Humbucker String Spacing: Does It Really Matter? | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 86 | Thomann

Does it really matter if you match the guitar's string spacing with the pickup? Is there any real difference in tone and string balance? I'm not so sure but hey, let's test it!
Enjoy Guitar Tech Tips!
GuitarTech Tips Playlist: • Guitar Tech Tips with ...
Gear used: tho.mn/9rtsh
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:38 Humbucker spacing types
1:26 What is a Trembucker / F-spaced humbucker
1:51 The comparison
2:20 Comparison test ride
3:59 Outtakes
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[@stevenpipes1555]

No matter the size or shape of a magnet its magnetic field is the same. The magnetic field surrounds the magnet in the shape of a donut. Its called a torus. The magnetic fields of the pole pieces overlap each other so that the entire area above the pickup is magnetic so it shouldn't matter how they line up with the strings. The difference is far to slight to be picked up by the human ear alone. Its a cosmetic issue.

[@RichardGarcia93]

Thank you for clarifying. I’m nervous to put a regular spaced pickup in my f spaces guitar but I think I’m just going to go for it

[@mihailmilev9909]

40 1 1y3mo

[@defrauder_band]

​@@mihailmilev9909YASS

[@aleksistenbacka5925]

@@RichardGarcia93 Older Ibanez V8 pickups were "normal" spaced and still they were installed to guitars that had Edge tremolo so I would not be so worried about that

[@mikaerik]

The height of the pickup has more significant impact on the tone. 1 mm either way has very little effect if none but if you're buying new ones why not get the right spacing!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Definitely! I agree Mika. Cheers //Kris

[@JaFoste_Studio]

Unless you can't find a particular pickup in the 'right' spacing.

[@4stringz.]

Thomann always seems to upload a video just when I need it 🎸🙂

[@justin85915]

Thank you for make this video🙌 I ordered a bridge pickup last week,but I choosed wrong pole spacing size 😢 I was very sad and nervous Until watched your video 😅

[@RichardGarcia93]

I was very discouraged because I bought regular spaces pickups for an f spaced guitar and have had the pickups laying around for a couple years. I think I’m just going to put them in the f spaced guitar and be done with it

[@ianrandall4370]

i’m in same boat lol

[@edwinstovall3334]

I have to say that I wound up with my bridge and my bridge pickup misaligned. I feared it would affect my sound, but the pickup didn't sound bad or weak. The magnetic field being focused on the strings isn't as focused as we might imagine it to be. There's enough spread to allow the strings to be considerably misaligned and still play properly. The real difference is visual, so it's a matter of what you want to see.

[@Witcher58]

Thanks for the video. Also got to take into account that many older strats from the 50s and 60s use 56mm spacing at the bridge vs 52mm on modern strats (not to be mistaken for bridge mounting spacing which can also vary) ...absolute worst case scenario is pairing a 48.5mm (g-spaced) bridge humbucker with a "wide/vintage" strat bridge that's almost 2mm wider than the Floyd Rose (about 7mm spacing disparity).

[@valebliz]

It's mostly a visual thing

[@Scorchedorb50]

I bought a super distortion for my Les Paul thinking regular spacing would work, nope. I just ordered F spacing and it should be correct.

[@robbpeppertree]

I just put "f spaced" DiMarzio humbuckers on a Gibson Flying V. Sounds perfectly fine to me. Even measured with a db meter in my DAW. There was very minimal discrepancy between the volume from string to string.

[@flyingv7161]

Flying V has F-spaced pickups

[@Alexanderzzzzon]

I think that I do hear a difference. There’s like a twangyness to it? But does it matter? I would say no. Not at all. Good to know! 👍🏻 Good job Kriiiisssssss and merry christmas!

