At first I had a little problem with detaching the backing. Now, after a few pickups, I know how to do it: stick the tape to the pickup. If needed, use an Exacto knife to remove tape that exceeds from the pickup (it's adhesive, so it will gather dust). Then, with the tip of the knife, gently lift the backing and apply the pickup to the instrument. The tape is thin and transparent, whatever you use it for, it is nearly invisible.