Humbucker spacing

guitaraj

I know this is something that has been discussed on the board before but I was hoping to double check before I make a purchase, so I throw this open to the collective wisdom of the 'board...

I'm converting an SSS 2015 American Standard Strat to HSS. I have read about F-Spacing etc which I think would dictate a 53mm pickup (I'm thinking BKP Holy Diver or Mule) but when I get the calipers out it gives me 51.56mm - almost smack bang between 50mm and 53mm, so does this mean it's down to aesthetic choice at this point? 

I'm also thinking of upgrading the bridge at some point to a Vega or Wilkinson - would that have a knockoff effect, does anyone know?

Thanks in advance for any advice, 

Cheers

Alex

The measurement calipers (sheesh, look at all that dust!) :



The guitar: 

Funkfingers

A humbucker with pole spacing (centre to centre) of 52mm will align nicely. 

guitaraj said:

I'm also thinking of upgrading the bridge at some point to a Vega or Wilkinson - would that have a knocko[n] effect, does anyone know?

What do you find dissatisfying about the current vibrato bridge?

FWIIW, I have a Callaham sustain block going spare. (The design is intended to replace the block on earlier Am Std vibratos with the offset intonation screws. The stock blocks were prone to cracking.) I need to check the Callaham website to determine whether all of the drilled holes will align with your 2015 baseplate. The most critical detail is the arm thread.

guitaraj

Thank you very much @Funkfingers. I’ll look for 52mm spaced ones. 

Regarding the bridge - i’ve resisted using the whammy bar much on this guitar because the tuning doesn’t hold terribly well. I much prefer the bridge on my Ultra Luxe strat (which is now my main SSS, hence this one gets the mod treatment)

i’ll have a look into the Callaham bridges and get back to you if that’s ok? Thanks so much for the feedback

Funkfingers

While you have the strings off, unfasten one of the machineheads and inspect its hidden face for embossed letters or numerals. 

P.W. stands for Ping Well. HC or J-H stand for Chin-Ho and/or Jin-Ho.

IMO, these are good enough for Mexican Standard guitars or American Stratocasters with a double locking vibrato system. Basic fulcrum vibratos deserve German machineheads. 

Any other tuning instability issues suggest a need for judicious nut slot filing.

ICBM

As long as the strings pass over some part of the polepieces then it doesn't matter. Remember that the original Strat pickups all have the same pole spacing despite the increase in string spacing towards the bridge, and the bridge pickup being angled which exaggerates the difference.

It often doesn't even *really* matter if the E strings just miss the polepieces entirely, although you may start to hear a small difference - but given the choice, I would always prefer a pickup with slightly wider spacing than the strings to one slightly narrower... mostly because it looks better .

OilCityPickups

ICBM said:

As long as the strings pass over some part of the polepieces then it doesn't matter. Remember that the original Strat pickups all have the same pole spacing despite the increase in string spacing towards the bridge, and the bridge pickup being angled which exaggerates the difference.

It often doesn't even *really* matter if the E strings just miss the polepieces entirely, although you may start to hear a small difference - but given the choice, I would always prefer a pickup with slightly wider spacing than the strings to one slightly narrower... mostly because it looks better .

If you take a look at genuine 70s Wide Range humbuckers  the top and bottom E strings entirely miss the poles at the neck ... and it makes beggar all difference. 
 

guitaraj

ICBM said:

As long as the strings pass over some part of the polepieces then it doesn't matter. Remember that the original Strat pickups all have the same pole spacing despite the increase in string spacing towards the bridge, and the bridge pickup being angled which exaggerates the difference.

It often doesn't even *really* matter if the E strings just miss the polepieces entirely, although you may start to hear a small difference - but given the choice, I would always prefer a pickup with slightly wider spacing than the strings to one slightly narrower... mostly because it looks better .

Thanks @ICBM sounds like the way to go - cheers for your feedback!

guitaraj

OilCityPickups said:

ICBM said:

As long as the strings pass over some part of the polepieces then it doesn't matter. Remember that the original Strat pickups all have the same pole spacing despite the increase in string spacing towards the bridge, and the bridge pickup being angled which exaggerates the difference.

It often doesn't even *really* matter if the E strings just miss the polepieces entirely, although you may start to hear a small difference - but given the choice, I would always prefer a pickup with slightly wider spacing than the strings to one slightly narrower... mostly because it looks better .

If you take a look at genuine 70s Wide Range humbuckers  the top and bottom E strings entirely miss the poles at the neck ... and it makes beggar all difference. 
 

Great thank you @OilCityPickups - funnily enough I'm looking for pickups for my first from-scratch guitar build as well which is a Tele Deluxe. I need to crack on and finish it! 

jaymenon

OilCityPickups said:.

If you take a look at genuine 70s Wide Range humbuckers  the top and bottom E strings entirely miss the poles at the neck ... and it makes beggar all difference. 
 

Yes, but they’re on the neck pick up the strings are at least in between to pull pieces. 

What would happen if the strings were the other way (i.e. outside of the pole pieces)?

I had a 56.4 mm Stratocaster bridge with a 52mm pickup - and the 1st string was definitely quieter. Not so much evident whilst playing clean or heavily overdriven. But when the amplifier was said “on the edge of break up”, the E (1st) string remained clean while the other Strings overdrove…

The picture below shows a DiMarzio normal spaced humbucker with vintage Stratocaster string spacing.

jaymenon

And when Guitar reviews often wax eloquent on attention to detail, in terms of the finish, the binding, and whether humbucker covers have the correct curves at the corners et cetera - certainly alignment of pickups and strings is a parameter that is arguably at least a little bit more functional…

ICBM

Yes, it does make a more noticeable difference if the strings are outside the polepieces rather than inside - the magnetic field cuts off more sharply there.

Funkfingers

I have an Ibanez RG410 - a single humbucker and double-locking vibrato Rawk beast, more than a little inspired by Edward Van Halen. The enthralment extends to the jaunty angle at which the pickup is mounted relative to the strings.

The four inner strings pass between the polepieces on each bobbin. The two E strings only go near one polepiece each.

Despite this, the guitar manages to produce a goodly racket from all six strings. 

Obsessing over what musical instrument components look like is a bad case of, "listen with your eyes."