Staggered height pole pieces

G

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I have a Fender Texas special tele bridge p/up with raised G & D pole -the D pole raised even further than the G the rest are normal . What was the idea behind that , a more mid range sound perhaps, and can the raised poles be filed down? I'm thinking it would de magnetise them ..
 
This was done originally to balance the output of the strings, and in your case, most likely to follow the curve of the fretboard. First decide if there is a string imbalance. If there is, don't file the poles. Some people have had luck pushing the tall ones down, but many companies glue them in, and you might damage the coil and ruin the pickup. Without changing the action of the strings, a big string volume balance problem might only be solved by a flat-pole pickup.
If there isn't a string balance problem, don't worry about it.
 
Raised D and G was a mid-1950s (1954? 1955?) innovation Fender tried to balance string volume. Back then, the G was a wound string, but smaller gauge, so the pole is higher. I wouldn't try to mess with them.
 
Mincer said:
This was done originally to balance the output of the strings, and in your case, most likely to follow the curve of the fretboard. First decide if there is a string imbalance. If there is, don't file the poles. Some people have had luck pushing the tall ones down, but many companies glue them in, and you might damage the coil and ruin the pickup. Without changing the action of the strings, a big string volume balance problem might only be solved by a flat-pole pickup.
If there isn't a string balance problem, don't worry about it.
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the finger board radius on my Tele is 10" . I guess this idea was intended for 7.25" 'boards back in the day. Maybe a good thing , though most pole pieces on Tele p/up I see today are level ..
 
Yeah, most today are level. And fretboards are flatter, and we don't generally use a wound G. So, if you have a choice, I always go for flat if the model I want is offered in flat. But unless I notice a balance issue, I wouldn't swap out the pickup unless you don't like the sound.
 
Mincer said:
Yeah, most today are level. And fretboards are flatter, and we don't generally use a wound G. So, if you have a choice, I always go for flat if the model I want is offered in flat. But unless I notice a balance issue, I wouldn't swap out the pickup unless you don't like the sound.
Click to expand...

I notice some Tele & Strat pick ups are sold as ' Vintage spec' with raised D&G poles suggesting it makes them more musical ! Since the G string has been plain for years ,and a bit louder, the pole piece should not be raised underneath. I find with light gauge strings the top E should be raised as it sounds tinny but you cant do that with normal Strat & tele p/ups
 
To be honest, I don't know if 'more musical' can be quantified. Making the pole closer to the strings will make that string slightly louder, and possibly hinder the vibration a little, but it won't be making the sound 'different' than flat poles.
 
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