[@MisterValaravaus]

That's more the pickup sound rather than volume I'd say

[@JanKowalski-nm1jh]

Thanks - a very useful and practical guide. Regards.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks Jan! Cheers and happy new year! //Kris

[@davidmoss7245]

You guys are the best most helpful informative and talented funny musicians on this planet keep up the amazing work and of course mad as a box of frogs 😂😂😂

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Haha, thanks so much! We give our best to stay mad frogs whilst making informative content. Cheers David! //Kris

[@Colin.W]

Reinforces my decision on what I want. My Charvel Henrik didn’t line up stock and that was fine. Just gotta make sure the size will fit the rings or slots? I just tried to install some Chris Brodericks in my guitar with rings. Didn’t realize his direct mount pickups holes were bigger, so was wanting to try direct mount but not sure if I have enough wood.

[@1mespud]

You also have to take in consideration that depending on when and/or where you bend the string, you're pushing it away from over the pickup polepiece. Depending on the type of pickup, it could be more about pickup height than polepiece spacing if not the other way around. But because of the pu's magnetic field, it shouldn't matter much. The thicker the string gauge, the fatter the tone.

[@electrolytics]

Great video. I think I said this before but I'll say it again. You guys make great tech videos because you keep it simple and dispel myths that are usually rooted in aesthetics or plain old OCD. It's not difficult. Get your rig set-up how it sounds good to you and PLAY your guitar!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks a lot! I share your opinion dude. Cheers //Kris

[@Matt-pk6vp]

Great tone in both cases!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks a lot Matteo!! Cheers //Kris

[@klauswigsmith]

I actually just got a Harley Benton Classic Victory in the mail the other day. The bridge pick up is almost perfectly spaced...the neck pick up...whoah. The low E string isn't even over a pole piece. The pick up wasn't installed properly. However, to my ears, it doesn't seem to be making a difference. It still works! I never use the neck pickup anyway.

[@667dpb]

@ Video Editor: There‘s a 1px gap above the „widescreen“ black back with content bleeding through 😉 Otherwise, great work as always!

[@HooViGSE]

Hi Kris - because of my own research about pickups I expected no difference - and there was no difference. 😀 You will alter sound more the way you hit the string or when varying the height of the pu. If there would be a significant difference in volume or sound you would hear it as soon as you play a bending note on the 12th or higher frets. Playing with the neck pu you move the string from one magnet/screw to the next without any audible difference - except the pitch - of course! 😉 BTW - the difference is bigger using a singlecoil than a humbucker because of the surrounding magnetic field lines - but still no difference in sound that would matter … 🎸🔊_/😀 HooVi

[@Adam-fl9uc]

thank you that was a cool explanation :D

[@josephhughes9490]

Kris, That was a incredibly quick tech tip show 😄😄. Does the pole pieces increase quality sound closer to the strings?? Great show clip.

[@daveylee4677]

I have a modded HSH Strat style guitar with the shorter spacing pickup in the bridge position. The low E string is centered over the 1st pole pc. This makes the E and B strings a little ‘south’ of center. No discernible difference in tone but when a string is stretched the pole pieces line up better and the tone goes SONIC.

[@Xaltar_]

It's purely a visual thing. Personally, it drives me nuts when it looks off but it has no perceivable effect on the tone/volume balance whatsoever. I have a 53mm bridge pickup in my LP, it still sounds better than the one it came with and I don't notice any difference in volume balance at all when playing vs the original (overly hot for my liking) bridge pickup the guitar came with.

[@electrolytics]

Awesome video. I'm commenting before I see the tests. I say it doesn't make a difference or it makes very little difference.

[@stug5041]

I’ve used non F spaced dimarzios in fenders and Ibanez guitars with wider spacing for years and never heard anything - all visual far as I could tell

[@JL-ef7bh]

I fucked up by getting an F Spaced DiMarzio Super Distortion on my RGRT421. But glad to know its just cosmetic and not a tonal difference.

