diff --git a/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/components/AbstractComponent.java b/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/components/AbstractComponent.java
index 843ba7e3..a463616a 100644
--- a/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/components/AbstractComponent.java
+++ b/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/components/AbstractComponent.java
@@ -80,6 +80,18 @@ public abstract class AbstractComponent<T> implements IDIYComponent<T> {
     return ((int) x / 2) * 2 + 1;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns darker color if possible, or lighter if it's already dark
+   * 
+   * @param color
+   * @return
+   */
+  protected Color darkerOrLighter(Color color) {
+    float[] hsb = new float[3];
+    Color.RGBtoHSB(color.getRed(), color.getGreen(), color.getBlue(), hsb);
+    return new Color(Color.HSBtoRGB(hsb[0], hsb[1], hsb[2] > 0.5 ? hsb[2] - 0.25f : hsb[2] + 0.25f));
+  }
+
   /**
    * @param clip
    * @return true if none of the control points lie in the clip rectangle.
diff --git a/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar b/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar
index 4e85d603..92b6a30c 100644
Binary files a/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar and b/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar differ
diff --git a/diylc/diylc-library/src/org/diylc/components/guitar/SingleCoilPickup.java b/diylc/diylc-library/src/org/diylc/components/guitar/SingleCoilPickup.java
index 5c15ac85..884b2df5 100644
--- a/diylc/diylc-library/src/org/diylc/components/guitar/SingleCoilPickup.java
+++ b/diylc/diylc-library/src/org/diylc/components/guitar/SingleCoilPickup.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public class SingleCoilPickup extends AbstractTransparentComponent<String> {
     } else {
       finalBorderColor =
           componentState == ComponentState.SELECTED || componentState == ComponentState.DRAGGING ? SELECTION_COLOR
-              : getBaseColor().darker();
+              : darkerOrLighter(getBaseColor());
     }
 
     g2d.setColor(finalBorderColor);
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public class SingleCoilPickup extends AbstractTransparentComponent<String> {
     } else {
       finalBorderColor =
           componentState == ComponentState.SELECTED || componentState == ComponentState.DRAGGING ? SELECTION_COLOR
-              : color.darker();
+              : darkerOrLighter(color);
     }
 
     g2d.setColor(finalBorderColor);
@@ -141,10 +141,10 @@ public class SingleCoilPickup extends AbstractTransparentComponent<String> {
     g2d.draw(body[3]);
 
     if (componentState != ComponentState.DRAGGING && !outlineMode) {
-      g2d.setColor(getPoleColor().darker());
-      g2d.draw(body[2]);
       g2d.setColor(getPoleColor());
       g2d.fill(body[2]);
+      g2d.setColor(darkerOrLighter(getPoleColor()));
+      g2d.draw(body[2]);
     }
 
     Color finalLabelColor;
diff --git a/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar b/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar
index 4e85d603..92b6a30c 100644
Binary files a/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar and b/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar differ