Mikelamury
New member
Would a trembucker fit in the pickup route on the bridge of a Gibson Les Paul?
Can you install a trembucker in a Gibson?
- Thread starter Mikelamury
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ThreeChordWonder
New member
And no. The mountings and overall dimensions are the same, so it should fit in the cavity and through pickup rings.
But...
A trembucker is intended to be used on the wider string spacing on something like a Strat. The pole pieces are spaced a fraction further apart (0.414 inch centers) to suit. Therefore if regular humbucker pole pieces (0.385 inch centers) are too close together to suit a Strat, then trembucker pole pieces are surely too far apart to suit a typical Gibson. The difference overall is 0.145 inches, or about or 3.7 mm low e to high e.
Both will work in the other, but the visuals will be off, and some would say there's a small but still preceivable difference in sound.
But...
A trembucker is intended to be used on the wider string spacing on something like a Strat. The pole pieces are spaced a fraction further apart (0.414 inch centers) to suit. Therefore if regular humbucker pole pieces (0.385 inch centers) are too close together to suit a Strat, then trembucker pole pieces are surely too far apart to suit a typical Gibson. The difference overall is 0.145 inches, or about or 3.7 mm low e to high e.
Both will work in the other, but the visuals will be off, and some would say there's a small but still preceivable difference in sound.
ErikH
Well-known member
With a Seymour Duncan tremspaced pickup, the entire pickup is wider than a standard spaced. It's not just the pole pieces that are spaced differently.
Now, with DiMarzios, the overall dimensions of their standard and F-spaced pickups are the same but the pole piece are wider apart with F-spacing.
Confused yet? LOL
Now, with DiMarzios, the overall dimensions of their standard and F-spaced pickups are the same but the pole piece are wider apart with F-spacing.
Confused yet? LOL
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Yes, if it's a Gibson made after 1980, I believe?
ThreeChordWonder
New member
Yes, you're right, but the difference is only about 0.085" or about 2mm.
'59 trembucker (linked directly from SD website,)
Standard '59 (again direct from the SD website)
ThreeChordWonder
New member
FWIW my 2015 Gibson SG (with a 59/Custom Hybrid regular humbucker) and my MIM HSS Strat (with the same but trembucker sized) happen to be hanging on the wall next to each other today. The trembucker on the MIM fitted through a standard HSS pickguard, so I'm pretty sure it'll fit through a Gibson pickup ring.
Also note that the mounting hole centers and overall length left to right as depicted are near as dammit the same, and that the trembucker is actually slightly narrower, so it'll almost certainly fit in the hole in the body
It really boils down to whether or not you're fussed about the magnet and string spacing matching, and or if you can actually hear any difference in the outputs.
Also note that the mounting hole centers and overall length left to right as depicted are near as dammit the same, and that the trembucker is actually slightly narrower, so it'll almost certainly fit in the hole in the body
It really boils down to whether or not you're fussed about the magnet and string spacing matching, and or if you can actually hear any difference in the outputs.
ErikH
Well-known member
yup, but enough to make a super tight fit in a standard spaced ring or pickguard route. Speaking from experience.
ErikH
Well-known member
MIM Strat bridge spacing is narrower than American vintage. The MIM is what is considered narrow spacing, unless specified. Both my Strat builds have the Gotoh vintage 6-screw bridge which is the vintage spec wider spacing. There’s a noticeable difference between tremspaced and standard spaced pickups in them as far as the poles go. With the standards, the E strings just barely go over the outside poles.
DiMarzio F-spaced pickups don’t line up 100% with that bridge which leads me to believe their F-spacing is tailored to the narrow Strat spacing.
Mikelamury
New member
I thought that Gibson's were spaced regularly in the bridge but when I bought my 498t from Gibson the description said the pole pieces were slightly farther apart for optimal spacing in the bridge. That's why I'm asking, the spacing seems to line up better with the wider spacing than on my other Gibson that has a antiquity JB/Jazz set in it which is regular spaced.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
My understanding is starting around 1987 Gibson introduced the 49X series of pickups which is when the wider spaced bridge started. IME on a Gibson guitar, the pickup pole spacing doesn't cause easily perceived differences in sound, so it's less of a worry.
