How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

[Steve R.]

I'm looking at a brand new JB Trembucker that a friend asked me to install in the neck position. I know he meant to order a neck pickup, but I don't see anything on the box or pickup that would differentiate it from a bridge pickup. How can I identify a bridge vs. a neck JB?

The box says "TB-4 JB Trembucker Blk. 11103-13-B"

The bottom of the pickup says "IME81 TB-4 0173"

I would expect to see TB-4N or something if it was truly a neck pickup. Is this really a bridge pickup?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Artie]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

If its a Trembucker, its a bridge.

Edit: I should probably expand on that a bit. The term "trembucker" refers to pickups spaced for tremolo equipped guitars. Since that spacing is only relevant to the bridge position, the fact that the pickup is identified as a Trembucker doubles as identification as a bridge model. IE., there are no "neck" trembuckers.

Hope that helps.

 

[Steve R.]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Are the neck humbuckers on all strats the narrower (Gibson) spacing then?

Edit: So what are most people putting in the neck position of a strat with a Floyd? an SH-series neck pickup, or a bridge trembucker?

 

[Artie]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Yeah, sorta. This is something I just discovered the other day myself. Regular Strat single-coils have trembucker spacing. So, any humbucker thats not specifically a "trembucker" would have the narrower pole spacing. Which also implies that perhaps a trembucker would, in fact, be spaced properly for a Strat neck.

Interesting question. When I get home from work, I'll have to compare my 'buckers to my Strat string spacing.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

My Strat's stock SCs Pole pieces are actually a bit too wide spaced (TB style)... although non TB spacing would fit better.. weird

 

[Steve R.]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

there are no "neck" trembuckers.

Actually, I have seen parallel axis trembuckers specifically for the neck position.

http://www.blackrosecustom.emerchan...37962-1513589093-816406117&A=17&B=Trembuckers

Fourth pickup from the bottom of the page.

 

[Artie]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Thats interesting. I've not seen that before. I did notice that they say they adjusted the string spacing for "precise string alignment".

I wonder what a set of those sounds like?

 

[Steve R.]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Bump.

So what are most people doing for the neck humbucker on Floyd Rose guitars? Using a bridge Trembucker (TB-Series), or using a narrower spaced, standard neck pickup (SH-series)?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[John Wymore]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Ha, I put that on my website so long ago I completly forgot about the neck version!! :13: Not a big seller as you might guess ....

 

[Old Ghost]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Bump.

So what are most people doing for the neck humbucker on Floyd Rose guitars? Using a bridge Trembucker (TB-Series), or using a narrower spaced, standard neck pickup (SH-series)?

Thanks,
Steve

The neck pickup of "ANY" Floyd Rose Tremolo equipped guitars uses a "standard" spaced pole pieces which means any traditional sized humbucker. On SD's part that would be the "SH" models which means Standard Humbucker. The strings only go farther apart from each other as it gets closer to the bridge so pickup builders adopted the Fender pole pieces spacing which is called F-Spacing ("F" stands for Fender) so that the strings on the bridge lines up correctly with the pickups pole pieces. The string spacing on the Neck is always "standard" spacing and does not need an F-spaced humbucker or SD's Trembucker.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

Also, there isn't a JB neck .

 

[Destructone]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

would the tone and playability of the pickup be affected if a trembucker was put in a standard-sized humbucker guitar.... say a les paul?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

No, it would sound find, and play fine as well.

 

[Old Ghost]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

would the tone and playability of the pickup be affected if a trembucker was put in a standard-sized humbucker guitar.... say a les paul?

The pole pieces would be way off but i doubt if this would affect the tone. If in some way it does, it would probably be barely noticeable. As for playability, i don't think there would be an effect at all. Installing a Trembucker on the neck position of a Les Paul would look too goofy for me :laugh2:

 

[Imp]

Re: How can I tell a bridge from a neck pickup?

i made another set of notches on the TOM bridge saddles (its a LP copy, a total beater..) for the high E and B.. made them line up, didnt really experience much difference..

tom