Simple and dumb question

C-Martin

New member
Does the spacer in a humbucker make a diference in the sound? like the "vintage correct" ones all use maple and the rest use something diferent.. does it alter the tone in any way?
 
Re: Simple and dumb question

My guess is no. In the 50s it was probably cheaper and easier to get or make maple/wood ones themselves than it was to have someone else make plastic ones. I would also assume that as you tighten down the screws that hold the bobbin the maple spacers will give slightly when you're at full torque....giving the bobbin a little grip. The plastic ones may not not give and risk the screws coming loose as the pickup vibrates during play. These are all guesses,thoughts and assumptions,though.
 
Re: Simple and dumb question

tonally i dont think they make any difference that we could hear
 
Re: Simple and dumb question

The only difference would be how far the magnet is from the strings, etc. Dimarzio's "air" technology uses a spacer to simulate a weakened magnet and it does give a slightly more open sound. But whether it is wood or plastic I doubt that makes a difference.
 
Re: Simple and dumb question

I'm really, really reaching here, but maybe static electricity might be an issue? I'm always getting zapped by it when I touch plastic (or metal!) things in the winter, but not by wood or stone -- and aren't electrical and magnetic fields connected? I don't really believe this would make a difference in a pup, since there isn't enough electricity going through a pup to hold any appreciable static charge, but hey, at least I've got a theory, half-assed though it may be. lol
 
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