Staggered or Non staggered Slowhands

[UndeadMonkey]

Hello,

Great forum.  This is my first post.  After an staggered amount of research consisting mostly of listening to sound clips I have decided upon a set of Slowhands for my strat.

Problem is, I don't know if I should get staggered or non staggered.  I don't know the radius of my fretboard.  I have a Vanzandt STV-2.  I think that it has a vintage fretboard but I'm not sure.

And even if the fretboard is vintage, maybe flats would still be better.

Also, I can only find one Slow Hand soundclip (in the sticky), which I am listening to compulsively.  Anyone know of others or have the desire to provide?  :D

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[38thBeatle]

Welcome. I don't think it makes too much of a difference (maybe others will correct me) but the pickups are very nice indeed. They have a warm tone with a bit more in the mids. I have a set in a Japanese 1960's r/i .I have absolutely no time to do any clips right now I regret to say.

[UndeadMonkey]

Welcome. I don't think it makes too much of a difference (maybe others will correct me) but the pickups are very nice indeed. They have a warm tone with a bit more in the mids. I have a set in a Japanese 1960's r/i .I have absolutely no time to do any clips right now I regret to say.

Cool, thanks for the reply.  Do you have staggered or non?  

I have to find out if the staggered are adjustable and if they can be adjusted to the same height as the flats and if they will sound the same as the flats in that configuration.

Cheers.

[AndyR]

Hi welcome to the forum.

The poles in strat pickups are non-adjustable. I understand that it is "possible" to press them through, but you are likely to break the coil because it is wound directly on the magnets.

Like 38th, I've also heard that it doesn't make much of a difference, but I have no practical experience of this.

I use staggered poles on vintage profile necks, always have done. In fact "flat" strat pups look slightly odd to me. I'm not sure what I'd do on a non-vintage profile neck, but I'm unlikely to have to decide, because I don't seem to like flat fingerboards on a strat, just doesn't feel right to me (LPs, SGs, flat as poss please, but on a strat I want that camber...)

I don't think I've helped you much though...  :roll:

[AndyR]

I've had a little think about what the difference might be - hopefully someone with experience might be able to disagree/confirm...

Based on what the strat stagger is like and on my own messing about with distances of pups and adjustable poles from the strings on other guitars, I suspect that a staggered set when compared to a non-staggered will have a slightly "fatter" sounding G and D string. Also when compared to the B (across the two types), the top E will be slightly thicker sounding.

Bear in mind the stagger was originally designed to compensate for the difference in string outputs long, long ago. And this means it was done on a vintage neck profile with very heavy strings (and a covered G).

However, I doubt that many of us would notice anything "wrong" if we went for one type without being able to compare the other type in the same guitar.

[Philly Q]

I found a Japanese web page which said the Van Zandt strats have a 400mm fretboard radius.  That's very flat - about 16 inches - so I'm a bit sceptical, but if it's right you'd (theoretically) be better off with non-staggered poles.

[AndyR]

If that's the case, I'm with Philly, non-staggered.

I seem to remember that I've seen advice before along the lines of "if the fingerboard's flatter than vintage, and you're in any doubt about what you want, get flat polepieces, you won't be disappointed".

... waits for next question "RWRP or not?" - you don't seem to have asked it yet, but unless you've come across it before, this one appears to have caused most of us strat lovers further hours of angst on choosing first BKPs!  :D

[gwEm]

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13283

heres some pointless slowhand noodlings. was going for a sort of punk tone.

[38thBeatle]

If it is a more modern board then I'd go with the non staggered version in spite of what I said about it not making a lot of difference ( just in case I am wrong).Mine are non staggered.

[Philly Q]

I found a better web page:

http://www.taurus-jp.com/vanzandt/guitar.html

This one says the radius is 310mm = 12" approx.

Still go for non-staggered, I think.

[UndeadMonkey]

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13283

heres some pointless slowhand noodlings. was going for a sort of punk tone.

Cool thanks!  Sounds good.  Raw!

The website is much better now.  I can find my threads!

[UndeadMonkey]

So, I am not getting why these pickups aren't more talked about and readily available.  By how much do they differ from the Irish Tour Set.  Are they a whole nother animal or do they mostly overlap?

This is the sound that I can't stop thinking about:
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=11739.msg171680#msg171680

I am now mostly wondering if I need a Slow Hand set to get there or if an Irish Tour set with the same Valve OD pedal will get me there almost or just as easily.  I am new to this.

Also, is there an appropriate place on these forums for me to express interest in buying used gear?

Thanks!

[UndeadMonkey]

Bump! :)

[Philly Q]

I can't add anything regarding Slowhands vs Irish Tours, but for buying/selling used gear there's the "Seconds Out" part of the forum. 

I think you need to have 50 posts and apply to the mods before you can actually start a topic in Seconds Out - but not sure if that still applies on the new improved forum.