[@djhogan65]

I bought a cheap Chinese multiscale guitar. They used 2 standard Humbuckers leaned over (16 degrees). The pole alignment to strings was terrible, a lot more than the differences of a 50mm v 53mm width on a normal guitar. The centre strings aligned much better with the poles than the 1st and 6th string. The result was (at least to my ears) that the centre strings had a lot more volume than the high treble and deep bass strings. The guitar sounded flat and lifeless. If the alignment is off enough, it DEFINITELY affects things. I have decided to modify this guitar for the learning experience. The first challenge was to try to find pickups with pole spacing to match the string spacing, being that the pickups are leaned over 16 degrees, I could not find anything close to the wider string spacing. I decided to try rail style pickups, that way it cant miss. I also got longer 7 string pickups to deal with the wider span. Now I have to reshape the pickup pockets to suit the longer pickups, make new baseplates for the humbuckers so that they are angled and staggered, and make custom pickup covers to suit. I guess it will be worth it for the learning experience, but I sure hope that it sounds good after all of this. Multi-scale guitars are a nightmare to modify.

[@aryanz66]

How did it go?

[@indicahunters9360]

Ok so i got a single cut with a Floyd Rose and i happen to have a extra set of DiMarzio D activators that are standard spacing aka 50mm set if i put a no hole cover on it kinda sounds like i should still be ok? Even tho it calls for a F spaced in the bridge? Hey if i can save $200+ on buying pickups that would be great! if anyone has any Insight or advice it is much appreciated.

[@zinhosalaverry8294]

I've installed a SD little 59 pickup in a neck tele guitar. The thing is the outer poles does not match align to the strings. What should I do to fix that? The only thing I can think of is replacing it with some hot rails that have blade magnets instead of poles.

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

When bending strings I do not hear any volume drop, so for me it does not matter.

[@rafaelfranciulli]

Logic, simple, right in the spot !! and you did it in 7 seconds ? Congrats !!

[@fve1352]

@@rafaelfranciulli his explanation sounds right but while bending the movement of the string above the polepiece isn’t as big as with wrong sized pickups. But it doesn’t matter anyway 😉

[@piemmetubo]

No differences in volume to my ears, even with very good headphones. Talking about "heresies", on my Telly (assembled Harley Benton kit) I recently mounted a 50 mm bridge pickup on the neck position: of course the two E strings are not perfectly aligned with their poles, but the sound is very very good. 😎

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

That's my experience too most of the time. I barely ever had a guitar in my hands, where I noticed a volume drop on the outer strings with a "wrong spaced pickup". //Kris

[@chris_and_music]

Take into account that seymour duncan's trembuckers are 52-ish mm while Dimarzio F-Spaced is 51-ish mm, and if i'm no wrong Bareknuckle are 53-ish. So there may be differences between pickup brands sizings as well.

[@SpecialReserve]

I agree with you.

[@rickhickman2730]

So a neck pickup is normally located at 1/4 scale length or as close to the neck as possible correct? 24th fret typically for a guitar with 21 or 22 frets right?

[@andreasbravos7943]

Hello Kris I hope you are fine. I have a proposal for a future episode: I have noticed on T-style guitar with a vintage bridge and saddles without the cut that guides the string, the strings become thinner and finally cut at that point (on the back end of the saddle). I am waiting for your tip-suggestion, I hope other lads will be helped..

[@BluesBrogio]

It did feel like the E strings were a bit quieter in the G shaped pickup, but it's easy to counter that by simply raising the screws on the humbucker a bit

[@henkehakansson2004]

