Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

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SweetClyde99

Active member
Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I’ve been interested in trying out the two earlier versions of the parallel axis trembuckers for a while, but I’ve always wondered why they’re trem-spaced only—I hate trems. If the tone and tech behind the parallel axis stuff is sound, wouldn’t it translate to standard spaced stringsles instruments just as well? Isn’t more sustain pretty much universally a good thing?

Any and all opining and unfounded theorizing is welcome.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

It would be better to have things perfectly line up, but you still get most of the benefits. The magnetic field is still diffused a bit by the polepieces, and the spacing means that inexact alignment still has less weirdness than with conventional polepieces.

They do work just fine without a trem, you just don't need the thickening and tightening as much as with a thin-sounding trem. I have a fat brass block in my RG570, and the PATB-1b just sounded even better than it did with the stock block.

I think the main reason they didn't is they weren't popular enough to justify the extra work and costs of another SKU, and they were originally developed specifically to target vibrato bridge and superstrat issues.

Still, there are plenty of people who like them in fixed bridge guitars, even Gibsons with narrower string spacing.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

The majority of modern non-trem guitars also utilize a wider-than-vintage bridge spacing, so the PA's tend to work/look fine
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I just installed the PATB set in my guitar a few weeks ago. They went in a new Slash Les Paul, and I absolutely love them. I say go for it, dont worry
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Only semi-related, but still: How would it work to use a Parallel Axis as a slanted humbucker? I realize things wouldn't line up, of course, but still?
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Not sure, I know this. Every time I play my PATBs, I fall more in love LOL. I cant stress enough how great they sound. Back at em right now
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Love the PA models , Still love the look and tone of my PATB2 and I've had it for about 9 years now. My advice would be get a Custom shop standard space version but tbh I wouldn't be overly worried about the string spacing dude.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Because they were specifically designed to give extra beef/thickness to super strats and other Floyd/Trem spaced guitars. Plain and simple. This requires they be trem spaced. There are dozens of regular spaced pickups designed to fatten/thicken up normal stop tail/hard tail guitars.

However, as has been said above, they can be used in Gibson's and all other types of guitars with little issue, as long as they physically fit in the pickup route you have.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Had a PATB-2 in a Jackson RR1T and it lined up perfectly with the tune-o-matic bridge. Most of those bridges are trem-spaced these days.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Plus they are a modern pickup. It makes no sense to make a modern pickup in an format that suits very few guitars. As has been mentioned, even traditional shape/style guitars come in wider spacing now.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

AlexR said:
Plus they are a modern pickup. It makes no sense to make a modern pickup in an format that suits very few guitars. As has been mentioned, even traditional shape/style guitars come in wider spacing now.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't list the PATB3/PATB1n combo as a modern combination? Fairly vintage vibed, to be honest.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I've only owned the bridge variants, but I was thinking the PATB-1n is regular spaced? Maybe put two of those in a dual hum guitar.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I've used a PATB-1n/PATB-3 combo in an Epi LP. It lined up pretty well and sounded pretty fat, yet clear. I went back to vintage style pickups in that guitar, but you can use the PA's in pretty much anything.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

orpheo said:
I wouldn't list the PATB3/PATB1n combo as a modern combination? Fairly vintage vibed, to be honest.
Click to expand...

The -3b is the most vintage voiced of the lot, but it's by no means a vintage style pickup. The frequency response is much to even for that.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I think "modern" was used meaning a more recent design than a traditional PAF, not referring to the sound. I think Alex is saying it's better suited to "modern/newer" bridge spacings in general.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

^ Well, I was meaning modern in tone in my post anyhow.

And by comparison to PAF clones even the 3 does indeed sound modern to me. The 1b and n and even the stack for me is modern in tone. Hard to describe but they just don't sound the same as vintage pickups in the slightest.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I am fairly certain the PATB-n is the same size as all other neck humbuckers. I don't have one currently to measure though..... only the PATB-stk n single coil sized pickup.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Not 100% certain but I believe they are all trem spaced, even the necks- I think there's only one bobbin mold that fits the unusual pole configuration.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Jeff_H said:
I am fairly certain the PATB-n is the same size as all other neck humbuckers. I don't have one currently to measure though..... only the PATB-stk n single coil sized pickup.
Click to expand...

eclecticsynergy said:
Not 100% certain but I believe they are all trem spaced, even the necks- I think there's only one bobbin mold that fits the unusual pole configuration.
Click to expand...

I don't have one yet, but I've seen it mentioned in multiple places that the PATB-n is standard spaced. When my set gets here I'll measure the neck pickup and bump this thread.
 
Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

Re: Parallel Axis—Why only Trem Spaced?

I m pretty sure the neck version comes in 'standard' spacing, like all neck pickups.
 
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