on a typical humbuckerr as in the pic below, the spring is on top of the plate, so the nut goes on the bottom. On a Dano, the springs are on the bottpm of the pickup, so the nut goesw on top of the plate.

 

[Jay Jernigan]

4x, peegoo has your huckleberry.
I have done that with solder because I didn't have epoxy. I'm sure epoxy is better.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

It's me again

It just hit me,

an easy 'fix may be just removing the neck pickup (only) adjustment screws (the ones under horizontal black tape on back) and wrap teflon tape around threads just to widen area/ add some grip?
Reinsert screws and see if that may secure better in the screwholes of stripped brackets?
Just an idea
Here are pics of Dano front and back
* Supro amp in my first post is new, and waiting for gigs!

 

[Peegoo]

This is how a Dano pickup is mounted to the back of the body.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

You have to repair the threads in the pickup bracket or base plate.

Here's how I've done it in the past. Get a small nut that fits your pickup mounting screw; any hobby shop that sells railroad and R/C stuff carries minuature hardware.

Drill out the stripped screw hole so the screw slips through, clean all traces of wax from the metal, slip the screw through the plate and snug the nut down onto the threads so it's in full contact with the plate.

Use the point of a toothpick to apply a little 5-Minute Epoxy around the perimeter of the nut.

IMPORTANT: the nut goes on the base plate opposite to how the spring mounts. For instance, on a typical humbuckerr as in the pic below, the spring is on top of the plate, so the nut goes on the bottom. On a Dano, the springs are on the bottpm of the pickup, so the nut goesw on top of the plate.

Thanks, let me take this in, as I'm not ' Mr. Handyman.', see if this is something I can handle!

 

[Chiogtr4x]

This is how a Dano pickup is mounted to the back of the body.

Thanks, what keeps that Spring from dropping out of position when screw is removed.
Edit: maybe holes in back of guitar are wide enough to allow spring ( still around scews) to come out?

I guess I wasn't thinking there was an actual nut in there- just thought screw went thru a threaded bracket

 

[Peegoo]

There's no nut there in stock configuration. That's what it looks like with the repair.

The springs are loose. Unstring the guitar and lay it face down. Remove both screws. As you lift the guitar up and the pickup shifts because it's loose, the springs usually jump over to stick to the pickup. They're easy to retrieve because the magnetism holds them for you.

 

[Dan German]

@Peegoo is spot on. It’s kind of fiddly, but it’s how it can be done. And it’s worth it for a first reissue Dano. Wish I’d never let mine go. There are a few ways to deal with the spring, once you’ve shaken it out of the guitar. You can put it on the screw before putting the pickup back in, and use masking tape to hole the screw head to the back until you’re ready to turn it. There will be fiddling and cursing, but at least you’re not putting a four knob harness into a semi-hollow!

Edit: @Peegoo is right again; chances are, the magnet will grab the spring for you.

 

[Peegoo]

I've had my share of Danos. This DC59 is my current one; I pulled the original lipstick from the bridge and installed a Filtertron, based on inspiration from Rick Miller many years ago.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

There's no nut there in stock configuration. That's what it looks like with the repair.

The springs are loose. Unstring the guitar and lay it face down. Remove both screws. As you lift the guitar up and the pickup shifts because it's loose, the springs usually jump over to stick to the pickup. They're easy to retrieve because the magnetism holds them for you.

Ok, will revisit this tomorrow, but one more thing
Tried removing the neck PU screws and basically the pickup is loose of course but the screws are turning, but not coming out.

What's keeping them in limbo?

Any guess ? Thanks

 

[hopdybob]

use a magnetized screwdriver so the screw will stick to that when pulling it out?

 

[Peegoo]

If a magnetized driver doesn't work: ss you rotate the screw, slip a thin guitar pick under the screw head and gently lift it. Once you get it lifted about 1/4", pinch the screw head between finger and thumb and continue rotating out.

 

[Telecasterless]

Ok, will revisit this tomorrow, but one more thing
Tried removing the neck PU screws and basically the pickup is loose of course but the screws are turning, but not coming out.

What's keeping them in limbo?

They're probably a snug fit in the body of the guitar, but there are no threads in the body, so they don't have any purchase to back themselves out with. You may need to put some pliers on them to apply some pulling pressure as you try to extract them whilst unscrewing them. Alternatively, take your strings off, pull the loose pickup out, and then you can just push the screws out the back with your fingers or at least apply a little pressure to help ease them out.

Peegoo's idea is best IMO. I was thinking before I read his post that I might have just run new oversized screws and forced a new larger thread into the mounting boss, but that requires some finesse, and may create other issues. His is the best solution, particularly for the guy who says he's not a handyman. All you need is to get two nuts that match your screw thread, epoxy them in place (after insuring the nuts are properly located in situ) on the mounting boss, and you're back in business. It's really an easy fix.

 

[Telecasterless]

.

 

[DonM]

This is my 1998 U2 with original lipstick pickups.

 

[radiocaster]

This is how a Dano pickup is mounted to the back of the body.

The late 90s Korean ones don't have springs.