Pickup replacement for Fender FM61SE electric?

**mrmando** · Oct-02-2020, 7:40pm

Anyone replaced a pickup on a Fender FM61SE e-mando — the 8-string Korean import from 20 years ago?

What did you use? I have one that needs an upgrade.

I have an old Seymour Duncan pickup but it's a double-coil humbucker and won't fit the space. It would be great to throw some kind of humbucker in this to replace the single coil.

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**Ray(T)** · Oct-03-2020, 3:50am

The standard upgrade for the, more recent, Mandostrat is made by Almuse but it’s a single coil. I was impressed, not only by the sound, but by the short time it took from ordering to delivery for the one they made for me. Probably worth asking them, they were very helpful - http://www.almuse.co.uk/index.html

Edit - in fact they do produce one but it’s not a humbucker - http://www.almuse.co.uk/mandolin_pickups_fender61.html

**mrmando** · Oct-03-2020, 2:24pm

Yep, I checked with Pete last night and his single-coil is probably my best option unless there's something else out there.

**pops1** · Oct-04-2020, 8:11am

You could always modify or make a new pickguard and put any pickup in there you like. You may also have to remove some wood on the body, but still not a big deal.

**Monte Barnett** · Oct-04-2020, 9:33am

Steve Ryder’s stacked humbucker might work. https://www.sjryder.com/pickups.html#prices

**mrmando** · Oct-05-2020, 2:04am

Wow, it looks like Steve is completely out of the electric mandolin business now ... no instruments on his site. Been privileged to have several Ryders through my hands in the past 15 years or so...

The Almuse single-coil with shipping is about US$60, whereas a Ryder stacked humbucker is US$100 plus shipping ... could be worth it, though.

Routing a bigger hole in the body or cutting more space out of the pickguard are things I'd rather not pay the luthier to do. Prefer something that can be dropped in without making a mess.

**thistle3585** · Oct-06-2020, 11:16am

I might have one that will work for you Martin. I sent you a message.

**pti** · Nov-02-2020, 9:13pm

How did this turn out? I have a buzzy FM-61SE I’d like to quiet down. With the open body, copper tape shielding isn’t really an option.

**Nevin** · Nov-02-2020, 10:06pm

Originally Posted by pti

How did this turn out? I have a buzzy FM-61SE I’d like to quiet down. With the open body, copper tape shielding isn’t really an option.

You could go with shielding paint.

**pti** · Nov-02-2020, 11:16pm

Originally Posted by Nevin

You could go with shielding paint.

The pickup cavity is open to the whole hollow body, though. You'd see it through the f-holes, and the f-holes themselves would keep you from getting a decent Faraday cage.

I am actually thinking of building a tight enclosure over the pickup, wiring, pots, and output jack as a shield.