Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Sledgehammer on March 10, 2008, 10:43:14 AM

Title: PU magnet - staggered or flat
Post by: Sledgehammer on March 10, 2008, 10:43:14 AM

Hi !

I'm about to order a set of new PU for my Fender strat, but I'm a little confused if I should order them with flat magnets or staggered ??

My Strat has a 9,5" radius MN so it's in the gray "in-between-zone" according to BKP's recommendations.  :roll:

I'm not that experienced with PU magnets and the influence it has on the sound and feel I get from the PU's.

All comments, knowledge, recommendations and experience are welcome :D

Title: PU magnet - staggered or flat
Post by: Ratrod on March 10, 2008, 10:48:43 AM

If you're gonna order pickups on the hot side you can go with flats. If you're looking to buy something vintage (low output) toned, go staggered.

Title: PU magnet - staggered or flat
Post by: AndyR on March 11, 2008, 05:41:28 PM

I went staggered on my Irish Tours - partly because they were going on a 62 re-issue with an appropriate "60's" radius (can't remember what it is exactly, sorry!), and partly because I've always had staggered on strat pickups in the past.

I would take into account what Ratrod says though. With the Irish Tours (in fact BKPs in general) I seem to prefer having the pickups a lot closer to the strings than I always used to with others. Because of this, and because my style has changed a bit after I broke my right arm last year, I sometimes find my pick getting caught up on the pole pieces on the middle pickup now. It's usually only if I've been playing another guitar for a while and then pick the strat up. I soon get used to it and it stops happening, but it can get annoying! Even with ITs, I suspect I could have used non-staggered and wouldn't have noticed a lot of difference in string balance.