Wooden Pickup Spacers?
- Thread starter tlhamon
- Start date
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
The only spacer that could make a difference is a magnetic one.
The only spacer that could make a difference is a magnetic one.
David Garner
New member
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Listen, if y'all can't hear that maple spacers lend a woodier, more organic tone, I don't know what to tell you.
Fine, it probably makes no difference. But maple is prettier, so if I ever disassemble the pickup, mine will look nicer.
Full disclosure, I have no idea what kind of spacers are in any of my pickups.
Listen, if y'all can't hear that maple spacers lend a woodier, more organic tone, I don't know what to tell you.
Fine, it probably makes no difference. But maple is prettier, so if I ever disassemble the pickup, mine will look nicer.
Full disclosure, I have no idea what kind of spacers are in any of my pickups.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
I'm putting this on the record. Next time we spark a tonewood debate I'm quoting this with zero context.
I'm putting this on the record. Next time we spark a tonewood debate I'm quoting this with zero context.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Eric Johnson prefers balsa spacers because they sound more airy to his ears than maple.
Eric Johnson prefers balsa spacers because they sound more airy to his ears than maple.
eclecticsynergy
New member
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
What I want to know is, have any of you tried mahogany?
Seriously though, it's hard to figure how they could make any appreciable difference. Pickup makers who want to be vintage correct use 'em anyway.
When Tim Shaw was designing a new pickup for Gibson - one intended to sound as much like the original PAFs as possible - he chose to use plastic spacers. Tim knows what he's doing when it comes to pickups and these sound great; they bring a pretty good price on the used market, especially for a factory Gibson pickup.
Still, many boutique winders (including some guys who have studied vintage PAFs extensively) use wood. Not sure whether that's for any tonal purpose or if it's just so they can say they do.
What I want to know is, have any of you tried mahogany?
Seriously though, it's hard to figure how they could make any appreciable difference. Pickup makers who want to be vintage correct use 'em anyway.
When Tim Shaw was designing a new pickup for Gibson - one intended to sound as much like the original PAFs as possible - he chose to use plastic spacers. Tim knows what he's doing when it comes to pickups and these sound great; they bring a pretty good price on the used market, especially for a factory Gibson pickup.
Still, many boutique winders (including some guys who have studied vintage PAFs extensively) use wood. Not sure whether that's for any tonal purpose or if it's just so they can say they do.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Ive got a guitar with Wooden pickup spacers -1979 Pedulla MVP
maybe on a spectral analyzer you could see some micro roll off -but absolutely nothing you could hear.
Ive got a guitar with Wooden pickup spacers -1979 Pedulla MVP
maybe on a spectral analyzer you could see some micro roll off -but absolutely nothing you could hear.
Discharged
New member
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
The only reason Gibson used wooden spacers is because they were made with scrap materials, so no added cost other than manufacturing. And for the record, Gibson made p'ups considering'em as a "necessary evil" to be able to sell their guitars. And it still is, if you ask me.
/Peter
The only reason Gibson used wooden spacers is because they were made with scrap materials, so no added cost other than manufacturing. And for the record, Gibson made p'ups considering'em as a "necessary evil" to be able to sell their guitars. And it still is, if you ask me.
/Peter
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Chapman thinks the same thing, but for different reasons. They openly admit the only reason they include pickups in a guitar is because they wouldn't sell without them. They heavily believe in pickup swaps.
Chapman thinks the same thing, but for different reasons. They openly admit the only reason they include pickups in a guitar is because they wouldn't sell without them. They heavily believe in pickup swaps.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
If I owned a guitar company, I would offer at least three options for pickups (with descriptions of course) and a reduced price BYOP option. I've acquired so many OEM pickups over the years that I've debated making a coffee table out of them.
If I owned a guitar company, I would offer at least three options for pickups (with descriptions of course) and a reduced price BYOP option. I've acquired so many OEM pickups over the years that I've debated making a coffee table out of them.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Well my company, if I had one, would be a small boutique type business that sold only the finest of hand crafted instruments.
Well my company, if I had one, would be a small boutique type business that sold only the finest of hand crafted instruments.
Re: Wooden Pickup Spacers?
Just an FYI really......
.........the Shaw pickup's main vintage correct part is the bobbin having the 'square in circle' marking on the top. James Finnerty from ReWind has looked at the various components of the Shaw, and concluded that practically every element of that pickup is 'wrong' if you get down the nitty gritty of what makes a PAF. However Gibson themselves may well have been the more pertinent part of that decision.....they certainly made the decision on speccing a non vintage correct (cheaper to buy) wire over what Shaw himself wanted (the vintage correct coating).
So I'd most likely guess that the plastic spacer was a Gibson (Norlin) decision. The Heritage series that the pickup was designed for, was supposedly a 59 reissue, but was essentially a generic LP of the era with a 2 piece top and ABR. So there was not an overwhelming desire in any part of the process to make anything accurate.
Just an FYI really......
.........the Shaw pickup's main vintage correct part is the bobbin having the 'square in circle' marking on the top. James Finnerty from ReWind has looked at the various components of the Shaw, and concluded that practically every element of that pickup is 'wrong' if you get down the nitty gritty of what makes a PAF. However Gibson themselves may well have been the more pertinent part of that decision.....they certainly made the decision on speccing a non vintage correct (cheaper to buy) wire over what Shaw himself wanted (the vintage correct coating).
So I'd most likely guess that the plastic spacer was a Gibson (Norlin) decision. The Heritage series that the pickup was designed for, was supposedly a 59 reissue, but was essentially a generic LP of the era with a 2 piece top and ABR. So there was not an overwhelming desire in any part of the process to make anything accurate.
