Magnets, pole pieces. . .
- Thread starter solspirit
- Start date
beaubrummels
Well-known member
I would say different materials interact with different scale lengths that result in different tone. Materials result in some inherent frequency response. Scale length changes how the strings respond, whether stiff or twangy, etc. Also, scale length changes where the pickups are lined up under the strings, which shifts the point they are picking up, so the same pickup doesn't sound exactly the same in different scale lengths.
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solspirit
Ultimate Post Liker
Yes It does but I think that Beau gets exactly what I'm talking about. I didn't really think about pickup placement though. Definitely a factor, I think.
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eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
It seems reasonable that a change in pole materials might make a slightly more audible difference on a long scale guitar.
Haven't tried it myself. But I bet it would still be fairly subtle.
Haven't tried it myself. But I bet it would still be fairly subtle.
Teleplayer
Active member
The wind of the pickup is the first factor to consider. If you are aiming to compensate for variation in scale length, you should probably look at using an over-wound pickup to match the longer scale length.
Another alternative is to change the control pot values. For example if you want to build a Stratocaster with 24.75" scale neck, you can swap the tone controls from 250k, to 500k. That will help compensate for loss of brightness although its never going to be exactly the same thing. Also, people sometimes install JB humbuckers into Fender guitars using a 250k volume control to make it sound a bit closer to a LP. Whereas its normally preferred to have 500k controls when using the same humbucker in an actual LP guitar.
Another alternative is to change the control pot values. For example if you want to build a Stratocaster with 24.75" scale neck, you can swap the tone controls from 250k, to 500k. That will help compensate for loss of brightness although its never going to be exactly the same thing. Also, people sometimes install JB humbuckers into Fender guitars using a 250k volume control to make it sound a bit closer to a LP. Whereas its normally preferred to have 500k controls when using the same humbucker in an actual LP guitar.
SweetClyde99
Active member
I can confirm that changing pole pieces in a pickup makes an audible difference. I have a couple of Tone Zones in two very different guitars. I pulled the hex screws out of a Breed and tried swapping them for the screws in the Tones Zones, and they sounded noticeably more modern and articulate afterward. I liked the change in one guitar (a Strat) and preferred the stock pickup in the other (a weirdly bright Gibson Les Paul Special).
I'm sure scale length has an effect on tone as well, but it’s a little harder to measure, as changing the scale length in a guitar without also changing something about the guitar that might impact the tone is more than a little difficult.
I'm sure scale length has an effect on tone as well, but it’s a little harder to measure, as changing the scale length in a guitar without also changing something about the guitar that might impact the tone is more than a little difficult.
alex1fly
Well-known member
I normally frown on responses like "use the search function bro!" but searching this forum would yield you a veritable gold mine of information. One could comb this forum for a few hours with searches on magnets, polepieces, etc. and glean all kinds of knowledge. Surely folks will show up and share thoughts though.