You should test the same but in neck position. Since the string spacing is much wider at the (any) bridge, it will be more narrow and "miss" the exact alignment over the polepieces when it is placed in neck position. Only DiMarzio (that I know of) has different spacing between polepieces of their neck pickups and bridge pickups on most humbuckers. If the height matters, then the width matters too as it is a longer distance to the string. However, it is not that easy. It clearly depends on how the pickup is made and designed. Test it with single coil only, and come back here. There is a reason RAIL pickups are made isn't there? Just because of that, and only, that you do not have to take into account ANY string pacing, as fast as the outer strings are well within and above the magnetic range, the output is the same. You should listen for the pick attack(transient) only, if it's plucky or punchy. And we can't tell how much or how little you lean in. It's in the dynamics only, not in the sustaining part of the note. Now here's the deal with humbuckers. Very few humbuckers have magnets in the pole pieces, they're made with a wide bottom plate - that IS the magnet - underneath the pickup, under all pole pieces. The "pole pieces" are NOT the magnets. The are just screws of stainless steel. So the magnetic field is/has a wider aperture side to side. Very little to discuss here. Very little difference. So subtle that it is neglible. On a single coil pickup, however, the pole pieces ARE the magnets, and no bottom plate exists at all (at least not as a magnet). There, the diff is considerably greater, and on most you can't even adjust height, so you must order them staggered in vintage or modern way, or redo them to your liking or radius of the neck. On some you can adjust the height individually (G&L etc), but definitely not on stock strats, or teles, at all. You can just tap the pole pieces with a metal clip, or a small screwdriver and move it slowly out to the left or right while tapping and you hear the output lessens. It is sharpest and loudest on top or right above the pole piece. No more no less. On single coils that is. If you have plastic cover over the pole pieces you can still hear it, as you don't have physical contact between the small screwdriver and polepiece. Now, if you have cover, you can tell if it has rail design underneath or not. Then the loudness is the same as you tap your way out from the strings path... On bass guitars it is much clearer to hear that difference. Please go to www.skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/Images/pickups/Pickup%20stuff/Magnetics.htm and consider the FEMM emulation on magnetic field among different pickup designs. The light blue field is the magnetic field, but there are white spots between the adjacent pole pieces, and god forbid if any string ends up there (which it does while bending).

[@blackpillSigma]

Same kind of tone; slight difference in ambiance: 50mm sounds slightly friendlier/warm/airy/rounded. 52 mm seems upfront focused/ sharp attack / less friendly vibes. Similar idea to slant pickups (mis-aligned tone+warmer bass amplitude). Most ppl too busy playing the S**t out of the instrument to notice or care :)))

[@HumbleHeartMinistry]

I could hear no difference. But I have a Sire S3 (strat style guitar)and want to put some new pickups in it. Never done it before. It has a 2 post tremolo. So to line up to strings, I guess just for appearance sake, should I buy the 50mm or the f spacing 52.4mm pickups?

[@coldwar1977]

Couldn't hear a real difference. But surely I can't be the only one here whose OCD kicks in when the poles don't align! :p Like someone else rightfully said: even if it doesn't matter, when buying new pups why not just get the correct spacing?

[@MrMetalv7]

I could not hear any difference. That was informative, thank you.

[@flyingv7161]

It makes a difference, like it makes a difference the height of the pickups ! I had mounted a normal-Spaced one in the Flying V and the bridge pickup was smaller 1st string was okay, but the others were progressivley offset, to the point that the lower E string was completely out of the bridges' pole. It sounded very dull, half the power or decibels, than the other strings. And you spend lots on money and time and energy to set up your guitar rig, then overlook the pickup spacing?

[@henkehakansson2004]

By and large, this is only detected by the ones who actually plays. We can't know if you lean in with the pick and undeliberately obscure and obfuscates, to produce the same output with the other pickup, no matter what that might be. 1 cm in along the high e-string you get different timbre and output anyway on any string so it is impossible for us to hear. The distorted sounds drowns all that out as you induce a lot of compression too, and all dynamics are thrown out the window.

