welshstrat
New member
I have an esp strat with 52mm string spacing and need new pups. What are my options, will standard size pups work ok as the strings wont be centered over the poles, or would i be better off looking at rail or sensor type pups.
pup for narrow string spacing.
- Thread starter welshstrat
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wolf5150
Guest
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
Are you in Wales mate ?
As for your question, it depends just how narrow it is.
52mm is normal.
It's usually the neck pickup spacing that's the problem.
Any pics of the guitar ?
Are you in Wales mate ?
As for your question, it depends just how narrow it is.
52mm is normal.
It's usually the neck pickup spacing that's the problem.
Any pics of the guitar ?
welshstrat
New member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
yes, neath. it just looks like the strings wont sit over the center of the poles on most of the pups i've looked at they look like they are for wider spacings.
yes, neath. it just looks like the strings wont sit over the center of the poles on most of the pups i've looked at they look like they are for wider spacings.
W
wolf5150
Guest
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
Welcome.
I'm from Bridgend.
I'd like to see a pic of the guitar if possible to help advise you.
Welcome.
I'm from Bridgend.
I'd like to see a pic of the guitar if possible to help advise you.
welshstrat
New member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
its an esp st 213 strat if that helps.
its an esp st 213 strat if that helps.
W
wolf5150
Guest
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
Looks like regular strat spacing to me..
The neck pickup strings never line up.
It's also a huge frustration of mine.
Rail pickups will help.
As for narrower singles, David Allen makes a 50mm neck single and so does Kinman.
Both are fantastic, one is noisy the other isn't. Lol.
Looks like regular strat spacing to me..
The neck pickup strings never line up.
It's also a huge frustration of mine.
Rail pickups will help.
As for narrower singles, David Allen makes a 50mm neck single and so does Kinman.
Both are fantastic, one is noisy the other isn't. Lol.
9unslin9er
New member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
I had a ST-213. Amazing Strat copies.
Any 52mm/2.07in spaced single will line up with your bridge and middle pickups perfectly.
Your neck pickup poles won't line up with high and low E strings. You shouldn't really notice any volume issues. It's only when strings are outside the outer poles where volume dips occur.
I had a ST-213. Amazing Strat copies.
Any 52mm/2.07in spaced single will line up with your bridge and middle pickups perfectly.
Your neck pickup poles won't line up with high and low E strings. You shouldn't really notice any volume issues. It's only when strings are outside the outer poles where volume dips occur.
Masta' C
Well-known member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
I have a guitar with 52mm string spacing at the bridge and a 43mm nut. A DiMarzio "F-spaced" pickup aligns perfectly in the bridge with a regular spaced model in the neck. I've used Seymour Duncan Trembuckers in it, as well, and they are pretty close, though not perfectly aligned if you look straight on.
Ultimately, you can get away with either F/Trem-spaced or G/Standard-spaced and won't notice any difference in tone. In case you didn't know, there was a 10-year period in the '70s/80s where almost all of your wider spaced bridge guitars (guitars with Floyd Rose trems, Fenders, many imports, etc) used regular spaced pickups as stock and had no issue sounding great.
I have a guitar with 52mm string spacing at the bridge and a 43mm nut. A DiMarzio "F-spaced" pickup aligns perfectly in the bridge with a regular spaced model in the neck. I've used Seymour Duncan Trembuckers in it, as well, and they are pretty close, though not perfectly aligned if you look straight on.
Ultimately, you can get away with either F/Trem-spaced or G/Standard-spaced and won't notice any difference in tone. In case you didn't know, there was a 10-year period in the '70s/80s where almost all of your wider spaced bridge guitars (guitars with Floyd Rose trems, Fenders, many imports, etc) used regular spaced pickups as stock and had no issue sounding great.
9unslin9er
New member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
Could you please clarify which ST-213 you have?
Single-Single-Single
or Humbucker-Single-Single
If it's a S-S-S and you're worried about the neck pickup only, we can stop talking about regular/f-space humbuckers.
Could you please clarify which ST-213 you have?
Single-Single-Single
or Humbucker-Single-Single
If it's a S-S-S and you're worried about the neck pickup only, we can stop talking about regular/f-space humbuckers.
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Masta' C
Well-known member
Re: pup for narrow string spacing.
This...
Anything 52mm+ at the bridge calls for standard Fender spacing. If you can find a narrower spaced neck/middle, more power to you. Unfortunately, not every pickup maker offers narrower spacing as an option on their Strat pickups, although it is certainly becoming more popular. Regardless, there's no difference in tone or performance with the pole pieces sitting slightly off center from the string, especially on most Strat pickups where the "pole pieces" are the magnets themselves...the magnetic field is plenty strong to sense the string nearby.
This...
Anything 52mm+ at the bridge calls for standard Fender spacing. If you can find a narrower spaced neck/middle, more power to you. Unfortunately, not every pickup maker offers narrower spacing as an option on their Strat pickups, although it is certainly becoming more popular. Regardless, there's no difference in tone or performance with the pole pieces sitting slightly off center from the string, especially on most Strat pickups where the "pole pieces" are the magnets themselves...the magnetic field is plenty strong to sense the string nearby.