Molding Plastic Humbucking Mounting Rings

by Mike Doolin

Originally published in American Lutherie #117, 2014



I switched over to playing 7-string guitar as of 2013, and consequently began building and modifying 7-string guitars to play. For electric guitar, the options for 7-string pickups and hardware are pretty slim compared to 6-string. There are a few pickup makers who make 7-string models, and happily Jason Loller makes a superb 7-string humbucker. But the only plastic mounting rings I could find were the thin ones for flat-topped solidbody guitars, and I mostly play archtops. So, I decided I’d have to make my own tall plastic mounting rings.

I made the mold out of scrap 1/2˝ Delrin from TAP Plastics. I cut 1.718˝ wide strips (cleaning them up to that width on the jointer) to form the perimeter of the mold. I used a 1/4˝ sheet of UHMW plastic as the base since it’s inherently nonstick, over a scrap of 3/4˝ plywood. I fastened everything together with 1˝ nails, drilling .120˝ holes for them. This makes the whole assembly an easy friction fit.