Humbucker mounting rings, slanted or flat?

[bbking1021]

I just realized this when i was ordering new cream mounting rings for my schecter.

My schecter has slanted mounting rings which make on bobbin closer to the string then the other. Is there any perceived change in output, tone, fullness, etc, if the mounting ring was flat and allowed the humbucker to be parallel to the strings?

-Brandon

 

[mind_transplant]

Re: Humbucker mounting rings, slanted or flat?

Usually slanted rings are for Gibson-style guitars, where to compensate for the neck angle they keep the two coils the same distance from the string, wheras flat mounting rings are used on guitars without neck angles (Jacksons, etc...) It seems odd that the stock rings on your guitar would have the pickups not parallel to the strings, as having them crooked makes the pickup sound a bit thin.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Humbucker mounting rings, slanted or flat?

Maybe Schecter was going for a poor man's version of a coil dominant pickup? That's the only reason that I can think of it there's no reason for the slant rings.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Humbucker mounting rings, slanted or flat?

I can promise you they don't think about things that deeply when making guitars in Korea. They probably use a more general rule like if there's a neck angle at all, use the angled rings. If not, then use flat. It's definitely noticable when one coil is closer. You might find with flat rings, it's angled too much in the other direction. Maybe the angled rings are just "too angled". Either way, you can put a little foam between the pickup and the side of the cavity to sort of wedge the pickup in place. That will allow you to physically rock the pickup around after you've adjusted your overall height, and it should stay put. Also sometimes the lead wire from the pickup is to blame. If it's pulled too tightly into the pickup cavity it can tug the pickup into an angle. Sometimes it's as easy as pushing a little slack back into the cavity, or enough slack that it makes a little loop under the pickup. There are all sorts of tricks to get the pup angled correctly. Feel free to try flat rings though. But if that makes them "too flat" then the front edge of the bridge pickup can rub against the string before you get the pickup to the desired height. Even then you can do the foam wedge trick.