Replacing guitar pickups is a good option for those wanting better tone without forking over the cash for a new instrument. The process may seem a bit intimidating to newcomers, but it’s actually pretty simple – John’s instructable provides a helpful step-by-step -

After some time on Google reading articles mentioning the good things that can come out of getting rid of the stock pickups on inexpensive guitars, I was set on trying to do this myself. I had never considered it before, I always thought that the insides of guitars were something only an elite group of individuals were allowed to mess with.

I was wrong. After finishing this pickup swap, I learned a ton about my guitar without messing ANYTHING up. And now I have a great sounding guitar, too.

If you’re finally becoming good at guitar, or even if you have been playing for a while and want a change, swapping out the pickups is one of the best things you can do without shelling out hundreds for a new guitar.

Especially handy, as he documented some snags he ran into along the way, as well as a quick rundown on choosing a replacement pickup. Read more in the Instructable.