Pole pieces and string alignment

[Konga Man]

Not being a Strat owner, it never occured to me that all 3 Strat pups would be wound with the outside pole pieces on the same 2-1/16" centers. For example, I had thought that the neck pickup might have a smaller spacing to reflect the fact that the strings are closer together in that position. However, a quick trip to the local Guitar Death today set me straight. I was surprised to see that the Strats have all three pickups installed so that the low E is lined up over a pole piece, while the high E is frequently between the two pole pieces at the other end. I did notice a Strat (some HSS configuration) with SD neck and middle pups that had the pole pieces on 1-7/8" centers.

This raises a couple of questions:
- Doesn't this "misalignment" affect the performance of the neck and middle pickups?
- Which SD's have the 1-7/8" pole pieces?
- Anyone know of any other Strat pickups wound on 1-7/8" centers?

Thanks.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi there,

i just found out the same thing. I just changed the three pickups of my (HSS) mexi strat and noticed that the pole pieces of the pickups do not aling with the strings. Then i measured the old ones and they are the same size so the original single coils were not aligned with the strings either. I do think the sound is affected. A reason why i changed the pickups is because i never liked the sound of the high e and b strings. They tend to sound think. The same happens with the new ones. I had to raise the pickup on the highs to compensate so now it is a bit better. The humbucker is not as affected as the single coils.

This whole experieince made me decide that i will sell my current strat and buy one that has strings matched with the pole pices.

cheers,
jon

 

[stevesram]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hmmm, that kinda bugged me too, so what I did was install Hot Rails in the 57 RI I had. No more worries about pole pieces lining up. I got a used AmSe Strat a while ago and put a Dimarzio SD 3 in the bridge and choppers in the middle and neck and it sounds real good, but I might switch them to a Hot Rails and 2 Cool Rails in the near future.
Usually though on Strats, I always raised the E,B,G side of the pickup in all three positions a little higher than the D,A,E side.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Stevesram,

Is the spacing in your american strat the same as your 57 RI? The thing is that i want to sell my MIM and get anotehr strat that has the pole pices and strings aligned.

cheers,
jon

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

The actual spacing of the strings is a little tighter over the neck pu than middle and bridge and, with the exception of Kinman and maybe some others I don't know about, all 3 pickups are built with the same spacing by pretty much all makers.

This means the neck pu will sometimes have the E poles centered slightly to the outside of the E strings. This seems to affect some guitars more than others but in my experience, it's not an issue on most, though for that reason (and others) I still prefer wider rod magnets.

 

[stevesram]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Stevesram,

Is the spacing in your american strat the same as your 57 RI? The thing is that i want to sell my MIM and get anotehr strat that has the pole pices and strings aligned.

cheers,
jon

To be honest, I don't remember. o I sold the 57 RI about 3-4 years ago, and picked up a used 01 AmSe about 10 months ago so I never had them side by side. They had different bridges(the 57 had the Am Vintage trem bridge, and the AmSe has/had the new trem bridge and the 57 had a 42mm nut while the AmSe has a 43mm nut.
I guess looking back, the 57 RI was aligned with the pole pieces and the AmSe was off.
I really wish I still had that 57. It was an awesome playing guitar, I just went through a phase where I didn't want to play anymore since I wasn't out gigging. One of the stupidest moves I ever did. I sold a Gibson LP Goldtop, Gibson LP Standard desertburst, a Gibson 76RI Explorer, Gibson SG Standard, Fender 57 RI and a Fender 62 RI. Boy was I ever DUMB!

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Stevesram, i am sorry to hear that you sold all those great guitars. Hopefully some day you will have a good guitar collection. I only have this fender strat and am considering in getting a used american. You know, i have been talking to a guy at fender and he told me that he thinks it is not a big deal and if i get the neck re-set, that might help. The guitar sounds pretty good but i am sure it owuld sound better if the strings were alligned with the polepices.

If you want you can see pics of the pickups in my guitar in the follwoing link:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=112356

cheers,
jon

 

[stevesram]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Stevesram, i am sorry to hear that you sold all those great guitars. Hopefully some day you will have a good guitar collection. I only have this fender strat and am considering in getting a used american. You know, i have been talking to a guy at fender and he told me that he thinks it is not a big deal and if i get the neck re-set, that might help. The guitar sounds pretty good but i am sure it owuld sound better if the strings were alligned with the polepices.

