Bridge humbucker placement

[JohnnyHardtail]

I noticed there is some variation in placement of the bridge pickup between different brands.  I read on another forum where someone claimed the Stratocaster bridge pickup is located at the theoretical #48 fret position.  That is scale length*15/16 = 607.2mm from the nut.  My observation is that brands such as Charvel and Warmoth place the bridge humbucker closer to the nut, while Jackson and Gibson seem to position the bridge pickup closer to the bridge.

I measured a Warmoth HSS pickguard as shown in the image, where:
A + B + C = 22.5 + 60.0 + 51.2 = 133.7mm.  It means the bridge humbucker is 602.0mm from the nut when a Fender 25.5" scale neck is used.

Has anyone experimented with alternative placement of the bridge pickup? Have you found a given pickup to sound different in a Jackson, or other guitar that has a variation in the bridge pickup routing?

 

[zebra]

I haven't experimented, but I have an old "Memphis" guitar (a hard-tailed Strat-style body) with a single bridge pickup, which is located much further from the bridge than most other bridge pickups.  For a single-pickup guitar, I think it works pretty well.  I'm not a big fan of too many high frequencies, so I'm a pick picky with bridge pickup sounds.  Having a single HB in the middle position would be limiting, but the placement of the pick-up on this guitar actually works pretty well - it has the bite and definition of a bridge pickup, but more richness and body. 

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I know of one vintage guitar that has a single pickup in the middle position.  That is Gibson ES-330T.

A lot of players have used reverse slant on the stratocaster bridge pickup.    AFAIK, its sometimes used to get a warmer tone from a vintage wound single coil.  In my case I'm thinking of doing almost the opposite.  I'd be aiming to get a brighter and lower output sound from a bridge humbucker.  I would only re-locate the pickup route by 5mm closer to the bridge, so I guess it may not make a very significant difference to the tone.

Another possibility is to use an un-slanted single coil in the bridge.  In that case I would use my custom humbucker route with an adapter ring.  I'd be using a Warmoth strat body with a rear control route, so I need to use a pickup ring anyway.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I haven't experimented, but I have an old "Memphis" guitar (a hard-tailed Strat-style body) with a single bridge pickup, which is located much further from the bridge than most other bridge pickups.  For a single-pickup guitar, I think it works pretty well.  I'm not a big fan of too many high frequencies, so I'm a pick picky with bridge pickup sounds.  Having a single HB in the middle position would be limiting, but the placement of the pick-up on this guitar actually works pretty well - it has the bite and definition of a bridge pickup, but more richness and body.

I'm curious how far the pickup is moved.  Can you measure the distance from the bridge saddle on the high-e string to the pole on the pickup?
Do you know if the guitar has the normal 25.5" scale length?

 

[zebra]

I haven't experimented, but I have an old "Memphis" guitar (a hard-tailed Strat-style body) with a single bridge pickup, which is located much further from the bridge than most other bridge pickups.  For a single-pickup guitar, I think it works pretty well.  I'm not a big fan of too many high frequencies, so I'm a pick picky with bridge pickup sounds.  Having a single HB in the middle position would be limiting, but the placement of the pick-up on this guitar actually works pretty well - it has the bite and definition of a bridge pickup, but more richness and body.

I'm curious how far the pickup is moved.  Can you measure the distance from the bridge saddle on the high-e string to the pole on the pickup?
Do you know if the guitar has the normal 25.5" scale length?

It is 25/5" scale length, but it's also on the other side of the country right now, at my folk's place.  I'll be visiting them next week, so I can take some measurements at that time...

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I found a Youtube video by John Segeborn that attempts to answer the question. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqWS_5RSWXQ

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I found some discussion on the net about Andy Timmons signature guitar.

It seems the humbucker is mounted close to the theoretical "48th fret", like it would be on a SSS strat.

Apparently the Ibanez JS signature guitar has the bridge humbucker in a similar position.

 

[swarfrat]

I have thought about moving a bridge humbucker a 1/4" or more up - particularly if it's the only pickup, but I've never done it as 1) I think one pickup looks stupid with a pickguard, and 2) I've never wanted to try it if I couldn't just move it back. Maybe if I a do a Jackson style shredder (bridge humbucker, slanted neck strat pickup) I'll try it.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

The AT100CL guitar is based on a 90s Ibanez SA body shape that has the pickup closer to the bridge, while more recent Ibanez SA guitars seem to have adopted what you suggest, and moved the pickup away from the bridge.

The way I see it, Warmoth position the bridge humbucker about 5mm further away from the bridge relative to the theoretical 48th fret.  Probably its intended to give a warmer tone.  It may be good for low output humbuckers such as Duncan Pearly gates, or Dimarzio PAF PRO.  I never liked high output humbuckers in Warmoth strats so I'm curious if different pickup position would change my view.  I previously tried the Dimarzio AT-1 and the Suhr SSH+.  They are both good pickups, but I thought they were a little bit too warm and compressed.  Right now the only bridge humbucker I use is a PAF PRO.

 

[gingataff]

The position might vary due to the type of bridge used, but in some cases it might be deliberate - for example, the Steinberger GM-1 and GM-5 moved the bridge pickup slightly closer to the nut.