Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

[ErikH]

In my continuing self debate for replacement single coils in my Strat, one thing that I need to know is if there is a max neck radius recommendation for staggered pole pickups? My Strat is a 1994 American Standard with a 9.5" radius fretboard. Would I be OK using staggered poles or should I stick with flat poles like what came stock?

This just goes to show my lack of knowledge/experience with single coils even though I own a Strat.

Any help here is greatly appreciated.

[Benjy_26]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

I don't think that there's a radius limit for staggered poles. I think it comes down to taste. Flat poes will give a given pickup more mids and a slightly fatter voicing overall while staggered poles will be chimier and brighter.

I have a set of flat singles in my 62RI and they work great, as did the staggered Fender pickups that came in it.

[ErikH]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

See, that's my dilema. I love the evenness of the flat poles and the fatter voicing but I also love the chiminess of the staggered poles. If I go staggered, there's a 99% chance I'm going with Texas Specials. If I go flat, then I don't know if I'm going to keep the SSL-6 I have and just add a couple APS-2's or just change them all to APS-2's. WAHHHHHHHH!!!! I hate it when I can't make up my mind.

And add to this that I still have a Little '59 that I can't seem to sell that I may want to drop back in it. (I think I'm going to lose my mind).

This is a clear case of "I have a Strat, and don't know what to do with it". NO, I am not sending it to LesStrat, GearJonesr or Xssive.

Something else I noticed very strange with my stock Strat pickups (1994 models), the DC resistance measured 2.8k on my meter. I thought the meter was wrong to I checked my SSL-6 and it read 13k like it should. So I checked the others again and sure enough, 2.8k each. WTF???? They don't sound that weak. They actually match up with the SSL-6 rather nicely. I just don't get how the DC resistance can be so low yet not sound dead.

[ErikH]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

Ok, there has to be some others out there with input on this. Come on, through me some ideas. From my avatar pic, you can probably tell what music I like. My amp is in my sig in case you're wanting to know (I know it's sometimes asked when input is requested). I'm all ears, or eyes in this case.

[Travis]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

Well, I put a flat Quarter Pound in one of my Charvels. They genereally have a flatter radius, so that's why I picked the flat pole pieces. For a Strat with a pretty curved radius, I might go staggered. But, to tell you the truth, you might not even be able to tell the difference. Either one will work fine. It's all a matter of personal taste, anyway. I like a mid spike personally, while dispising bright pickups.

[Benjy_26]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

I'd go with staggered pickups in the neck and mid and a flat in the bridge, that way you get all the sparkle, but get some fat where its most needed on a strat.

[ErikH]

Re: Staggered Poles and Neck Radius

Thanks for the input. I may just put the Little '59 back in there. Then it's just a matter of what to do with the middle and neck, possibly a couple of SSL-1's or APS-1's.