Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

checo

checo

New member
I have a set of Fender Fat 50's with the pole under the G string being the highest. I've turned the pickup around so that the pole pieces under the E and B strings are taller than the low E and A strings. This would put the highest pole piece under the D string.

I like the results but would like to level off the two tallest poles to the same height. Anyone ever try this? I'm just wondering if it has caused any damage to the pickup (which i'm trying to avoid). Thanks!!
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

This will most likely de-magnetize the magnets. Alnico doesn't take vibrations from grinding too well.

Whether you can re-magnetize with a Neodymium disk back to full strength is a different matter.

Having rod of different length in itself is a change, but keep in mind the staggering is all wrong in the first place.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

I used to just push the pole pieces down through the baseplate to lower them. I don't know if this is good or bad to do. YMMV
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

You could probably saw off the poles with a small jewelers saw without creating to much heat and demagnetizing the pickup. A jewelers saw is a small hand saw a lot like a coping saw.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

If the pole pieces are magnets, just push them into the bobbin. I would remove the pickup first, though. It might take a bit of pressure to do so. Don't want to break that pickguard.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

Nononono...push the magnets in a Strat/Tele pu and you have a very good chance of shorting the coil. You might get away with it once or twice, but it is a crapshoot...I adjusted the stagger on some old 57/62 AV Strat pickups and then had Lindy Fralin rewind them...2 of the 3 were toast.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

ES350 said:
Nononono...push the magnets in a Strat/Tele pu and you have a very good chance of shorting the coil. You might get away with it once or twice, but it is a crapshoot...I adjusted the stagger on some old 57/62 AV Strat pickups and then had Lindy Fralin rewind them...2 of the 3 were toast.
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+10000000

Do not try this. Depending on construction there could be zero percent chance of it working. Often manufacturers glue the magnets to the flatwork. You're almost guaranteed to destroy the pickup.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

PoorMan said:
+10000000

Do not try this. Depending on construction there could be zero percent chance of it working. Often manufacturers glue the magnets to the flatwork. You're almost guaranteed to destroy the pickup.
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I guess it depends on the bobbin. I'm used to regular cheap plastic bobbins that encase the pole pieces. If the magnets are touching the coils, indeed, do not push them in. If it's that big of an issue, get some different pickups.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

Yep---a lot of imports and MIM pu's are constructed so that the mags aren't in contact with the winding---these you can adjust pretty easily with no worries. Not so with vintage style construction...
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

Don't try grinding or cutting it either. The metal is so brittle that it'll probably chip a little chunk off.

Is it really effecting your sound that much? I've never heard enough difference to worry about it. I'd just leave it alone, or sell the Fat 50's and buy something else. I love the Fat 50 neck pickup though....a really great tone.
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

trevorus said:
I guess it depends on the bobbin. I'm used to regular cheap plastic bobbins that encase the pole pieces. If the magnets are touching the coils, indeed, do not push them in. If it's that big of an issue, get some different pickups.
Click to expand...

You know what? You're right. I forgot MIM Fender single coils are like that (at least the ones I've seen, don't know about this model specifically). The ones I've seen have ceramic mags and slugs for pole pieces so it probably would work to press them down...but he'd have to check construction to be 100% sure.

On a more traditional vintage fender design this would most certainly prove disasterous.

I like those MIM Fender pickups...I rewind them and turn them into quasi-P-90 style pickups with adjustable polepieces.
 
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Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

I think any kind of sawing will de-magnetize via the vibrations. I don't think heat is the main issue here.

I'd take a 9mm and shoot the top off :)
 
Re: Anyone ever shave off a single coil pole piece (on staggered) to reduce height?

Ha ha!!! I will do the 9mm thing!!! Thanks for the advice, chavalos!!!!!
 
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