I started with volume/tone control boxes, then volume-only control boxes, and now it only seems natural to go the “purest” form: a simple 1/4″ input jack enclosure for the various pickups you might encounter. And if you’re like me, you no doubt have a dusty drawer full of them: Krivo, DeArmond, Stimer, Kent, and so on. Why do we do this? Who knows.
These are available in my store.
This enclosure would allow you to add a standard input jack to any kind of floating pickup + archtop/Selmer-style guitar, without drilling holes. You would simply need to wire the pickup directly to this jack and use the velcro strip to attach it behind the bridge. I’ve dabbled in other approaches to this before (see my tailpiece-mounted jack project), but I really think this is the most flexible and simplistic way to attach to the widest variety of guitars with a floating bridge.
The box measures 36mm x 23mm x 18mm, it’s easy to install/remove, and small enough to keep on your guitar as it goes into a case or gig bag.
Installation:
- Carefully pry the snap-on cover off with a flathead screwdriver
- Thread your cable from the pickup into the hole in the back of the box.
- The ground wire from the pickup is soldered to the silver-colored lead on the angled side of the jack.
- The hot wire goes to the brass-colored lead on the side.
- Leave the lead in the far back unconnected.
- Affix a zip-tie to the cable in the interior as shown so as to not stress the solder joints when the cable gets tugged.
- Then snap the cover back on
- Strap the pickup flush against any three adjacent strings behind your bridge (should be three strings, two is not as stable)