Ok, here's a bit of background to my question...So I've decided to give the Pearly Gates a try in my American Special HSS Strat (rosewood fretboard) replacing the Atomic HB that I've just never really bonded with. When measuring up to see if I need the HB or TB, the spacing of the E strings is exactly 50mm over the neck poles of the HB and 50.5mm over the bridge poles. Now, I'm aware what it says about HB vs TB on the SD website ie. in my case, go with the TB. That seems to be the way most people with Strats on various forums go too.
But then when I look from directly above the pickup I notice that only the D and G strings are directly over the poles. The A and B strings are about 1/4-1/3 narrower (cut the 4mm wide pole about 1mm in from the inner edge) and the two E strings are barely over the poles, maybe by 0.5-1mm. Basically, the poles are spaced wider than the strings. Similar thing with the middle Texas Special and even more pronounced with the neck pickup, where the E strings are barely running over the poles at all.
So I ask the title question because, if a guitar comes from the factory like this and I'm reasonably happy with the sound of the Texas Specials for now (maybe switch to SSLs later), I don't understand what difference to tone or volume it makes for the strings to be correctly aligned with the poles and why I need to specifically choose a TB over a HB when my E strings are pretty much exactly running 50mm apart over the bridge pickup. Can anyone tell me the importance (or unimportance) of having the strings aligned with the poles and does it really matter?
Oh, and am I right in going for the TB-PG1?
Cheers!
But then when I look from directly above the pickup I notice that only the D and G strings are directly over the poles. The A and B strings are about 1/4-1/3 narrower (cut the 4mm wide pole about 1mm in from the inner edge) and the two E strings are barely over the poles, maybe by 0.5-1mm. Basically, the poles are spaced wider than the strings. Similar thing with the middle Texas Special and even more pronounced with the neck pickup, where the E strings are barely running over the poles at all.
So I ask the title question because, if a guitar comes from the factory like this and I'm reasonably happy with the sound of the Texas Specials for now (maybe switch to SSLs later), I don't understand what difference to tone or volume it makes for the strings to be correctly aligned with the poles and why I need to specifically choose a TB over a HB when my E strings are pretty much exactly running 50mm apart over the bridge pickup. Can anyone tell me the importance (or unimportance) of having the strings aligned with the poles and does it really matter?
Oh, and am I right in going for the TB-PG1?
Cheers!
