F-spaced pickups for Narrow spaced strat?

[JonatanOTG]

So if I have the narrow spaced hardtail on a strat, would the humbucker pickups have to be F-spaced or not?

Please help me out on this one...  :help:

http://www.warmoth.com/Stratreg-Flat-Mount-Bridge-Humbucker-Spacing-Black-P582C705.aspx

 

[Great Ape]

The "narrow-spaced" bridge is for standard humbucking pickups.

 

[JonatanOTG]

I just needed someone to confirm that, thanks!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Updown]

Here's a good explanation  :icon_thumright:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/faq/frequently-asked/everything-else/what_does_tremb/

 

[Strat Avenger]

Use an F-spaced bridge pickup.

The "Narrow-Spaced" bridge has the SAME spacing as the Fender American Standard Strat bridge, which is 2-1/8". I use the F-spaced (a.k.a "Trembucker") bridge pickup spacing, and the string alignment with the pole-pieces is perfect.

Don't use the standard (Gibson)-spaced humbucker with any bridge other than the TOM/STP  bridge spacing.

 

[Strat Avenger]

The "narrow-spaced" bridge is for standard humbucking pickups.

This is really not true.

 

[JonatanOTG]

Oh, forgot to update this thread...

I did some further research on this, including mailing the DiMarzio tech, and it actually looks as if F-spaced is the way to go for the narrow-spaced hardtail. I checked & double-checked the measurements (from the web and the F-spaced humbuckers I already got) and well, standard spacing humbuckers would not make the string alignment with the pole pieces correct. F-spaced would.

It's a bit strange, I always thought the 'standard' were standard and the F-spaced were 'the special ones'. Seems to be the other way around then.

We'll see, in a couple of weeks I'll have the answer...

 

[Strat Avenger]

Oh, forgot to update this thread...

I did some further research on this, including mailing the DiMarzio tech, and it actually looks as if F-spaced is the way to go for the narrow-spaced hardtail. I checked & double-checked the measurements (from the web and the F-spaced humbuckers I already got) and well, standard spacing humbuckers would not make the string alignment with the pole pieces correct. F-spaced would.

It's a bit strange, I always thought the 'standard' were standard and the F-spaced were 'the special ones'. Seems to be the other way around then.

We'll see, in a couple of weeks I'll have the answer...

When humbuckers were first invented by Gibson, that was "standard". There was no such thing as "F-spaced".

But yes, the only bridge you want "standard" (Gibson) spacing is the Gibson-spaced or TOM/STP bridge. Almost everything else works better with F-spaced.

 

[lelik]

Just a little suggestion: when you assemble the pickup if you see that you can't align perfectly the strings, focus on the higher strings. The bottom strings are less important, because of their bigger movement/sound they are less sensitive to the precision  of the alignment

 

[JonatanOTG]

Just a little suggestion: when you assemble the pickup if you see that you can't align perfectly the strings, focus on the higher strings. The bottom strings are less important, because of their bigger movement/sound they are less sensitive to the precision  of the alignment

That's true, thanks for the tip.

 

[lucky13]

Oh, forgot to update this thread...

I did some further research on this, including mailing the DiMarzio tech, and it actually looks as if F-spaced is the way to go for the narrow-spaced hardtail. I checked & double-checked the measurements (from the web and the F-spaced humbuckers I already got) and well, standard spacing humbuckers would not make the string alignment with the pole pieces correct. F-spaced would.

It's a bit strange, I always thought the 'standard' were standard and the F-spaced were 'the special ones'. Seems to be the other way around then.

We'll see, in a couple of weeks I'll have the answer...

When humbuckers were first invented by Gibson, that was "standard". There was no such thing as "F-spaced".

But yes, the only bridge you want "standard" (Gibson) spacing is the Gibson-spaced or TOM/STP bridge. Almost everything else works better with F-spaced.

Also true if you buy Bare Knuckle humbuckers, you want the 53mm spacing or Wide spaced humbuckers AKA F-spaced humbuckers for almost every hardtail bridge other than the Gibson-spaced or TOM/STP bridge.... 

I confirm this if you buy the Hipshot hardtail bridges you need Wide spaced or F-spaced humbuckers.

 

[nandrewjackson]

I, myself, was surprised to learn that F spaced Dimarzios aren't all that different. I called Warmoth before ordering my pickguard and told them I had F spaced Dimarzios and they said to order regular humbucker cut pickguard.  I would've thought I needed the bigger cut, but I didn't

 

[Strat Avenger]

I, myself, was surprised to learn that F spaced Dimarzios aren't all that different. I called Warmoth before ordering my pickguard and told them I had F spaced Dimarzios and they said to order regular humbucker cut pickguard.  I would've thought I needed the bigger cut, but I didn't

The spacing of the pole-pieces is significantly different. The overall size of the pickup bobbins are the same.