What’s the deal with Trembuckers?

[Megadeth420]

So I know that Trembuckers are F-Spaced pickups, but would I also install a Trembucker in the neck or just a normal neck pickup? Also are there Trembucker sets I can buy with both neck and bridge pickups in the F spacing? I have a B.C. Rich Avenge which is F-Spaced and I wanna put in a Blackened Winter or a Thrash Factor.

 

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

trembuckers are usually just used in the bridge and are physically slightly wider than a normal bridge pup

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Trembucker pole pieces are spaced further apart to match the string spacing at the bridge on guitars like humbucker-in-the-bridge Strats. By the time you get to the neck pickup, the string spacings have generally reduced enough to use regular humbuckers. They don't make pickups with pole pieces matching string spacing at the middle, regular humbuckers are considered close enough.

On some guitars, like Gibson Les Pauls and SGs, regular humbucker spacing is a closer match at the bridge also, so people don't use them.

Audio wise some say trembuckers make no difference, while some swear by them. Visually, however, I think most would agree they look better.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Another thing to bear in mind is that people often use lower impedance, generally meaning lower output, pickups in the neck compared to the bridge.

Lots of reasons for that, but one basic one is that the strings' vibration amplitudes ate higher away from the bridge, so the strings produce a higher signal. Using lower output pickups in the neck compensates for this.

 

[Mincer]

It is best just to measure the string spacing. If you have super wide spacing, you could need a Trembucker in the neck, but it wouldn't be a common thing at all.

 

[dave74]

With Dimarzio I always use F-spaced necks, but really most Duncans use those wide fillister screws and slugs as opposed to hex poles.
Also we generally bend and/or vibrato upward on the high string and downward on the low string, so basically we're bending into the pole's strength on a standard spaced pickup.

 

[beaubrummels]

If you needed a Trembucker in the neck, but wanted an actual neck wind, I believe that would be a custom wind. Not sure it's worth it, IMO.

 

[Megadeth420]

Thank you all for helping, now I understand the way to go, thanks.

 

[Teleplayer]

F-spacing and Trembucker spacing is actually not the same.

F-spaced pole spacing = 2.01" (51.1mm)
Trembucker pole spacing = 2.07" (52.6mm)

 

[Artie]

The PATB-1 does come in a neck version. I measured it about 47 mm. I have a pair of PATB-1's in an LP, and the string spacing is fine. Sounds great too. One of my favorite guitars.

 

[NYCTone]

One thing to keep in mind is that Seymour Duncan use actual wider bobbins rather than just wider spacing like other companies (DImarzio, etc.). Depending on how your pickguard is cut, it can make it a tight squeeze or rip the cloth tape. Also most modern guitars use f spacing nowadays, that includes Gibson, so it's not just guitars with tremolos. At the end of the day though it's more for looks than for a noticeably distinguishable sound most of the time.

 

[Teleplayer]

Trembuckers being wider can be a problem if you want to keep the stock pickup rings on your guitar. Duncan supply a black plastic mounting ring with Trembuckers as it is the only one that will fit without modification.