Lipstick Pickup Replacement? Danelectro U1

Creed_Clicks

Stock pickup on this is pretty weak sounding, when I compare it to the Mascis JM. Totally different beasts I know, but... So, I'm looking to replace the pickup with something a bit hotter or modern sounding. 
As you can see, I'm not quite sure if it's a middle pickup or neck pickup I should be looking for?
Based on pics of the 2 pickup Danelectro 59, it would look like it's in the neck position, but as it's a 1 pickup guitar, any advice?

Bridge is bending as well, so getting the allparts upgrade. Not too worried about looking retro. I just like 1 pickup guitars.

Adam_MD

Definitely a job for @Mojopickups ;

Funkfingers

Creed_Clicks said:

I'm not quite sure if it's a middle pickup or neck pickup I should be looking for.

It is a pretty safe bet that, on original two-pickup models, identical pickups were installed in both positions.

The rear-mounting system restricts your choice of replacements enormously. Have you considered having the existing pickup rewound? 

Alternatively, if the control cavity is generous, it should be possible to add an onboard pre-amp booster. That could be an overall level booster such as the Seymour Duncan Live Wires pre-amp or a midrange booster à la EMG-SPC.

Creed_Clicks

@Funkfingers I didn't take that into consideration. (The rear mounting system). I did spy this on the SD website:

https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/lipstick-tube-danelectro-neck

Looking again at the guitar, I'm not even sure how to remove the pickup. From the screws at the back I reckon...

I would consider getting it rewound too, hotter if possible. Any recommendations?

ICBM

If you have a choice of specs, get middle or even bridge as they will be wound hotter.

Funkfingers

Creed_Clicks said:

how to remove the pickup. From the screws at the back I reckon...

Affirmative.

There are limits to how much hotter the pickup can be wound. A more powerful magnet would increase output but the coil has to come off the original A6 bar in order to make the swap. (See Oil City Pickups' Discussions about refurbishing "air coil" pickups.)


The pickup cavity should be wide enough to accommodate any noise-cancelling replacement pickup for Stratocaster that does not have that sticking out portion of the lower baseplate where the output conductors are soldered on. e.g. Duncan Li'l 'buckers and some of their Stack models. The Hot Rails Neck for Telecaster will also fit. 

With any of these pickups, the trick will be finding wood into which the mounting screws can grip.

Creed_Clicks

ICBM said:

If you have a choice of specs, get middle or even bridge as they will be wound hotter.

So in theory, as the SD website has a neck and a bridge pickup, if I got the bridge pickup, it would be hotter (as opposed to sounding brighter?)

Kent Armstrong seem to do one as well, where it doesn't specify if it's neck or bridge:

https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/electronics-c17/kent-armstrong-guitar-pickups-c100/kent-armstrong-split-tube-guitar-pickups-c125/kent-armstrong-danelectro-replacement-pickup-vintage-chrome-reverse-wound-reverse-polarity-p3108

This one seems to offer a few options and seems to be hotter based on the description. (What would a reverse wound pickup sound like v regular?)

https://www.wdmusic.com/kent-armstrong-split-tube-series-saturn-5-lipstick-pickup-for-danelectro-guitars-details.html

Funkfingers

Creed_Clicks said:

So in theory, as the SD website has a neck and a bridge pickup, if I got the bridge pickup, it would be hotter (as opposed to sounding brighter?)

Yeah but no but ...

The increased output of the bridge position unit is done to achieve a better output level balance between two single coil pickups. (String excursion above the neck pickup is greater than above the bridge pickup.) The additional output is marginal.

Creed_Clicks said:

Kent Armstrong 

The K.A./Sky pickup appears to be of higher D.C. resistance than the "vintage-correct" Duncans. Cheaper too.

Creed_Clicks said:
What would a reverse wound pickup sound like v regular?)

Reverse winding and magnetic polarity is pointless unless you had two single coil pickups and wished to achieve noise-cancellation. 

In practical terms, there is a limit to how much copper wire can be persuaded inside the metal cover. 

Your options are to deviate from the stock appearance or to retain the looks but require a booster.

ICBM

Creed_Clicks said:

So in theory, as the SD website has a neck and a bridge pickup, if I got the bridge pickup, it would be hotter (as opposed to sounding brighter?)

Usually a bridge pickup will have a *darker* inherent tone, not brighter - because it will have a higher output produced by having more windings, and more windings give a darker tone, all other factors being equal.

This will be offset by the different positions relative to the strings though. Even then, it's not uncommon to find that the neck pickup sounds clearer and more open.