Parker Fly Mojo - Seymour Duncan Pickup Replacement?

[dougc84]

Hey all, I'm new here, but I used to be part of the official forum a long time ago. Glad to see a place still exists for all this information.

My Parker (an '07 Fly Mojo Flame) took a back seat for a while. My style of music changed, so I went through a few other guitars that were more fitting. My Fly got stored in the case and, when I pulled it out over the summer to revive it, the pickup poles were rusty. I'm not really sure what would've happened or why. I didn't keep it around excessive moisture or anything.

I took it to my local shop for a cleanup and setup. They were able to clean them up somewhat, but, playing it tonight, I'm noticing that the rust is coming back.

I've had dozens of brands of pickups in different guitars over the years - McNellys, Dimarzios, Lollars, Instrumentals, and I've got some Lambertones on the way - but, to me, this guitar is PERFECT with the SD JB/Jazz combo. This is the vibe of this guitar and I don't really want to change it.

I contacted SD over the summer and they said they could re-wind them "on a case by case basis." The pricing for that would be more than a set of their pickups off the shelf, and that's only if approved by a manager. It's an option, but it's not guaranteed, and it's just a rewind - I wouldn't be getting new poles or anything, so that doesn't seem like it's worth it.

However, I spent some time looking through posts on here tonight. From what I gather (and, please, correct me if I'm wrong!) is that the only thing that differentiates the JB and Jazz in the Fly Mojo vs. what you'd get from the store is the mounting ears and the squared off edges of the pickup.

Is that correct?

I was under the assumption that these pickups were thinner and built slightly different than those you'd get off the shelf.

If that is correct, if I simply order a new set of pickups and make those modifications with a dremil or metal cutters, they will fit? Is there anything I should look out for or avoid?

And, just for kicks, are there any other pickups out there that will work for this guitar with a similar modification? Or maybe a brand that's making them? Or, heck, anyone selling their mint condition JB/Jazz combo from their Fly Mojo?

Thanks so much!

[vjmanzo]

…the only thing that differentiates the JB and Jazz in the Fly Mojo vs. what you'd get from the store is the mounting ears and the squared off edges of the pickup.

Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

The bridge pickup JB in the Mojo is what SD refers to as “trembucker” spacing (of the pole pieces), so you’ll want to order that one in that configuration. I did this a few years ago (I paired a Jazz bridge pickup with the existing Jazz neck pickup in a Mojo), and everything aligned perfectly. I can’t recall if the neck pickup spacing has some SD-specific terminology to describe the spacing there.

I ordered my pickup through Banjomikez, and it was a great experience.

[mmmguitar]

I can’t recall if the neck pickup spacing has some SD-specific terminology to describe the spacing there.

Though it’s been some years since I owned a Mojo, I recall the pickup baseplate being labeled something like “SH-2N TB” to denote it as being a neck Jazz wind in Trembucker spacing.

[vjmanzo]

…“SH-2N TB” to denote it as being a neck Jazz wind in Trembucker spacing.

…so both SD pickups in a Fly Mojo have the same Trembucker spacing? I have a spare set I can check somewhere, I’m sure

[Patzag]

From the SD website:

Trembuckers vs Humbuckers
A standard Humbucker’s pole pieces are built according to a traditional Gibson string spacing of 1.930″ (49mm), measured from the center of the high E string to the center of the low E string at the bridge pickup location. But guitars with tremolo bridges – particuarly Floyd Rose style locking bridges, six-screw vintage types or two-point fulcrum bridges – have a wider string spacing of 2.070″ (52.6mm). This means that a pickup designed for a tremolo guitar (or one with the same string spacing) needs the pole pieces to be spaced slightly further apart in order to more accurately sense the vibrations of their respective strings. An early solution to this problem was to simple angle a regular humbucker slightly so that at least one pole piece would pick up each of the outermost strings, but this was a stopgap solution until wider spacing was developed.

This only applies to the spacing for the bridge (sometimes called treble) pickup. By the time the strings pass over the neck (or rhythm) pickup, their spacing has narrowed down, so a Humbucker will be properly spaced for your needs whether you have Gibson or Floyd Rose spacing at the bridge.
If you’re not sure which spacing your particular guitar requires, simply measure from the centre of each of the E strings. If the spacing is two inches (50mm), you require a Humbucker. If the spacing is greater than two inches, you need a Trembucker.

[dougc84]

Well thanks for all the information everyone! But I'm a little confused about the neck spacing.

For the bridge, I understand that any old f-spaced (trembucker) JB or similar pickup with a similar bottom will fit (with some modifications to the pickup base - removing the ears and making sure the base is rounded off).

For the neck, however, I think I understand that there really isn't a neck position trembucker, so any standard SD neck pickup with a similar bottom will fit (with the same caveats as above).

Is this correct?

[mmmguitar]

Is this correct?

Though I've already said my piece, you can confirm it for yourself by marking paper or using anything else to gauge whether the distance between the outside pole pieces of the neck pickup are the same as the bridge. If so, this will indicate that they both have the 51.5mm Duncan "TB" spacing. If the pole pieces of the neck pickup are slightly narrower (49mm), then any Duncan "standard/regular" space neck position humbucker with fillister screws in the neck-facing coil can fit once its baseplate has been swapped or modified.

Unfortunately, this person obscures the pickup baseplate label with their fingers - But you can reference your own pickup's label in this way:



If I'm understanding your original post correctly, you're wanting to replace your pickups with identical ones because the pole pieces are becoming oxidized for the second time? Though that's your prerogative, periodically cleaning them up with a lemon juice and salt solution, then applying some metal polish might be worth trying in the short term:

[dougc84]

So you don't know then. I appreciate you telling me how to look it up, and the tip on cleaning pole pieces, but I don't own a ruler nor am I going to buy one. Yes, I know they're not expensive. But I've gone 40 years without owning one, so why would I spend $10 on one when someone on a Parker forum would likely have that information?

I just want to know if the neck is TB/f-spaced, but it seems no one actually knows that information.

[vjmanzo]

I just took some measurements of my Fly Mojo and a Fly Deluxe:

The Fly Deluxe DiMarzio Gen 1 pickups have the same spacing for both neck and bridge pickups.

The Fly Mojo has narrower spacing for the neck pickup and a confirmed “Trembucker” “for the bridge pickup. I used Marc’s approach to trace the pole pieces.