Single Coil String Spacing

[cactus jack]

I just saw, and now can’t un-see, the string spacing my my APS-2 neck pickup is way off. The low E pole piece is almost entirely outside the string. I took a quick measurement and sure enough the spacing is about 52mm.

Does SD make 50mm spaced neck single coils? Why make humbuckers line up, but not singles? I realize tone is not necessarily compromised, but my God, the misalignment is U.G.L.Y. .

For what it’s worth my bridge is 2 1/8”, and my nut is 1 11/16”.

 

[Mincer]

Do you hear a sonic difference with the poles missing the strings? BTW, this sounds like a perfect reason to use rail-based pickups.

 

[cactus jack]

I think the guitar sounds great. However, I'm nowhere good enough to know whether it makes a difference or not. I do know it's ugly and confuses me why it's important enough for humbuckers to be different sizes, but not single coils.

Here's a not so great pic. Straight on it looks really bad.

 

[jeremy]

frequently the poles dont line up, but no duncan doesnt make a production narrow single coil pole piece spacing. i dont notice a balance issue on any of mine though

 

[Mincer]

I suppose a solid cover would fix that issue, too.

 

[idsnowdog]

The vibrational arc of the strings at the neck is wide enough that a slight misalignment shouldn't cause too much difference.

 

[ToneFiddler]

looks to me like the neck is either tilted to one side, the nut is unsymmetrical or the neck pu is not centered.