Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
How long is the warranty on my Lace pickups? All Lace Pickups come with a 5 year warranty, pending receipt/proof of purchase.
Does Lace sell internationally? Yes we do! We have shipped pickups all over the world and there are currently Lace Pickups on every continent! As with all international orders, customers will be responsible for all duties and taxes upon arrival.
What Countries does Lace ship to? We will ship to any country on Earth, however, current conditions in the following countries prevent us from shipping: Brazil; Ukraine and Russia. If you absolutely need Lace Pickups and you live in one of these countries, please contact us via e-mail at: sales@lacemusic.com.
How can I test my pickup if I think it is not functioning properly? The surest way to confirm a pickup is functioning properly, is to take a resistance/ohms reading with a multi-meter. There is a Tech Specs pull down menu on each pickup page that contains the proper resistance for that particular pickup. If the reading you get is within spec, then your pickup is functioning properly, and the issue lies elsewhere….most likely in the wiring.
If you contact us with an issue regarding your pickup, the resistance/ohms reading results will be the first thing we will ask you for!
Where can I find your wiring diagrams? Various wiring diagrams can be found on the Lace Wiring Diagram Page: https://lacemusic.com/pages/wiring-diagrams on our web site.
What tools will I need to install Lace pickups? At a minimum, you will need a soldering iron and solder, a small Philips Head screw driver and wire cutters/snips.
Is it difficult to install Lace pickups? No, however some soldering experience is recommended. If you are not confident about your soldering skills we recommend you review a few YouTube videos on the subject prior to attempting to solder.
Are your Humbuckers split-able? Yes, all Lace Sensor Humbuckers are split-able.
Can I use a push/pull pot to split Lace pickups? Yes you can. Simply treat one side of the six lugs of the push/pull pot like the three lugs on the mini toggle switch in the diagram.
Are the Alumitone pickups active or passive: The Alumitone pickups are passive.
Is there anything special I need to do when installing Alumitone pickups? Alumitone Humbucker and single coil pickups are wired in the same way as any traditional pickup. However, you must refer to the Alumitone wiring diagram if you wish to split the humbucker:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0026/5469/9593/files/ALUMA-SPLIT_Wiring.pdf?9983894355982704781
What is the difference between an Alumitone and a Sensor pickup? The Lace Sensor is ultimately the worlds quietest true single coil pickup. It utilizes a focused magnetic field as the basis for its sound. Whereas the Alumitone utilizes a technology completely different from any other pickup on the market. The Alumitone functions as a closed loop primary transformer, yielding a broadband, HDTv for your ears response.
Can you use Alumitone pickups with Lace Sensors? Yes you can.
Can you use Alumitone pickups with other traditional pickups? Yes you can, as long as they are paired with passive pickups. However, you may find you have noisy neighbors!
Can Lace Sensor pickups be used with other pickup brands? Yes they can, as long as they are paired with passive pickups. However, you may find you have noisy neighbors!
Can I use the Alumitone Bass Bar pickups with an active preamp? Yes you can, however an adjustable input gain stage is recommend as the Bass Bar pickups have plenty out output. Audere Preamps makes a preamp designed specifically for the Alumitone Bass Bar pickups.
What magnets are used in Lace Sensors? Barium Ferrite magnets are used in the Lace Sensor Single coil and Humbucker pickups.
Do the Lace pickups have pole pieces? The only Lace pickups that use pole pieces are the Holy Grail Strat pickups and the PS-900 pickups. These pickups are a hybrid of Sensor and traditional pickup technology.
What size pots and caps do I need to use with Lace guitar pickups? All Lace pickups were designed and developed around 250k pots and .022 caps. We recommend 250k pots and .022 caps with Lace Sensor single coil pickups. With our Humbuckers, you can use 250k pots and .022 caps, or 500k pots and .047 caps. The higher value pots and caps will add more brilliance to the top end of your tone.
Here is a very enlightening series of articles on Tone Caps:
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Tone_Capacitors_for_Stratocasters_Part_1
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Tone_Capacitors_for_Stratocasters_Part_2
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Tone_Capacitors_for_Stratocaster_Part_3
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/tone_capacitors_for_stratocasters_part_4
How do 250k pots and 500k pots differ from each other? A 250k pot will offer you a much wider and detailed taper, or roll off. 500k pots are generally used to brighten up inherently dull traditional humbucker pickups. They have a much shorter and less user friendly taper.
Can the covers on the pickups be removed or changed? No. The covers are epoxied onto the pickups and cannot be removed. Attempted removal will render the pickup inoperable and void any warranty, written or implied.
What does TBX stand for? Treble Bass Expander
What is a TBX tone pot? Here is a great explanation: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Fender_TBX_Tone_Control_Part_1
Can a TBX tone pot be modified: Yes, and here is a great article about it. https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Fender_TBX_Tone_Control_Mod_Part_2
How can I ground my Lace acoustic guitar pickup on my acoustic guitar or resonator? You can attach a Plate Mate or copper tape under the bridge of your instrument. You will need to solder a ground wire from there to the ground lug of the input jack.
“To easily ground the strings, go to the Stewart McDonald web site and obtain a Plate Mate. This is a brass plate with holes spaced to match the bridge pin spacing. Measure your pin spacing and obtain the correct version. Before you install, solder a flexible stranded wire (about 1 foot) to the metal plate mate and connect the other end to the output jack ground connection or metal braid of the pickup lead. This will ground your strings as the ball ends of the string will rest in the notch being grounded to prevent the ball end of the string from chewing up the wood under the bridge.” (Source Unknown)