If you want you can see pics of the pickups in my guitar in the follwoing link:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=112356

cheers,
jon

Jon,
I saw the pic in the link you posted. That is off by a good bit. Here is a pic of my AmSe Strat

It has the Super Distortion S and 2 choppers in it right now, but the strings are over the rails in all three positions, a new bone nut, Wilkinson trem, blender wiring, and Schaller locking tuners.
Maybe the neck on your Strat is off a bit causing them to not align and a neck adjustment is in order like that guy suggested. How's the fit in the neck pocket? If it's tight, I can't imagine how they can reset the neck. Then again, I'm definately no luthier. haha

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Steve, those guitar look pretty good. Did you noticed a big change in tone when you changed the nut and bridge? I am hoping to take the guitar to a luthier so that he can re-align the neck. You know, the guy from fender told me that he would leave it like that and that i probably wont notice any tone difference if the strings were better aligned.

I am sorry for my ignorance but i dont know what the neck pocket is. Is it the place where the neck and guitar are joined? If it's that, it does look pretty tight.

I think your desicion of using rails is wise. Probably next time i change the pickups in a strat i will go with rails.

cheers,
jon

 

[stevesram]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Steve, those guitar look pretty good. Did you noticed a big change in tone when you changed the nut and bridge? I am hoping to take the guitar to a luthier so that he can re-align the neck. You know, the guy from fender told me that he would leave it like that and that i probably wont notice any tone difference if the strings were better aligned.

I am sorry for my ignorance but i dont know what the neck pocket is. Is it the place where the neck and guitar are joined? If it's that, it does look pretty tight.

I think your desicion of using rails is wise. Probably next time i change the pickups in a strat i will go with rails.

cheers,
jon

Well, I changed the nut because it actually cracked on me. First time that ever happened. I was filing down the slots for 10's as the strings were sitting on top of the slots and the low E slot chipped to the edge so I had almost no choice but to replace ito The trem arm in the bridge on the stock bridge was really loose(wobbled in there) even with wrapping some teflon tape around the threads so I picked up the Wilkinson bridge for pretty cheap, got the locking tuners and with heavy trem use, it almost stays in tune as well as a Floyd Rose(g string usually goes a hair flat). I haven't noticed any tonal change though. Just feels and plays better.
Yah, the pocket is where the neck heel sits in the body. I'd imagine it would be tight, but ya never know.
I put a SD Distortion in my Dean Z the other day and now I love that sound so much, I just bought a Distortion/Jazz set in nickel and replaced the 59's I had in my Gibson Explorer. The Explorer looks sweet with covered pickups on it. Not to mention it sounds smokin now. Mebbe I'll get some pics of it today and post up tonight.
The rails I'll prolly do in a couple weeks. I want to replace the pickguard on the Strat but haven't committed to one yet, so once I decide on that, then the D's go out and the Rails go in.

 

[Porto Leone]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

it's a very common problem in many guitars (not only strats)...
myself i have replaced the pickups on my Fender and Diego strats and on my Godin with Lace pickups (no pole pieces at all) and i'm happy. Plus the 60-cyle hum and the string pull have both gone away. Rail-type pickups will do the trick too, but with more of a humbucker qualities.
Harry Haeussel is a German maker who makes strat pickups spaced for especially the strat string spacing in the three positions- you have to be fan of his approach to vintage sound, though...

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Sometimes with some guitars, it could be the strings don't align with the pole pieces due to manufacturing alignment and/or differences. As long as it's close enough, I guess it's ok, but eventually try to fix it I guess

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Hi Steve, it would be cool to see pics of your other guitar.

Porto and Twin, thanks for your comments. I have been doing research and i have also seen pics of diff guitars that have the same problem. Mine is probably the bridge or the neck. I am going to a luthier to see if by re-aligning the neck, the problem gets better. The thing is that the string is pretty off especially on the neck pickup. And i think i do notice a tone loss.

cheers,
jon

 

[stevesram]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

Ya know, something I was thinking about was instead of a neck realignment, maybe the nut is cut wrong. Ask your tech about that first. Maybe ya just need a better cut nut? I've experienced sloppy nut jobs(hahaha!!) on even 2,500 Les Pauls.
I'll get pics up prolly tomorrow. Time slipped away from me tonight and didn't get to take them yet. I'll pm ya the pics so I don't hijack this thread anymore.

 

[Porto Leone]

Re: Pole pieces and string alignment

For sure u have to check FIRST of all the nut! but if it is the nut (or the neck itself), you should see that the strings are not aligned along the fretboard. if the strings look aligned, some minor wrong alignment above the pickups is pretty usual. I mean, u just have to check the whole geometry of your neck and after that, to check the pickups.