Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Fowl2338 on October 03, 2009, 01:38:20 AM

Title: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 03, 2009, 01:38:20 AM
I have a strat that I am putting a TB-4 in the bridge. However, I am simply widening the single rout in the pickguard, so the F-spaced JB will be at an angle.

Will this cause a problem? Can the pole pieces be TOO wide?

(http://i34.tinypic.com/ffbjaa.jpg)
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Philly Q on October 03, 2009, 12:14:51 PM
With the pickup at an angle, only one of each pair of polepieces is going to line up with the strings anyway (at best).  But all the strings will be within the range of the polepieces, so I wouldn't worry too much.


(By the way, this should probably be in Tech rather than Pickups - the Pickups forum is really for discussion of BKP models!)
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on October 03, 2009, 01:12:46 PM
Why dont you put it in straight - much simpler to do and surely better for the polepiece spacing

Too wide a spacing isn't a problem as the strings will still be within the magnetic field
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: MDV on October 03, 2009, 10:15:56 PM
Youre gonna get much, much more of an effect from angling it. The bass will be bassier and less tight, the treble will be brighter, because of what part of the string they will be under. Its a pretty significant effect and should be avoided unless thats exactly what you want (like hendrix sounds for example, thats a big part of his strat tone).

Using a wider spacing, as jonathon says, wont have any effect (at least no perceptible one). Think about it - when you bend a string youre moving inbetween poles there, and the tone doesnt change, so having a couple of mil surplus to the width wont have any more effect.
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 04, 2009, 04:59:17 PM
Why dont you put it in straight - much simpler to do and surely better for the polepiece spacing

Too wide a spacing isn't a problem as the strings will still be within the magnetic field

Well, I just don't want to have to buy a brand new pickguard.

And sorry for putting it in the wrong area..
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Philly Q on October 04, 2009, 06:14:29 PM
Well, I just don't want to have to buy a brand new pickguard.

But whether you angle the humbucker or not, either way it'll cover the existing single-coil hole in the scratchplate.  You'll probably have to drill new screw holes though.

How's the body under the scratchplate routed?  If it's a newer Fender it's probably already routed for a (non-angled) humbucker.
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 05, 2009, 04:04:52 AM
Well, I just don't want to have to buy a brand new pickguard.

But whether you angle the humbucker or not, either way it'll cover the existing single-coil hole in the scratchplate.  You'll probably have to drill new screw holes though.

How's the body under the scratchplate routed?  If it's a newer Fender it's probably already routed for a (non-angled) humbucker.

Nah, it's a half tub route, so I can put it in however.
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 07, 2009, 03:55:57 AM
Ok, I'm ready to cut the pickguard. How should I go about doing this (without router)...?

Hot knife? lol
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Will on October 07, 2009, 10:44:33 AM
You want to put it at an angle for the tone change then?
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 07, 2009, 10:10:10 PM
Yes
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: MDV on October 07, 2009, 10:26:08 PM
You realise that tone change wont work out the same with a bucker as with an sc (assuming youre thinking of hendrix)
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: dave_mc on October 08, 2009, 12:24:00 AM
also hendrix's was backwards, wasn't it (because he used a RH guitar strung LH)? brighter at the bass strings, warmer at the treble...
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: MDV on October 08, 2009, 01:17:25 AM
also hendrix's was backwards, wasn't it (because he used a RH guitar strung LH)? brighter at the bass strings, warmer at the treble...

Oh yeah! oops.
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: MDV on October 08, 2009, 01:18:25 AM
Still, so long as he knows hes gonna muddy up the bass strings, and thats what he wants, thats fine.
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Fowl2338 on October 09, 2009, 06:01:58 AM
Well, it'll actually be a reverse slant, ala Hendrix...I just couldn't do that on the virtual builder.


Now, back to the pickguard...how should I cut it?
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: Philly Q on October 10, 2009, 01:21:29 PM
Now, back to the pickguard...how should I cut it?

You can probably use all sorts of things like dremels or even a router, if you're comfortable with them.

Personally I mark the outline, drill holes close together all around the inside of it, then cut the main chunk of plastic out with a Stanley knife.  Then I use files and sandpaper.  It's very slow but the end result is neat!
Title: Re: Pole pieces TOO wide...?
Post by: MDV on October 10, 2009, 01:38:01 PM
Stanley knife and a metal ruler, fine grained sandpaper or wetndry on a flat surface or suitable file. No need to go nuts with power tool, its just a scratch plate.