[@dekzan]

Thanks !!!🧐😄🎸🎵

[@BigEdWo]

good to know

[@marcionobrega5117]

Gostei muito bom 👍

[@sparrowhawk81]

I think if this were to be done in a controlled setting with pre-recorded samples and neither the person giving the test or the person taking it knew what was being played when, but had to say whether one sounds "right" or "wrong" after just one listen of each sample, I don't think anyone would really be able to guess more reliably that random chance. If I sit here and make myself try to find a difference, I guess I can kind of find it, but I don't notice anything dramatic at all. I think this should be enough for someone who maybe has a lot of pickups sitting around and likes to swap them in and out, and has a humbucker they wanna try in their floyd rose guitar, they should just go ahead and do it. it's really not dramatic at all. But as to whether or not you should buy a properly spaced pickup for a specific guitar....well of course you should.

[@matzer8846]

Nice ... and revealing ... there is a lot of difference regarding ... er no ... i feel sorry for the cork sniffers (;-) Thanks a lot for demoing these "so important" differences!

[@user-pr5lj7kd2p]

I've measured the humbucker on my stock Fender player HSS. And it's Humbucker size not Trembucker size. Now I won't say that the manufacturer is always right, because sometime thet aren't because of cost cutting or other things. But on the other hand if a trembucker would be essential on a modern spaced fender strat wouldn't fender have put trembuckers in them instead of normal sized humbuckers.

[@benwith6strings]

So that means I can install an EVH Pickup (only 50mm available) on my Strat? The fender custom shop guys does it a lot these days. Need help guys.

[@hotrod4013]

I can 100% hear a difference on the low end and every note in general isnt reacting the same. The notes sound dead and less harmonic. I've had this issue on guitars and now i know why. The low end was hard to chug and get the right power compared to other guitars I owned with correct magnet spacing. It might be subtle to some people but when you know what your amp should sound like and how a specific technique should come through your amp you cant kid yourself. If your tone is all gain and noise you probably won't hear a difference but for someone who plays in a more dynamic way id say its best to get the correct magnet spacing. Just my opinion 😜

[@mikaelberg4589]

there are a more duller tone in the thiner e string with the 50 mm on the clean sound

[@chewyfingers1288]

I couldn’t hear the difference. But I’m an acoustic guy.🤷🏼‍♂️ I’m juuuuuuust getting interested in the LP special II thats been sitting gathering dust.

[@ChrisTopheRaz]

Good video but it only tested 50% of the equation! what about the opposit? An F spaced pick up on a G spaced guitar in the bridge position with the neck pick up being a G spaced as well.

[@mvyper]

The only thing I hear is that the Seymour Duncan is the better pickup, IMO.

[@Carlos-mj4uj]

Hi bro, well the right way to hear the difference is more simple, first, with clean tone pick the first string down and then pick the string up , with 50 mm spacing pick ups in bridge position in floyd rose guitars you" ll hear the difference ....when you pick the first string down we hear less volume string and when pick the first string up we hear more volume sound

[@jeffcote6649]

I heard from a KZbinr that the incorrect spacing can cause a sound like fret buzzing? Even if it's not the frets. Any truth to that?

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Hey Jeff, that doesn't make too much sense to me. On the other hand incorrect pickup hight can cause string buzz - if the pickup is too close to the strings its magnetic pull changes the amplitude of the vibrating string. That can cause string buzz, the spacing can't really. Cheers //Kris

[@BoyAditya]

2:30 not pickups comparison but different pickup have different output. So i guess if you want to do the "wrong" one, you use higher output?🤔 Since Duncan solar is way low output compared to (I assume) JB?

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

The output plays a role, that's why I took a medium output Seymour Duncan for this video. The Solar pickups are also medium output and I made sure to set them up for a very similar output. We even checked the gain meter on the recorder while making the video. Cheers //Kris

[@DougWToon]

I noticed a very minute difference in the high e string volume on the clean setting. There wasn't enough difference to matter.

[@wildhuntersomb9311]

So, why brands such as Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, Bareknukle, Suhr, etcetera have put so much money and human resources to an un-useful items such as 53-mm spaced humbuckers? Was just a mere aesthetic question? I am not all that sure...

