Spacing question

[Rat Bastard]

Hey guys,

I just ordered a JB bridge for a Fender Duo Sonic, and the box says, "Designed for bridges with traditional humbucker string spacing of 48.9mm." Is that the right one, or do I need to send it back and exchange it for one with 53mm?

[Hsb]

I think with the JB either the standard to trem spaced pick up will be fine. The only thing it would affect is look and you would have to be holding the guitar to notice the strings off a little bit. If it were a lower output pickup, there may be a bit of an issue, but the JB should not cause the issue. I have a standard Distortion in a trem spaced bridge and its just fine.

[Mincer]

With a higher output pickup like a JB it doesn't matter. What is the string spacing of your Fender?

[JamesPaul]

Fender usually puts "traditional spaced" humbuckers in their guitars. Back in the day, there was no other option and the tones were fine.

[Rat Bastard]

Thank you guys for the quick responses!!!

With a higher output pickup like a JB it doesn't matter. What is the string spacing of your Fender?

I am not sure the spacing of the guitar. It is one of the duo sonic reissues from a couple of years ago.

Does Seymour Duncan even offer the JB with 53mm spacing? I went to the website, and didn't see one. Will this kind of be like how EVH tilted his bridge pickup? Off by just a hair...

[CaptainWhizz]

Thank you guys for the quick responses!!!

I am not sure the spacing of the guitar. It is one of the duo sonic reissues from a couple of years ago.

Does Seymour Duncan even offer the JB with 53mm spacing? I went to the website, and didn't see one. Will this kind of be like how EVH tilted his bridge pickup? Off by just a hair...

It’s a simple job to measure the distance from one E-string to the other

If it is a wider spacing, Seymour Duncan offers a Trembucker version of the JB (and a lot of their humbuckers) which will be a closer match than the standard version.

[Toejam]

Fender usually puts "traditional spaced" humbuckers in their guitars. Back in the day, there was no other option and the tones were fine.

Fender spacing is F-spacing which is wider than regular spacing.

[Rat Bastard]

It’s a simple job to measure the distance from one E-string to the other

If it is a wider spacing, Seymour Duncan offers a Trembucker version of the JB (and a lot of their humbuckers) which will be a closer match than the standard version.

Thanks for the tip. It is indeed 53mm.

[CaptainWhizz]

Glad you got it sorted

Did you manage to get your order changed?

[Rat Bastard]

Will the inconsistency mess with the output or the EQ in anyway?

[Mincer]

Will the inconsistency mess with the output or the EQ in anyway?

Not with a pickup like a JB! The output is high enough that it 'hears' the strings well even if they are a little off of the poles. If you have OCD, it might bother you that the strings don't line up perfectly with the poles but it is effectively the same as a Trembucker version.

[Mikelamury]

Not with a pickup like a JB! The output is high enough that it 'hears' the strings well even if they are a little off of the poles. If you have OCD, it might bother you that the strings don't line up perfectly with the poles but it is effectively the same as a Trembucker version.

Is that how this works with the spacing and output? I tried a pearly gates hb in a f spaced bridge and I had dropout issues with the high E but when I installed an invader in the same bridge it didn't seem to have any issues. I was wondering about that.

[Mincer]

Is that how this works with the spacing and output? I tried a pearly gates hb in a f spaced bridge and I had dropout issues with the high E but when I installed an invader in the same bridge it didn't seem to have any issues. I was wondering about that.

If the pickup is higher output, you won't have those issues. I can hear the high strings start to get quieter with vintage output pickups like the 59 or Alnico II Pro.

[ArtieToo]

Does Seymour Duncan even offer the JB with 53mm spacing?

Just as an FYI: I just measured one of mine. Since the strings tilt inward slightly, a 53mm bridge will be 52mm at the actual pickup. Trembuckers are 52mm.

(0.414 x 5)

[chadd]

I had the exact opposite problem. I dropped a 59/custom Trembucker into an old Squier and it was too wide. It sounded fine once I raised a couple pole pieces, though