Trembucker or humbucker?

G

GibsonOrFender

New member
Where exactly do i measure to see if i need a trem or a humbucker? I am using a MIM hss strat and at the trem it is over 50mm(2inches) long but directly above the humbucker it is almost exactly 2 inches wide so im kind of confused. Any help would be great.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Measurements aside, for a MIM Strat, you'll want a Trembucker so that the pole pieces line up directly under the strings.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Yes, trembucker.

Which brings me to the question, "why in the world do they call it a trembucker?"
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

GuitarDoc said:
Yes, trembucker.

Which brings me to the question, "why in the world do they call it a trembucker?"
Click to expand...

Because it was designed to play nice with the string spacing typical to tremolo-equipped guitars, DUH! :)

Once again, we blame Leo for the misnomer. I'd be hard-pressed to think of another simple grammatical error responsible for a larger or more-enduring aftermath in popular culture.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Definitely want a Trembucker on a MIM Strat. I've used them with MIM Strats before and they work well together.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Not to totally derail it or undermine what everyone else has said, I've used standard spaced (SH) humbuckers in my MIM Strat and have had no problems at all with volume loss on the E strings. I've used a Gibson Burstbucker, an EVH Frankenstein, and Duncan Distortion pickups in the bridge position for reference.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Most of the strats, especially the MIM ones, use the 2 1/16th string spacing so a trembucker isn't completely necessary. The bucker in the bridge of one of my strats is stock, trembucker type, and it is off as much as the one with the regular bucker in the bridge.
 
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Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Trembuckers are also called F-spaced pickups, The F in F-space refers to Fender spacing witch is a bit wider than a normal humbucker...
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

You want to measure the string spacing where the screws in the screw coil will be placed. Trembucker spacing is 52.6 mm, which is about what the saddle spacing is on MIM bridges.

That being said, don't obsess over it too much. Even a standard-spaced humbucker will absolutely sound fine.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

It's true that a normal spaced humbucker works, however, there is a difference. A lot of people will tell you it makes no difference but the truth is even a small adjustment of humbucker pole screws makes an audible difference. So, just as making an adjustment to the pole screws to bring them closer or back them further away from each string makes a difference; so does positioning the poles of the humbucker under the string versus positioning them slightly off from the string.
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

GuitarDoc said:
Hey Adam, that was a rhetorical question. Perhaps a bit satirical.
Click to expand...

You should know by now that without the aid of some kind of winky face, any sarcasm is going to go right over my head.
 
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Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

A Trembucker will give you a little bit more articulation, that said if you use a lot of gain you prob. won't notice the difference? I personaly buy F-spaced pickups for anything Fender because I like having the strings line up right over the poles but it's more of an astatic thing, they look better??? Regular humbuckers have a HUGE mag. field so adjusting the poles of a normal humbucker will probably give you the same amount of articulation? There is no cost difference between the two, so if it's a MIM Stratocaster or any Fender & you are buying new go with a Trembucker, if you have a SH-4 or something laying around or can get one used cheap, use it, it will work just fine & sound as good as it's F-spaced cousin...
 
Re: Trembucker or humbucker?

Nacho8807 said:
Not to totally derail it or undermine what everyone else has said, I've used standard spaced (SH) humbuckers in my MIM Strat and have had no problems at all with volume loss on the E strings. I've used a Gibson Burstbucker, an EVH Frankenstein, and Duncan Distortion pickups in the bridge position for reference.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've also used both sizes and hear no difference.
 
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