First things first. To get to the wiring etc you will need to remover the scratch plate. to do this you need to remover the screws around the edge of the scratch plate. once all the screws are removed you can carefully lift the scratch plate away from the guitar and lay it upside down so that you can easily get to the wiring. When doing this be careful not to break any wires.

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Unscrewing The Scratchplate Video

Now that you have removed the scratch plate you need to replace it where it was, leaving the screws out, and turn the guitar over so that you can get to the back. Now unscrew the cover on the back of the guitar. Once you have done that you should be able to see the springs that pull the bridge down. In the middle of these springs you should see a single wire. This is the earth wire, to detach it you will need to put your soldering iron on the blob of solder and wait for it to melt. Once the solder is melted give the wire a gentile tug and it should come free from the solder.

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Removing The Earth Wire Video

Now that the earth wire is detached from the back you should be able to turn your guitar over and take the scratch plate completely away from your guitar, the only thing that should be holding the scratch plate to the guitar body now is the wires going to the input jack.

Now that you can get to the scratch plate you need to remove the pickup. To do this you need to unscrew the pickup. To do this turn the screws either side of the pickup until the pickup falls through the scratch plate. Now that the pickup is no longer attached to the scratch plate you can turn the scratch plate over so that you can get to the pickup switch and the volume and tone pots. You now need to de-solder the pickup from the pickup switch. First, follow the wire from the pickup to the pickup switch so that you know which one it is that you need to de-solder. You can now detach that wire. You do this the same way as the earth wire. Just put your soldering iron on the solder until it melts, then gently pull on the wire until it comes free.

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De-Soldering The Pickup Switch Video

The only thing holding the pickup to the scratch plate should now be the wire going from the pickup to the volume pot. To remove this wire, do not de-solder it. Instead cut the wire as close to the solder as you can. Now you should be able to completely remove the pickup.

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Cutting The Wire At The Volume Pot Video

Now that the pickup has been completely removed you will need to cut the scratch plate for the new pickup. You can buy a new scratch plate with the holes for the pickups you want ready cut for about £20. But if you want to save money and do this job completely yourself you will need a hacksaw with a removable blade. Firstly draw around your new pickup so that you know where you need to cut and how big the hole needs to be. If you are fitting a humbucker where there was a single-coil pickup before you will need to fit the humbucker straight. Even at the bridge. For the best results line it up wit the hole at the top. Now that you know where you are cutting you need to take off the blade and put it through the hole where the old pickup was. Now reattach the blade and cut the new hole. Cut slightly inside your lines. Then, once you have finished cutting you can neaten the cut up with a file. Checking that the pickup fits. If the hole is too small file it down until the pickup fits snugly but does not get caught.

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Cutting The Scratchplate Video

Now the new pickup can go into your guitar. to wire it into your guitar you need to put it back in the same way that the old pickup came out. the covered wire needs to go onto the pickup switch. To do this melt the existing solder and put the new wire in, you may need to add an extra bit of solder to make sure that it stays. now, get the uncovered wires and solder it to the volume pot where the other wires meat it. Do this using a new bit of solder, do not melt the existing solder.

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Re-Wiring Video

All that you need to do now is put the new pickup in. to do this you may need to make new holes. once this is done you need to screw the pickup in the same way that you took the old one out, making sure that you remember to put the springs back in.

Now that the pick up is in you need to thread the earth wire back through the body of the guitar until it comes out the other side. now you can screw the scratch plate back on and turn the guitar over. You need to melt the existing solder and reattach the earth wire. You may need to add more solder to make sure it holds.

Now your guitar with the new pickup is ready to play. Before you try it you should take your guitar to your nearest guitar store and make sure that it is all ok. This should be free as they should just have to have a quick look.

Now try it out and have fun. You may need to raise the other pickups to try and get the volume right. Once this is done you are completely ready to rock.

Happy Playing! :)