Pole pieces question about STK-S4

[jonathane40]

Hi guys, i just put two STK-S4 pickups on the neck and middle of my MIM Fat Strat and the pole pices do not align with the high e string and the b string. Is this a big problem?

I am including a picture so hopefully that would help.

thanks,
jon

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Hi Guys, i just added a picture above so hopefully that would help.

thanks,
jon

 

[Artie]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Jon; I notice that it doesn't line up with your humbucker either. Is there any chance that the high-E saddle has been pushed to the side a little bit?

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Hi Artie, i don't think the sadle is bent. At least it looks good to me. The funny thing is that the original pickups looked the same way. I measured the polepieces of the pickups that came with the guitar and they measure the same as the STK-S4. However, the trembucker is a bit wider than the one i replaced. At least the pickups sounds good.

This guitar is a custom made for Sam Ash called 48th Street Strat. It came with tex-mex pickups. Here is the link:
http://www.samash.com/catalog/showi...s=*48*+AND+*st*&Search_Type=SEARCH&GroupCode=

thanks for your help,
jon

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

There's the possibility that the bridge is offset a little bit. Got a pic. of the neck around the joint. It wouldn't be the first MIM strat I've seen w/ this problem.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Hi 9finger, here are two more pics. Let me know if you think the bridge is off set.

cheers,
jon

 

[MattPete]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Your bridge spacing looks narrow. If you look at the low E, everything looks relatively fine (well, maybe off center a bit). But as you go to the higher strings, the strings go more and more off center from the pole pieces. You also see this in the fret board, where the distance between the low E and the edge is minimal, but the distance between the high E and the fret board is huge.

If it bothers you, then I say try to find a bridge with wider spacing that will still fit your guitar. If it doesn't bother you, then leave it alone.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

the mexis have a more narrow spacing than many other strats. if you dont hear any problems then there is none

 

[mirrormind]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

To me it looks as if the bridge is shifted towards the bass side, as the low E is closer to the edge of the fretboard than the high E.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Thanks for all your help guys. Do you think if i get a new 6 screw vintage style tremolo, the problem will be fixed? Because my fear is that the nut in this mexican strat is also narrower than a regular one.

You know, i think that the pickups that came with the guitar had the same problem. I just measured them and they are the same size as the ones that i put in. Is it very common for MIM strats to come like that from the factory?

cheers,
jon

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

One of two things is causing this. Either the neck is tilted a bit towards the bass side or the bridge was put on too far towards the bass side.

The only way to fix it if it's the bridge and get the strings lined up straight is to remove the bridge, plug the holes with dowels, redrill and reseat the bridge. If it's the neck, same thing. Plug the holes and redrill, but the neck mounting holes. You may be able to get by with shims if the neck is tilting towards the bass side but the best way would be to plug and redrill.

Get that taken care of and it'll be fine. They won't line up "perfect" across all of them, but it'll be better. You could even upgrade the bridge to a nice Gotoh 6-screw unit at the same time if you want to.

The nut width on that Strat (Mexi HSS) is 43mm which is the same as American Strats. The SSS Mexi Strats are 42mm. This is according to the Fender site specs.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Thanks EricH, i think i will keep the guitar how it is and later on sell it and get another one. Next time i get a guitar i will notice at the string spacing and how they lign up with the pole pices. I got this guitar when i was starting to play so those were things i was not aware then.

Well at least it sounds good; i just raised the pickups a bit to compensate for the tone loss. When i bend the strings is when i notice it the most.

cheers,
jon

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

No problem. Your choice there, and probably the better one in this case.

A couple things to look at next time, other than the pole pieces, is the single dots on the fingerboard and where the strings are on the fingerboard. The single dot should be dead center between the G and D strings. If that is the case, then both E strings should be roughly the same distance from the edge of the fingerboard on their respective side.

At least you got these working for you and that's all that matters right now.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

You could always switch to rail type pickups!

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Thank you all for your help and advice. ErikH, thanks for the info about the single dots. It definitely make sense.

9Finger, thats also a viable option. However, i just spent a lot of money on the three pickups i just installed so i would rather keep them. At lest, i love the tone of the new pickups. I like the JB a lot and the STK-S4 are pretty cool too because they still have that stratish sound.

cheers,
jon

 

[CronoDL]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

I just came across this thread, and I took a look at the pics on the Fender site. Almost all of the Strats with narrow spacing (MIM vintage style and 2-point American trems) have a problem similar to yours. On most of them, at least one of the E strings barely pass over the neck pickup's pole piece.

 

[kjrocks]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Its not necessarily a problem. I thinks some of it is by design. The strings over the neck pickup have the most vibration and having the poles just a little wider helps keep it from being too much. That said the pic looks to me like the either the neck or bridge is off on this guitar. The E strings should be close to be the same space from the edge of each side of the fretboard. I'd loosen the neck for sure an see if there is any room for adjustment. Quite often there is and all it take is a few minutes. Loosen your strings and the neck screws just a little and give teh neck a little tug towards the floor.
BTW is the spacing of the outer strings the same all the up the fretboard as it is at the heel?

 

[prophetofthor]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

i think you've already "solved" the prob by adjusting the pickup height, but i would of also liked to see a picture of the nut. i think bridge wants to be in the center by looking at the lil E string at the saddle, but wow, the lil E string is way off on the neck. that would bug me silly trying to play that guitar. on cheapo guitars the nut is a place where the manufacturer can cut corners. back in ye olden days every nut was custom. now they just come off a machine and i think a human has to use "super glue" or whatever and place it; low paid human error.

what i do when i buy/sell guitars is put the body of the guitar on the top of my foot and look down the neck. my eyeball is usually close to the tuning machines. a string is going to be perfectly straight between any 2 points. you can spot warped necks and misaligned bridges/nuts easily.

pick up a cheapo squier and look down the neck and do the same with a quality guitar. the difference is amazing.

 

[jonathane40]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

Hi guys, thank you all for your help and advise.

kjrocks, that is a good idea. Is it too hard to try to adjust the neck? I have never done it so i am a bit scared of trying it myself. I am planing to go to a luthier on monday. So hopefully he can help me out.

prophetofthor, that is a pretty good advise too. Specially because i am considering in getting a new guitar. I might sell this one with the new pickups installed and am considering in getting an american strat. I will definitely do what you say before getting a new guitar.

You know, even though i have raised the pickups a bit, i think i still hear a loss in sound. The same thing used to happen with my old pickups and i was hoping that the new ones would fix it. The high e and b strings sound kind of thin.

Guys, what do you think about the follwoing? If the luthier tells me that it can be fixed by either changing the bridge or the nut or both, do you think it is worth it? Because for the price, it might be better to seel the guitar and get an american strat.

cheers,
jon

 

[tone4days]

Re: Pole pieces question about STK-S4

to me, if a new nut could fix it, i'd do it ... a well made custom nut can fix all sorts of playability issues

i do not think i'd go to the expense of a new bridge to fix it in this guitar unless you are REALLY sure that you love EVERY aspect of this guitar

and above all else, be sure that you truly HEAR a problem with it as is and are not influenced by what it looks like ... my HSH guitar has terrible pole piece alignment issues WHEN I LOOK AT IT .. but when i play, it gives me NO problems - so i left it alone ..

good luck
t4d