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In this step-by-step tutorial, Nashville guitar tech and bass builder Tony Nagy demonstrates how to replace an electric guitar pickup and offers valuable tips on disassembling, wiring, and reassembling a Fender Stratocaster.

Bonus! Curious what a Strat sounds like strung with medium flatwounds? Check out the short demo following this how-to video.

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Guitartec on 04/22/2013	Small tech correction, but worth mentioning... The guitar has an OUTPUT jack, not an input jack (7:59). The INPUT jack is on the amp. Signal comes OUT of your guitar, possibly goes INto an effect, OUT of that effect and INto the amp.
3shiftgtr on 01/24/2013	Attention world: Tony Nagy is a master builder and tech. He builds and designs amazing instruments and is responsible for finish work for companies like Warrior, Jaros, LowEnd, and many many more. And he is a SICK bassist of extraordinary proportions who has toured with Lee Roy Parnell, Terri Clark to name a few and was nominated for a Grammy. If he isn't using towels etc., it is because he has the experience to get the job done without it. Respect. A whole lot of it.
Nerd on 01/23/2013	Re my last comment...or better still..undo the pickup screws and gently push the pickup down into the cavity so that it clears the pick guard..sorry, it's been about 20 years since I did this job, hard to exactly picture it, but I know that I did it many times without taking the neck off
Nerd on 01/23/2013	Great description of how to screw the neck to the body (like a car wheel) and I'm sure he did a great job, but because (as he says) the connection of the neck to the body has "a tremendous amount to do with how the instrument speaks" I'd say why even go there when all you have to do is undo the neck pickup screws and lift the pickup up a bit as you lift and slide the pickguard away from the neck. Also, the body wood on a lot of strats is pretty soft and it's very easy to strip the thread...best to leave it alone.
Tie on 01/23/2013	The original pickups in this range from 6.72 to 7.8 or so on average. The bardens measures 4.72 on average. Why would you want a pickup with less output in the bridge? usually you get one with the same or more. Another thing to keep in mind is that when you flip and American or vintage start over, you will lose the tiny spring that stays in the trem arm hole (until you flip it over and lose it) and it helps keep correct pressure on the arm. And, ALWAYS use a towel or some other protection on your guitar when you work on it.
Shtew on 01/23/2013	No bad info here, & very informative for newbies & DIY. Everyone has different working methods...I definitely would use shop rags to protect everything, and even tho a p'up swap was planned, I would've checked for a cold solder joint first...very common problem with stock design Strat p'ups...
Paul Antram on 01/23/2013	I agree with Ozmick! A towel would protect the finish from the pick guard (pickup screws and switch) and solder. A must in my thinking.
Jim on 01/23/2013	I've done this before; but, now I have better insight and could probably do a better and faster job. Thanks a lot.
keefe novoa on 01/22/2013	Wow! thanks.
Ozmick on 01/22/2013	Great article for what a lot of people would think would be a simple job but shows a lot of small but important tips. One thing though, I was horrified to see him working with metal tools and a hot soldering iron directly over an un-protected body! Doesn't matter how careful you are something WILL slip or a blob of molten solder will fall on the finish. All you need is an old towel over the body to protect things - I've been repairing my own guitars for over 35 years and have never damaged a finish by using a towel to cover the body.

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