Pole piece spacing question.

[Artie]

While doing some measurements to figure out how to solve my Genny's pole piece mis-alignment, I came across some interesting measurements. The pole spacing is as follows on these pups:

JB: 48mm
C5: 50mm
DD: 50mm
59tb: 53mm

Now, all the bridges that I can find, even non-tremolo's, measure 52.5mm for the narrowest one, and are more typically 54mm to 56mm. And those are non-trem, vintage narrow bridges.

Which makes me wonder, what guitars were pups like the JB and Custom series designed for? Seems odd that the string spacing would be that far off.

Artie

 

[rspst14]

Re: Pole piece spacing question.

My opinion is that they simply copied the spacing for a neck pickup. I've wondered about this too, because most hardtail bridges are spaced wider than a standard spaced pickup. Even Tuneomatic bridges, which have been around forever, are spaced somewhere in between a standard and trembucker pickup. I like Rio Grande's approach, they don't make separate spacings for their bridge humbuckers. Instead, they make one model that is matched up perfectly to a TOM bridge. As a result, their buckers are wider than a standard spaced pickup, but just slightly narrower than a trembucker spaced pickup. They fit almost perfectly in just about any bridge configuration, so there is no need for separate spacings.

Ryan

 

[Artie]

Re: Pole piece spacing question.

Good . . . then its not just me. :laugh2:

Still, seems odd that "they" wouldn't fix this. Whats even more odd, is that my QP's are around 54mm spacing. So, on my Genny, the strings start out on the outside of the bridge pole pieces, line up pretty good with the middle pup, then go to the inside of the neck pup. So my E strings are only lined up with pole pieces on the middle pup. :yell:

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Pole piece spacing question.

That's pretty typical of the Strats I've seen -- pole pieces line up at the bridge but not at the neck, or vice versa. The vintage American Strat bridge is wider than the modern American Strat bridge, and the line-up seems to switch across those bridge types. The SD Tele lead pickups are off more than the Fenders on all of my American Series Teles. I haven't noticed any drop-off at the E's, but it is less than perfect cosmetically. I guess rails would solve it, as long as they extend far enough at the ends, but that's a whole 'nother look.