[@ayeapprove]

Can we just talk about 2:12 where you removed the whole floyd rose trem instead of just loosening the strings? :D

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Haha! I prefer doing this if I want to save time. You loosen the strings a little bit then lock the nut again. Then remove the springs and the whole tremolo. Put it aside, swap the pickup and then put it back. Springs back, unlock the nut and tune up the strings. Done. :) //Kris

[@PapaKiloProductions]

I don’t think it matters much for tone, but manufacturers should hold themselves to a higher standard, and we as consumers who pay good money for guitars should demand better

[@mortenmartinsen3018]

Good evening, and Merry Christmas! I am not all agree whit you on the "right and wrong" turning om a gitar. It all depend on what you are ising it for.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Hey, thanks! I don't see the pickups being right or wrong at all, that's why I put "right" and "wrong" everywhere. They are supposed to be seen as right or wrong but they really aren't. :) Cheers //Kris

[@PooNinja]

Just put in rail style pickups 🤘🏽

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

BAAM, done! Poo solved the riddle! 🙌🥳 Cheers buddy, merry Christmas! //Kris

[@PooNinja]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses and a sustainiac 🤣

[@yetimatzenightcat8702]

@@PooNinja lololooool 😄

[@travelinman617]

The string and pickup spacing doesn't matter I know I been playing over 48 years it's fine alot exsp EXSPENSIVE guitars come that way nothing to worry about friend

[@stephanematis]

Got distracted by the chill Koala with a mic nose-ring. Pickups ? Same same.

[@bluephoenix3865]

Does it matter if I put a f spaced on my string thru schecter ?

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

It should be fine, same as this Floyd Rose loaded Solar with the "wrong" narrow spaced humbucker. Cheers //Kris

[@bluephoenix3865]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses awesome CHEERS AND ROCK ON😃👏🤘🏾

[@MBoucher-xu9xj]

Guys... you won't hear much of a difference between any pickups if you're using a bunch of gain/effects etc. If you wanna hear the true difference between pickups you need the same exact model of guitar so it has the same wood, hardware etc... play with it direct into the amp clean and you'll hear the difference. Output matters the most depending on what you're playing. Response is the most important thing and the hieght of the pickups. I have fishmens, dimarzios, seymour duncans, duncan solar plus, emg, bareknuckles. One brand doesn't stand out more than the other to me... if set up right.. they all sound very similar with gain/distortion. Instead of spending crazy prices on pickups just put that money towards a quality guitar. If you want your pickups to look cool just get some fancy covers for cheap and call it say. Its all about attack i.r. response.

[@Darkness780]

1:28 G strings is perfect tune ☀️

[@picksalot1]

The high E was noticeable quieter on the "wrong" spacing pickup.

[@kmichaelp4508]

Nope! Not at all. Merry Christmas Kris😊

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks man! Same to you and an awesome new year! 🥳 //Kris

[@joermnyc]

Or just do what EVH did and angle the humbucker if there’s enough space.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Yep, Eddie didn't care about the 50mm spacing of his PAF and he sounded pretty darn awesome, didn't he? And by having that PAF in that angle at least one of the pole pieces were even further away from the string and guess what. It didn't mess up his string balance. Cheers //Kris

[@travelinman617]

Alot of times you mess the instrument all up there is some more stronger pickups it's when you change the ORIGINAL PART THAT WAS MADE FOR THE GUITAR WILL DEFINITELY AFFECT IT I KNOW HOW TO REPAIR THEM ALSO

[@travelinman617]

@Mark SeymourWOW FOR REAL YOUR A REAL WIZ KID NUT JOB

[@yetimatzenightcat8702]

Frohe Weinachten für dich und deine lieben, ich wünsche euch frohe, gesunde und erholsame tage. 🎅☃️🤸‍♀️ ☝Lies bitte noch meinen anderen kommentar und dann viel spaß beim knobeln und diskutieren 🤸‍♀️🦧😄 You Rock 😄

