SH vs TB

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punx77

New member
Probably not the first time this being discussed but I wanted to hear from your experiences.

I have a Fender Strat Classic 50's with string spacing that does not "qualify" for SH. But for some reason I rather not get a TB. It just seems off putting to me somehow.

So would I still be alright with an SH or will it sound like crap?
 
Re: SH vs TB

Why does a trembucker put you off? The misaligned poles seem aesthetically unpleasing to me more than a model number. In rare occasions it can make a difference, but usually that is with some of the offbeat, wider spread bridges. If it is a problem, you will notice a volume drop on the E strings.
 
Re: SH vs TB

It just does. Would need a new pickguard too ordered from abroad probably...maybe wider routing. I just don't like it. Hear some say the tb has slightly different charasteristics too. I will go for the sh if it aint that much of a big deal.
 
Re: SH vs TB

punx77 said:
It just does. Would need a new pickguard too ordered from abroad probably...maybe wider routing. I just don't like it. Hear some say the tb has slightly different charasteristics too. I will go for the sh if it aint that much of a big deal.
Click to expand...

You can generally sand the pickguard instead of replacing it. I would guess that the difference between the two is that the tb has better alignment.
 
Re: SH vs TB

take that with a grain of salt. I have never noted a difference other than a lack of alignment. The info from SD indicates that a TB is really the same. If there is a difference, tho only logical explanation I can think of would be the de-emphasis on the es.
 
Re: SH vs TB

Maybe but after doing some research most seem to say sh will work just fine.

Anyone actually heard a weak string because they choose the sh over tb and know for sure the sh was the reason?
 
Re: SH vs TB

punx77 said:
Maybe but after doing some research most seem to say sh will work just fine.

Anyone actually heard a weak string because they choose the sh over tb and know for sure the sh was the reason?
Click to expand...
Yes. two different guitars. One of them was with Black winters. Another with a different bridge had an old Gibson pickup. Used the same pickup in a proper spacing and it sounds how it should in both cases. In most cases it is passable. In others it isn't. There is no difference except the spacing between the two, so it is really just a matter of how much credence you give internet myths.
 
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Re: SH vs TB

Gibson 1964 said:
. There is no difference except the spacing between the two, so it is really just a matter of how much credence you give internet myths.
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This is absolutely not true for SD TB series humbuckers. Not only is the spacing different but the bobbins are actually wider so the while they have the same amount of turns of wire the turns are larger to they have greater DC resistance and correspondingly sound a bit darker than their SH counterparts. Its subtle but far from a myth.
 
Re: SH vs TB

Having tried several, I have definitely not found them to be darker at all. Yes, the turns are a miniscule bit larger. Yes, the resistance will be very slightly different, (potentially, as the margin of variance is almost certainly larger than the difference the wider spacing gives.) but I have definitely not found them to be darker. Resistance does not automatically equal darker. The difference in spacing is probably going to be more relevant than the tiny percentage of wire, which might be completely swallowed by variance. I actually have subbed in trembuckers directly for standard spaced. The trembucker does not generally sound darker. Brighter? It can, because the high e is in the magnetic field better. In reality, I suspect the spacing has a bigger effect than a tiny variance in resistance.
 
Re: SH vs TB

Just because you dont hear something doesnt mean others dont. Without altering any other specification if you increase resistance that extra capacitance will shave off highs comparatively. But I will defer to Frank about this one since you dont believe me....

frankfalbo said:
I have always said that the wind is physically different, and that is the biggest reason why two same examples will sound different. Either they have to alter the number of turns to produce the same resistance, or match the turns and increase resisitance. They probably favor the same turns/more wire since part of the Trembucker marketing was also to add some beef to the sound that is lost with a 2-point knife edge floating trem. I think they were purposely letting them be darker.
Click to expand...
 
Re: SH vs TB

I was reading on a few sites that the TB's absolutely sound different due to the larger bobbins/different wind.
Most said the TB4 is not as good sounding as the sh4 as a example so this does apply to all of them?
I have a WLH in trem spacing and just traded a 57 classic for a TB 78 so am thinking the regular ones would sound different? The SH versions are brighter?
frank falbo is saying that for a floyd it is better to have them with less high end
 
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Re: SH vs TB

Edgecrusher said:
Just because you dont hear something doesnt mean others dont. Without altering any other specification if you increase resistance that extra capacitance will shave off highs comparatively. But I will defer to Frank about this one since you dont believe me....
Click to expand...

Doesn't the variance between pickups (Isn't it +or- 5%) by quality control more than make a bigger difference? The idea that one will be darker or brighter based on that tiny variance in size makes me wonder if that is just not accounting for the difference.

If there is a difference in resistance acceptable by quality control, I have to wonder if this is a notable feature or hearing something not there. If for example, you had a slightly higher resisting SH pickup within tolerance near the upper threshold, it could be darker than a trembucker at lower end of tolerance. Which could explain why some people sometimes hear it, and sometimes, it just isn't there at all. As far as I can tell from theory, it is theoretically possible for a trembucker to be slightly darker, but to say absolutely is to completely ignore tolerances, and very likely is within the variations within the SH range as well.

I have tried it a few times and there wasn't a difference or the trembucker had more highs, (because of string proximity I suspect as balance was all out of whack) but the simple fact that saying a trembucker is darker because of a very small size difference does not account for the variance that occurs in the resistance within all pickups of the same model designation.
 
Re: SH vs TB

Most duncans are tighter than the 5% variance, sorry no your just not going to get around it, your average TB will be darker than your average SH... sure maybe variance will flip flop a comparison of 2 particular pickups but on average its not just going to wash out that way.

Trying to drag tolerance into the discussion is a lame attempt to ignore the fact that a SH would have to be out of spec to have the same amount of wire on it as a TB.... Its not a huge difference but it is a real one.
 
Re: SH vs TB

Edgecrusher is correct. Wider bobbins and more resistance makes the TBs darker. Its why I always prefer an sh-4 regardless of spacing. Does anybody else find a trem spaced JB kind of nasal sounding? I did and it annoyed me enough to sell it off.
 
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