Do you need a trembucker?

[beaubrummels]

Does the Trembucker fit in a standard Gibson pickup ring? Not sure that they do.

They fit. If someone has done mag swaps and didn't get the tape on tight, then it may scrape the ring a bit, but they fit and work fine on modern Gibsons.

 

[ItsaBass]

Didn't think any Epis come stock with the Nashville bridge.

Gibson Les Paul Standard does.

The Gibson Les Paul Traditional doesn't.

https://menga.net/les-paul-bridge#:~...%20the%20neck.

In any case, my Gibson guitars don't. They have the standard ABR-1 style tune-o-matic, which is more common.

Does the Trembucker fit in a standard Gibson pickup ring? Not sure that they do.

Epiphones use a saddle spacing similar to modern Gibson spacing.

The ABR-1 is not "standard" across the board, and it is certainly not "more common." It was back in the old days, when it was pretty much the only option. But the vast majority of Gibsons built since the introduction of the wider spaced bridges have...wider spaced bridges. We're talking probably 40 years now that most standard production Gibsons have come with a wider spaced bridge.

ABRs have become slightly more common since the bankruptcy, by popular demand. But by far the vast majority of Gibsons that are out there in service at this moment are equipped with wider spaced bridges (as are Epis).

And again, Gibson themselves provide wider spaced bridge pickups, unless the pickups in question are "vintage" style, e.g. a '57 Classic. These are 0.2 mm (less than 0.008 inch) narrower in pole spacing than TBs, IIRC.

Trembuckers will have fitment problems on some rings and not on others, largely depending on whether or not the pickup is covered. You just use TB pickup rings if there are issues. This has nothing to do with whether or not the poles match the string spacing, which is what we are talking about.

Stating that regular pole spacing is the right visual spacing for Gibsons and Epis across the board is going to lead most Gibson and Epi owners in this day and age to choose the wrong pole spacing for best visual alignment of the pole pieces. It will line up OK on certain Gibsons that are in the minority – models with "vintage" saddle spacing, mostly.

It's really as simple as: Don't swallow generalizations that you read on Internet forums. Measure your string spacing over the pickup. There have been different bridges used on different models and/or at different times.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

does the DCR result in a difference in tone/output?

What determines a pickup's output is # turns of wire and magnet strength. Longer bobbins = longer wire for the same # turns, no change in output.

 

[Reee]

What determines a pickup's output is # turns of wire and magnet strength. Longer bobbins = longer wire for the same # turns, no change in output.

so what you're saying is a trembucker won't sound any different if you had 2 identical guitars, but one was F-spaced and one wasn't?

 

[Clint 55]

Yeah but we also know that the 3d shape of the coil, the aperture of the pickup, and the resistance - length of the wire, all change the tone. So I don't think you can really say with a straight face that they're gonna sound exactly the same in tone or in output.

 

[Lewguitar]

If you hear a difference or even THINK you hear a difference, then go for a Trembucker.

If you don't, then don't.

Think for yourself.

 

[Mincer]

I wouldn't hear a difference, unless it was a lower output pickup and the poles were not lined up. But with a JB, I wouldn't hear a difference if it was a Trembucker or not.

 

[AdrianSD]

Not comparing apples with apples, but: I have a Duncan Distortion SH-6B in a Floyd Rose guitar, the alignment is off a wee bit, but compared to the other FR guitar that has a JB in the bridge, this one is slightly louder. Honestly I wouldn't be able to pick up any difference in output if I had a DD trembucker instead of the JB. The Distortion sounds really tight, strong and clear *and* has very little hum noise compared to both JBs I have. Only thing I did was to raise the pole under the high E one turn, just to fight my OCD.

 

[BeKindRewind]

that's interesting, according to the sticky the TB and SH JB have the same output (737)

I asked this question one time and the way it was explained to me is, there's more wire, yes, but the same amount of turns, so it's the same amount of output

 

[GrilledChickenSalad]

Do you need a trembucker?

No.

 

[Clint 55]

I asked this question one time and the way it was explained to me is, there's more wire, yes, but the same amount of turns, so it's the same amount of output

That's circular reasoning.

 

[Adieu]

That's circular reasoning.

No, it's a long winding argument

 

[Clint 55]

Adieu is back!

 

[Reee]

too funny

 

[Artie]

Adieu is back!

I bid you Adieu.

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Output follows inductance, which follows the turn count.

 

[Clint 55]

Circular reasoning and argument by repetition.

 

[Bogner]

I have always matched up my pickups with accurate string spacing. You can get any with not doing so but why would you? You are putting in a pickup to get a result, why not get the best result possible and make it match properly?

 

[Mincer]

I think some people don't care if the poles line up perfectly, and you can't hear a difference with high-output pickups. I tend to like everything matching up if I have the choice, though.

 

[ErikH]

I normally will get the right spacing when/if I can. However, when it comes to the difference better DiMarzio F-Spaced and Duncan Tremspaced, there is a difference. Duncan's are slightly wider and match up great with vintage 6-screw wide spaced trems. DiMarzios are slightly narrower.

In addition, the DiMarzio coil size is the same with the standard and F-Spaced pickups. The pole pieces are where the difference comes in (notice many do not have screws that go through the base plate). Duncans are physically wider than the standard spaced model, meaning the entire pickup is wider.