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Dir auch Yetimatze! Un einen guten Rutsch! Danke für die geile Kommentare über's Jahr, wir schätzen sie sehr! Ciao //Kris

[@Mrguitarcraze]

So Eddy had it wrong, all along tilting his pickup. Looks cool though - even in my guitar ha ha.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Well, all I tried to prove with this video, is that there is no right and wrong. If anyone thinks Eddie had it wrong, he should really reconcider his idea of proper guitar tones. Haha! Cheers //Kris

[@SeabassIbarra]

After watching this video many times, I don't care about the pole spacing anymore for humbuckers in general.

[@DesmadreOG]

53 mm sound brighter… crisper.

[@TheDistortionPrinciple]

I did a very similar test in two of my guitars, should have made a video lol. Anyway yea it makes no difference

Theoretically it’s supposed to make a difference in phase and sustain. Probably negligible in practice.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Exactly! If you measured everything you would probably note some small differences. But honestly, what really matters for me as a guitar player, if it makes a practical difference or not. And to me, it really doesn't. :) Cheers //Kris

[@oozede9035]

Ich sehe das Problem eher bei den DiMarzio Standard Tonabnehmer. Die kommen nur mit 48 mm daher.

[@coldwar1977]

for real?? didn't know that.

[@travelinman617]

All my twelve guitar s have the original parts it's all in everybody's head that these pickups sound better really

[@jimihendrix1575]

You didn't show the visual aspect.

[@godsinbox]

if it did matter, you couldn't bend the strings. ie bend note into silence. stupid topic btw they used to put 6 string strat pickups in squire 4 string basses. Did it work as normal? duh

[@davidparkes7977]

No differance but remember when you pick the string its actually pushing it and lineing it up anyway i would imagine .

[@kameel68]

If you buy new pickups buy the right just for the looks.

[@elbergonzalez6020]

2:33 2:54

[@matteogambarelli1120]

I read the Duncan site advice to use Trem for bridge over 2 inch 50 mm I have the bridge 52.5 I bought a standard Humbucker is SH6 we are sure that nothing changing with sound tone?

[@yetimatzenightcat8702]

Da bin ich überfragt, also, man denkt das beim 50mm string spacing die höheren saiten lauter werden, das könnte allerdings ein trugschluss sein weil die klangcharakteristig zwischen beiden versionen völlig unterchiedlich ausfällt. Wenn also beim 50 mm spacing die höheren frequenzen stärker gewichtet werden muß das nicht heißen das die saiten lauter werden nur weil sie heller klingen. Man könnte vielleicht auch auf die idee kommen daß beim 50mm spacing die lautstärke der Tiefen saiten von anfang an leiser ist aber wenn man bisschen genauer hinhört merkt man schnell das dies nicht zutrifft. da hilft wohl nur eine phonmessung, also lange rede kurzer sinn 👉...ich bin auch zufrieden mit kartoffelsalat und würstchen 😄🦧🤸‍♀️

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Ich bleib beim Kartoffelsalat! Haha! Also bei dieser Floyd Gitarre hätten die E Saiten lauter sein sollen mit dem "richtigen" Tonabnehmer, weil die Pole Pieces näher sind zur Saite. War aber nicht so, also meiner Meinung nahc gibt es kein "right" and "wrong". Ciao //Kris

