The Complete Pickup Installation
Professional Guitar Pickup Fitting, Soldering & Magnetic Balance Calibration
Upgrading your pickups is the single most transformative tonal upgrade you can make to an electric or acoustic guitar. But great pickups only sound as good as their installation.
At our private Dundee workbench, David Aitken provides precision pickup installation with high-conductivity soldering, acoustic endpin reaming, and custom pole-piece height calibration—complete with complimentary doorstep collection and return across Dundee.
Audio-Grade Solder
High-conductivity, zero cold joints
Phase & Ground Audit
Multimeter verified, silent idle operation
Free Dundee Collection
Doorstep pickup & return included
Magnetic Balance Calibration
Strobe-verified height, zero wolf tones
Workbench Standard
The 4-Stage Pickup Installation Protocol
Every pickup swap receives meticulous artisan bench care to guarantee uncompromised frequency response and dead-silent idle operation:
Circuit Deconstruction & Component Audit
Inspection of potentiometers, switch, and output jack values (250k vs 500k vs 1M) to ensure impedance matching and optimal frequency bandwidth for your new pickups.
High-Conductivity Soldering & Heatshrink Insulation
Clean mechanical connections, lead-free audio-grade solder, and marine-grade heatshrink insulation over every wire joint. Zero electrical tape, zero cold joints.
Phase, Polarity & Ground Verification
Digital multimeter phase and polarity testing across all switch positions to guarantee full-bodied in-phase tone, eliminate coil hum, and provide dead-silent grounding.
Magnetic Window & Strobe Height Calibration
Pickups set to optimal magnetic distance under strobe conditions. Pole-piece radius matching prevents string drag, maximizes dynamic sustain, and eliminates wolf tones.
Clear Pricing
Transparent Pricing Tiers
| Pickup Tier | Bench Service Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single Pickup | 1 Humbucker, Tele bridge/neck, or single-coil drop-in swap. Includes height calibration. | £35 |
| Dual Pickup Pair | 2 Humbuckers (Les Paul, PRS, SG) or Telecaster set. Clean wiring & ground check. | £55 |
| Strat 3-Pickup Set | Full SSS or HSS harness wiring, 5-way switch connections, and individual height balancing. | £65 |
| Acoustic Installation | Under-saddle piezo, K&K Pure Mini, LR Baggs, or Fishman. Includes chip-free endpin reaming. | £60 |
| The Complete Pickup Installation + Setup Bundle | Single, pair or set installation bundled with The Complete Setup (£95). Action, intonation, neck relief & fret polish. | £135 (Save £15–£25) |
*All prices include complimentary local doorstep collection and return across Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, and Newport-on-Tay.
Bring Your Own Pickups or Let Us Source Them
Already purchased your dream set of pickups? Simply pack them in your case. Need guidance or want us to supply them? We source genuine pickups direct from Seymour Duncan, Bare Knuckle, DiMarzio, Fishman Fluence, and K&K Sound at competitive UK retail prices. Contact us before booking and we will arrange the right set for your guitar.
Zero Travel Friction
3 Simple Steps to Tonal Transformation
Book Your Bench Slot
Book online or message with your guitar model and pickup set. We confirm wiring configurations in advance.
Evening Doorstep Pickup (Free in Dundee)
David collects your cased instrument directly from your doorstep in Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, or North Fife on a scheduled evening.
24–48h Bench Work & Return
Pickups are cleanly installed, soldered, ground-tested, and radius-balanced. 24 to 48 hours later, your instrument is returned singing to your door.
Private Bench Facility · Zero Walk-Ins
The Complete Guitar operates as a dedicated private artisan workshop (33E Ballindean Road, Dundee, DD4 8NN). To ensure total bench focus and zero disruption during delicate wiring, all services are strictly arranged in advance with complimentary doorstep concierge collection. We do not provide drop-in wood routing or spray refinishing.
Technical Clarity
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to supply my own pickups?
You can supply your own set—just drop them in the case. If you need advice or would like us to supply pickups, we can source genuine sets from Seymour Duncan, Bare Knuckle, DiMarzio, Fishman, or K&K at competitive retail prices.
Can you install an acoustic guitar pickup without damaging my guitar?
Yes. We use specialist high-speed machinist reamers to cleanly enlarge the endpin hole to 1/2 inch without splintering or chipping delicate end-block tonewood. Transducers and piezo elements are installed with reversible, tone-transparent adhesives.
Why is pickup height calibration included?
Fitting the pickup is only half the job. If a pickup sits too close to the strings, magnetic pull dampens sustain and causes ‘wolf tones’. If it sits too low, output is thin and weak. Every installation includes precise height and pole-piece radius balancing.
How does free Dundee doorstep collection work?
Once booked, David collects your instrument directly from your home in Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, or North Fife on a scheduled evening, completes the bench work, and returns it 24 to 48 hours later at no extra charge.
About the Maker & Workshop
Written and formulated by David Aitken. Every wiring harness, pickup installation, and setup protocol is executed with artisan precision at The Complete Guitar workshop in Dundee, Scotland, dedicated to making every instrument play 1% better every day.
24–48h Turnaround · Free Dundee Doorstep Collection · £35–£65 Bench Service
Ready to Transform Your Guitar's Tone?
Whether you are dropping hot humbuckers into your favourite electric or electrifying a vintage acoustic, let's get your guitar singing. Book by arrangement with free Dundee doorstep pickup.
Book The Complete Pickup Installation (From £35) ➔