Flat or Staggered?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

Perhaps a dumb question; but why don't they make single-coils with adjustable pole pieces like humbuckers?

[Kent S.]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

What do you guys mean by flat vs staggered? Is that the height of the pole pieces as in radiusing the poles with the fretboard radius? Or are you guys talking about something like staggering the screw slots like some do.

I tried flush with the pickup and also radiused but didn't notice a huge difference. I go back and forth but I think it's my ears playing tricks on me.

Yeah, it's the radius, but the staggered is an uneven radius ... it doesn't track the radius of the neck ... it's the height ... a vintage stagger has something that looks like this :

D
*** G
A *** E
E *** ***
*** B
***
__________________________________________________ _____
Excuse the poor art work, but you get the idea ... You hear it most on chords, and picking within chords .

[papersoul]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

bump

[papersoul]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

What do you guys mean by flat vs staggered? Is that the height of the pole pieces as in radiusing the poles with the fretboard radius? Or are you guys talking about something like staggering the screw slots like some do.

I tried flush with the pickup and also radiused but didn't notice a huge difference. I go back and forth but I think it's my ears playing tricks on me.

[jeremy]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

i think most peoples least favorite position on a strat is the bridge, at least on a stock strat. i love the twangbanger in my daytona, i use it more that i ever thought i would

[sgstrat]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

While we are at it, as a side note, has anyone ever used a left handed stagger in a right handed guitar (yeah I know Hendrix did but ... ), I mean has anyone ever tried it, and if so what did you think, how did it sound to you? Like it, or no? Curious ... pro and cons?

I have an APS-1 "reverse" bridge in the pickup of my Fernandes strat for about 10 years now, and have been pretty satisfied with it. I don't quite know how to describe it other than it sounds a little "Hendrixy", (duh). Sorry that I'm not being of much help, but I'm one of those guys whose least favorite position on a Strat is the bridge.

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

i like staggered for that in your face jangly strat tone. thats what i like strats for, personally if i want a balanced nice tone ill pick up a les paul and put it on neck position (preference thing)

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

Hehe dunno about the left to right pu's...but I like staggered best.....gives me the sound I am used to and just like in a strat pickup

[Kent S.]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

I like staggered for neck and middle on Strats ( sounds more 3D & livlier ) and flat for Teles ( sounds smoother & more mids ). Lew

While we are at it, as a side note, has anyone ever used a left handed stagger in a right handed guitar (yeah I know Hendrix did but ... ), I mean has anyone ever tried it, and if so what did you think, how did it sound to you? Like it, or no? Curious ... pro and cons?

Re: Flat or Staggered?

i use flat pole pups for most things but i do find that staggereds have a little bit more air on top

That's exactly what I hear Jeremy...I describe it as having a more bubbley tone. Lew

[jeremy]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

i use flat pole pups for most things but i do find that staggereds have a little bit more air on top

Re: Flat or Staggered?

I like staggered for neck and middle on Strats ( sounds more 3D & livlier ) and flat for Teles ( sounds smoother & more mids ). Lew

[Kent S.]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

Yeah, the string balance is changed, it's especially noticeable on chords ... generally speaking a staggerred polepiece array will have a brighter sound, more airy if you will ... a lot of people associate this with being more of a vintage sound ... truth be told the vintage stagger doesn't make much sense if it's done for it's original purpose ... the orignal string guages back then were generally heavy flat wound strings, so the stagger in theory made all strings have equal volume. I prefer a thrid option, DiMarzio offers some that have a radiused stagger, meaning that it's like a flat, but the A&B strings are a bit higher than the E strings, and then D&G strings are a bit higher than the A&B strings, so in theory at least if the pup matches the distance equally from polepiece to string on both E strings, then it will track all strings with equal sensitivity. I think you can get the same from SD also if requested ... one interesting thing though is that the true flat tends to accent the outer (read Bass and Treble, while reducing the mids slightly), which is great for rhythm work and helping chords to *speak* without being muddy. The vintage stagger generally sounds brighter,glassier, and has more air to it, the flat generally is warmer, has more mids, and relays in chord picking more accurately. I prefer the flat, but the staggerred tends to work very well as a middle pup, adds extra personality to the 2&4 positions on a strat, and also adds a bit more *difference* in sound to the middle only position (IMHO).

[kmcguitars]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

I like the flat pole piece's ,Just sounds fuller to me?

[59paul]

Re: Flat or Staggered?

Flat has even string response. Depends on what you're goin for. I like the SSl-1's, they're staggered. Very much like the very early Strat pickups.