I'm sorry dude, that looks hideous.

I'm with you brother! I'll take my stock 650 Sierra any day!

I know it's your guitar and you can do what you want with it, but that just looks a mess... sorry.

It's not the different pickups and the new pickguard - those are just a matter of taste - but if you're going to modify a guitar, at least do it well. The bridge pickup is not even fitted straight and you can see the ends of the original routs under the surrounds. These could easily have been filled with small pieces of matching walnut, and on a guitar with a satin finish they would have been pretty much invisible.

(Yes, I can see that the bridge pickup has been fitted parallel to the bridge which itself is not straight - that should have been corrected as well, although really it shouldn't have even left the factory like that.)

Making the new pickguard smaller and having to fill the old screw hole looks like a bodge too. I have absolutely no objection to modifying any guitar that doesn't have particular historical or rarity value, but I really don't like to see stuff that just looks poorly done.

Please sell the old pickups to someone who can use them - I'm sure they're working just fine. I would happily buy them from you if you can't find anyone in the US.

The pickguard shape is one of the characteristic features of a Rickenbacker guitar. I would never change it.

Well, now that it's done with the wood, I can see your point and why you like it. Somewhere out there a few years ago someone was making humbucker surrounds out of ebony, that might complete the picture. Then there is another company out there, if I could remember the name, that makes pickups with wood bobbin tops Maybe they could sell you a couple of sets of burl bobbin tops you can affix to your pickups. Sorry, but the all-wood would be alright, but those coloured bobbins are, well.... That would complete your setup.

One question: referring to your original post, if you have access to a multimeter, what is the DC resistance of the HB-1 pickups you took out of the guitar?

iiipopes

Sorry for the delay getting the info on the Ric pups that you requested. I have had some severe medical problems lately with my back & syactic nerve causing severe pain. I can hardly walk. I had to get the pickups out of storage.

The DC resistance measure 15.48k ohms and 15.24k ohms, which seems to be in spec for the pickups. However, DC resistance isn't the end-all for measuring pickup performance. I will consider selling the set.

Best wishes dealing with your sciatica, I know it can be hell.
My wife dealt with it for 3 months last year before having a discectomy, even laying down she was in major pain.

Why...why would you do such a thing?

Well, to my ears it sounds a whole lot better. And I like the wood guard better. Most don't. To each their own I guess.

Hey man I was only being a stupid wise guy. As long as you're happy and it makes you fell good that's all that really counts and you don't really have to justify it to anyone. It was nice of you to share your happiness with the rest of us.

God bless.