Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

[dystrust]

My S/S/S strat is currently set up in Open-G and I'm using it a lot for slide. The current pickups are pretty good, but I'm planning on switching to Twang banger/Lipstick/Alnico II Pro. The APS comes with either flat or staggered poles and I was wondering which would work better for slide.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

I think you would be happier with flat poles for slide work. Strat pickups with flat poles seem a bit fatter and "growlier: to me than the staggered variety. Also, on my slide guitar, I set the saddle radius almost flat (12-14" radius), so a flat polepiece set works better for me, but YMMV.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

I like the flat ones better. You get more balance string to string. A fuller sound.

 

[Curly]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

I agree, and I think you're set will sound terrific!

I love my APS-II/ Hot bridge strat the best, although I'd like to give the Twangbanger a try as well.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

That's what I was thinking, but since I'm more familiar with the Rails Strat pickups I figured I'd see what the consensus was. I'm really looking forward to this pup swap, in fact I may try a power bridge on this Strat as well.

 

[fusion101]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

the staggered pole pieces are there to balance out the output because of the radius of the fretboard. So if u want a balanced sounding strat u would need staggered maggnets.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

the staggered pole pieces are there to balance out the output because of the radius of the fretboard. So if u want a balanced sounding strat u would need staggered maggnets.

...if you are running a wound G string and vintage strat fretboard radius, but for modern radius with lighter guage strings, it's more of a sound thing.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

The flat poled set might sound nice for slide...maybe a little less glass and treble and a fuller tone.

Bonnie Raitt sounds just great with the staggered pole pickups tho...as does Ry Cooder.

Lew

 

[fusion101]

Re: Flat vs. Staggered poles for slide

if u get kinmans by any chance get staggered because there set up so that the balance of the G string is ballanced for a unwound string, but if u get anything else u might wana go staggered.
-fusion