A few single coil questions

[badgermark]

Right-o, been bugging Tim for a few weeks now, so now I'll annoy you fellas for advice on pickups.

I've decided on the combination I wants for my beautiful MIM strat, just a few ordering questions.

Do I go for the staggered or flat pole pieces? The stock pickups are staggered towards the G and D strings being the highest, but I know that these have been messed about with by a top quality tech. Vintage stagger for me then? I don't know the radius of the fretboard.

Tim mentioned having a RW/RP middle, so when I order do I select the middle pickup as RW/RP and the others stock?

[Philly Q]

Do I go for the staggered or flat pole pieces? The stock pickups are staggered towards the G and D strings being the highest, but I know that these have been messed about with by a top quality tech. Vintage stagger for me then? I don't know the radius of the fretboard.

I'm pretty sure your MIM Strat has a 9.5" radius, so it'll work fine with flat poles or staggered.  Soundwise, it doesn't make much of a difference (IMO).  Most people seem to like staggered poles for the vintage look.

Tim mentioned having a RW/RP middle, so when I order do I select the middle pickup as RW/RP and the others stock?

Yep.  Then you'll have hum-cancelling in positions 2 and 4.

[badgermark]

Do I go for the staggered or flat pole pieces? The stock pickups are staggered towards the G and D strings being the highest, but I know that these have been messed about with by a top quality tech. Vintage stagger for me then? I don't know the radius of the fretboard.

I'm pretty sure your MIM Strat has a 9.5" radius, so it'll work fine with flat poles or staggered.  Soundwise, it doesn't make much of a difference (IMO).  Most people seem to like staggered poles for the vintage look.

Tim mentioned having a RW/RP middle, so when I order do I select the middle pickup as RW/RP and the others stock?

Yep.  Then you'll have hum-cancelling in positions 2 and 4.

Cool. BUT! will the hum-cancelling still sound the same as it does now? I love the position 2 and 4 'wobble'.

[Elliot]

It is a slightly different sound - slightly flatter perhaps - I cant see the point myself, but I only really play the middle pickup on a strat (occasionally the neck, less so the bridge and hardly ever the in between).

[Philly Q]

Some people say the "quack" in positions 2 and 4 is emphasised if you have a RW/RP middle.  It's not a big difference, and I think the lack of hum itself is part of that difference.

The real die-hard vintage purists would say have all the pickups with the same polarity.  They like their hum.  

[badgermark]

RW/RP middle it is for me then! Thanks peeps.