Regarding Trembuckers on a Gibson, all the ones I've tried fit in the guitar and in the ring except one: the Parallel Axis. Because it's bobbins are square-ish, it needs it's own mounting ring. But it will fit in the guitar - you just have to solve for the slightly bigger bobbins. There were a couple high-output Trembuckers I tried that almost didn't fit (so much wire on the bobbin it was kind of rubbing on the pickup ring.). I just had to be very careful setting the height.
I've experienced more issues going the other way - putting a standard humbucker spacing in a vintage strat bridge guitar, the outside E strings didn't come through as strong for me. Raising the outside poles helped a little bit, but also changes the sound slightly.
Regarding Trembuckers on a Gibson, all the ones I've tried fit in the guitar and in the ring except one: the Parallel Axis. Because it's bobbins are square-ish, it needs it's own mounting ring. But it will fit in the guitar - you just have to solve for the slightly bigger bobbins. There were a couple high-output Trembuckers I tried that almost didn't fit (so much wire on the bobbin it was kind of rubbing on the pickup ring.). I just had to be very careful setting the height.
I've experienced more issues going the other way - putting a standard humbucker spacing in a vintage strat bridge guitar, the outside E strings didn't come through as strong for me. Raising the outside poles helped a little bit, but also changes the sound slightly.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Yep; AFAIK most modern Gibsons come from the factory with F-spaced bridge pickups.
Reissue models probably wouldn't, of course, since vintage Gibsons didn't.
Reissue models probably wouldn't, of course, since vintage Gibsons didn't.
Wound_Up
New member
Those same people that say they hear a difference are likely the same people who swear they hear a difference after they click a pedal on...
All the way up until the point they realize it's not in the signal chain.
They don't hear a difference. It's a magnetic field that, extends from one end of the pickup to the other. They can't tell sh*t. Smh.
ThreeChordWonder
New member
^ Like I said, some would say...
But remember, in a standard single coil, the pole pieces are the magnets, and that the magnetic field intensity dismisses with radius squared. So a doubling of the distance reduces the field intensity by a factor of 4, not 2.
But remember, in a standard single coil, the pole pieces are the magnets, and that the magnetic field intensity dismisses with radius squared. So a doubling of the distance reduces the field intensity by a factor of 4, not 2.
purgasound
New member
Using a Trembucker or F-Spaced pickup for the Gibson bridge position will correctly match the strings over the pole pieces. The "standard" size won't line up quite right.
it's a common misconception that F-spaced pickups are only for Fenders and Floyd's.
The results can easily be verified by using a short ruler that measures in millimeter or 1/100" increments.
it's a common misconception that F-spaced pickups are only for Fenders and Floyd's.
The results can easily be verified by using a short ruler that measures in millimeter or 1/100" increments.
Masta' C
Well-known member
This has been covered dozens of times. Most Gibsons since the '80s, including Les Pauls, have used a wider spaced bridge. It's a common misconception that most Gibsons of recent history still use a narrow spaced bridge. This is typically only true of vintage replica models.
To accommodate this move to wider string spacing, Gibson introduced the "T" series of pickups (498T, 500T, etc), which have the poles spaced slightly wider than their "R" counterparts.
From a pole spacing perspective, you can pretty much get away with a standard humbucker OR a Trembucker just fine in a modern Gibson.
The issue with Trembuckers in Gibsons, compared to nearly all other wider-spaced pickups from other manufacturers, is that the physical bobbins are longer by a couple mm than a standard humbucker, so they don't always fit easily in stock Gibson pickup rings. That said, many players choose to lightly Dremel the rings to allow a Trembucker to fit and be adjusted more easily.
There's really no right or wrong way. Millions of guys are perfectly happy with standard-spaced humbuckers in their wide-spaced Gibsons
To accommodate this move to wider string spacing, Gibson introduced the "T" series of pickups (498T, 500T, etc), which have the poles spaced slightly wider than their "R" counterparts.
From a pole spacing perspective, you can pretty much get away with a standard humbucker OR a Trembucker just fine in a modern Gibson.
The issue with Trembuckers in Gibsons, compared to nearly all other wider-spaced pickups from other manufacturers, is that the physical bobbins are longer by a couple mm than a standard humbucker, so they don't always fit easily in stock Gibson pickup rings. That said, many players choose to lightly Dremel the rings to allow a Trembucker to fit and be adjusted more easily.
There's really no right or wrong way. Millions of guys are perfectly happy with standard-spaced humbuckers in their wide-spaced Gibsons