[@yetimatzenightcat8702]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses Das video fand ich echt super informativ, die pole pieces stell ich schon manchmal ein, aber nur wenn's nicht anders geht. Über string spacing wußte ich nur das es da einige unterschiede gibt aber nix genaues. Ich mach alles so wie ich's früher gelernt habe, also genau so wie es auch joe walsh gelernt hat. Die pickups so nah an die saiten ran wie möglich und dann bridge und neckpickuplautstärke und charakteristik auspegeln, fertig. Also alles immer so das man es schnell und ohne viel werkzeug überall noch hinkriegt. Genau wie saitenhöhe einstellen mit kreditkarten methode oder floyd einstellen, einfach vorne lösen, rändelschrauben hinten mittig stellen, tunen, vorne festziehen, feintunen, fertig. Oder wenn Mr. Wiggels nicht in position bleibt einfach die feder einer kugelschreibermine in das loch zwichen tremoloarm und floyd einlegen, arm aufschrauben, ferig. schon bleibt der jammerhaken wieder dort wo er hin gehört. Kugelschreiber findet sich eigentlich überall, usw usw 😄🤷‍♂️🤸‍♀️

[@DLR1976]

More an esthetic thing. I mistakenly bought John Petrucci Signature pickups thinking they were sold by default as F Spaced but they didn’t , so i replaced them to match the strings poles. The high of pickup is way more important.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

That's exactly why I wanted to make this video. So many people buy accidentally the wrong spacing because it's not always easy to guess what the spacing is gonna be on it. My point here with this video is, that one doesn't have to panic, it doesn't really matter that much. :) //Kris

[@todosportodos1]

2:33 - 2:44 - 2:50 - 3:20 Right 2:54 - 3:03 - 3:09 - 3:37 Wrong

[@820hurleyj]

I couldn't tell any difference between the 2 sizes.

[@winstonthegreatest7387]

Very little different. F space pickup sound a bit fuller.

[@russianstan]

Разницы нет. Надо было болтики зигзагом выставить, тогда бы лучше звучало)

[@jimmyjames7946]

No real difference. Question. Is that why EVH slanted his pickup in his homemade frankenstrat??

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Hey James, I don't know it for sure but I could imagine Eddie slanting that pickup to have at least one pole piece exactly under the E strings. Or he just tried it in different angles and went for the one that sounded best. 😅 Cheers //Kris

[@jeffreyeagen4896]

Didn't hear any difference in normal playback. But when I played it backwards I'm pretty sure I heard the Seymour Duncan saying "nice try, K"

[@KrisBarocsi]

😂😂😂 Comment of the year! Thanks Jeffrey! I wish you nice holidays!

[@stanislavmigra]

I might be just "seeing sounds", but after getting couple times thru the sounds on studio monitors, the high and low E sounded little bit "under blanket" for me on 50mm pickup. If I just blindly try the guitar, I might never find out and when Im setting up my guitar, I always mess a little bit with the pole pieces heights, to even out strings. Im using super scientific meassuring device for this and it is "ears of my wife" as she pointed on some guitars, that some of the strings sounds "dead" to her and raising pole pieces under those strings solved that issue for her (without telling her, she just randomly remarked, "I dunno what you did, but it sounds better now"). Case closed for me ;).

[@heyjarrod]

Yeah, great observation. I kind of thought it sounded like he was maybe palm-muting a little more the second time, a bit muffled. Shoot, I still have my first Kramer that I got for Christmas in 1984… had a Floyd Rose put on about a year later. Always noticed the E strings didn’t quite lineup over the polls. I never really thought about it. But it did bug me looking at it sometimes, ha ha. And I had a Seymour Duncan custom put in around the same time. So now I realize why. I wonder if they had different spacing pick ups back then in the mid 80s? Floyd’s were still so new then, probably not. 😎🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸

Van Zandt called them "trembuckers" 25 years ago

[@BillyE5150]

I didn’t notice a difference, but I’m a drummer…heehee

[@Cherry_Sunburst]

I don't give a fucking shit on string spacing...EVH did not, too!!! CHEERS.

[@billovsky]

Sounds the same volume, the difference is more on tone and tightness, more related with the pickup construction. So, myth busted :P

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Yeah, as told, these are different pickups with a different tone. The only similarity is the output, which was important for this little test. Glad you liked the video, take care buddy! //Kris