[Vinnie1971]

I have a 1970s high end Japanese guitar with OEM DiMarzio pickups. I am guessing back then humbuckers were all 48 to 49mm and single coils 50 to 52mm.

My guitar has a hard tail string through back like a hard tail fixed bridge strat. Strings over the bridge pickup are about 52.5mm yet it's got 48mm spaced bridge humbucker.

Having swapped 50mm for 52mm out on a strat and could hear no difference I don't think there is any discernible difference unless you are a guitar playing bat.

But I think I might swap these pickups out, question is do get f spaced bridge or not? It seems to bump the price up buying individual pickups as opposed to a matched set for most brands (especially Seymour Duncan's, I can save up to £50 not going for a trembucker with the matched set offers)

What do guys here think?



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[darkbluemurder]

Mostly the difference is not audible but if you are going to change pickups anyway why not go for an F-spaced one? There are manufacturers that charge the same prices for each (DiMarzio, Bare Knuckle to name a few), and the dimensions are the same - unlike the SD Trembuckers which are a bit larger and may require modification of the pickguard and or the guitar body.

However, if the pickup you want to use in that guitar happens to be a SD a regular spaced model may work without any problems. The low E string is rarely a problem anyway due to its mass. Furthermore, any potential difference from misalignment gets reduced the more overdrive is added.

Cheers Stephan

[Vinnie1971]

Thanks. I am hoping to fit SD trembucker. I did not realise they are bigger, I thought they same size but bobbins have holes spaced differently. As long as the base plate is the same size it should be ok.

My OCD never liked the bridge pickup string alignment ;-)


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[darkbluemurder]

Here are the dimensions of a trembucker: http://www.seymourduncan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/TB-6-String-Uncovered-Short-Magnet-Short-Leg-Bottom-Plate.gif

And here the dimensions of a regular SD bucker: http://www.seymourduncan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/HB-6-String-Uncovered-Short-Magnet-Long-Leg-Bottom-Plate.gif

Source: SD's website.

Cheers Stephan

[DarthPhineas]

Thanks. I am hoping to fit SD trembucker. I did not realise they are bigger, I thought they same size but bobbins have holes spaced differently. As long as the base plate is the same size it should be ok.

My OCD never liked the bridge pickup string alignment ;-)


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Physically, the Duncan company f-spaced baseplates/bobbins are larger. DMZ, Mojotone and BKP are examples of companies that all use the same size baseplates for f-spaces. They also all offer the little triangle mounting feet, is that is ever an issue.

[KH Guitar Freak]

Could be me, but I can hear the slightly drop in output for the outer strings when you use a on trem spacing humbucker in the bridge. However, the difference in output is very little though. Maybe the "feel" when you pick the strings may be affected?

[Vinnie1971]

Thanks all.
I have a partscaster with 52mm spaced strings at the bridge and originally had a 50mm spaced oil city brass knuckle there and now have a 52mm spaced one, and I hear no difference.
Similarly with the DMZ, both E strings coming through fine, even though the strings are spaced 52 over the bridge, it's more of an OCD thing for me I think.



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