The Start...

[NovasScootYa]

I've had the idea for a special build since 2011 and now it is in progress. Back then I purchased a case, pickguard and all the metal. The now loaded pickguard awaits the unfinished Strat body ordered on May 16, 2025. My go to pickups are Vanzandts however they never got back on humbucker F spaced availibilty so I went with Tone Hatch which should suffice and besides the hand wound price was right. When completed this build will be a one of a kind Gibson Scale set up. As components arrive progress will be updated.



One of many builds from days gone by...



A ProAttach Kit was used to attach the side adjust neck.

 

[supertruper1988]

Tone Hatch makes great pickups. I have a few in my guitars.

FYI for the future, unless you are using a vintage Strat hardtail or trem with 2-7/32" E-e spacing, you do not need F spaced pickups.

 

[Strat Avenger]

FYI for the future, unless you are using a vintage Strat hardtail or trem with 2-7/32" E-e spacing, you do not need F spaced pickups.

I was wondering about that. My Warmoth Strats have Trembuckers, but the more narrow American Standard bridge.
'Probably not necessary with that bridge.

 

[Spud]

I was wondering about that. My Warmoth Strats have Trembuckers, but the more narrow American Standard bridge.
'Probably not necessary with that bridge.

Doesn't hurt anything that way.

 

[supertruper1988]

Doesn't hurt anything that way.

Except that for Duncan pickups, the trembuckers sound worse than then standard spaced in my experience.

DiMarzio and others dont sound different for standard vs F space in my experience but something about Duncan's Trembucker recipe makes them sound not as good to me.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Except that for Duncan pickups, the trembuckers sound worse than then standard spaced in my experience.

DiMarzio and others dont sound different for standard vs F space in my experience but something about Duncan's Trembucker recipe makes them sound not as good to me.

Well I don't know if it has anything to do with the sound, but Trembuckers have a higher DCR because the bobbins are wider, which means more wire is required to achieve the same number of winds as the standard size bobbins.
More length of wire equals more resistance (just as smaller gauge wire has more resistance). Dimarzio uses the same size bobbins for both standard and "F-spaced" pickups, and just changes the spacing of the screws & pole pieces.
The DCR is not what produces the output level. It's the number of winds around the magnet, as well as the size or strength of the magnet. The only time DCR has any real meaning is with "apples-to-apples" comparisons.
Think about it; The YJM pickups have over 25k DCR, and yet less than half the output of a 8k humbucker.

 

[supertruper1988]

Well I don't know if it has anything to do with the sound, but Trembuckers have a higher DCR because the bobbins are wider, which means more wire is required to achieve the same number of winds as the standard size bobbins.
More length of wire equals more resistance (just as smaller gauge wire has more resistance). Dimarzio uses the same size bobbins for both standard and "F-spaced" pickups, and just changes the spacing of the screws & pole pieces.
The DCR is not what produces the output level. It's the number of winds around the magnet, as well as the size or strength of the magnet. The only time DCR has any real meaning is with "apples-to-apples" comparisons.
Think about it; The YJM pickups have over 25k DCR, and yet less than half the output of a 8k humbucker.

I wasnt really commenting on how pickups are made other than whatever SD decided to do to make trembuckers makes them sound worse than the standard spacing. I know it likely has something to do with the longer bobbins they use.

As an aside, even if the slightly longer bobbins make up the DCR difference while keeping the turn count the same, your theory doesnt hold up because they do sound different. This is not a problem with other brands I have tried.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I wasnt really commenting on how pickups are made other than whatever SD decided to do to make trembuckers makes them sound worse than the standard spacing. I know it likely has something to do with the longer bobbins they use.

As an aside, even if the slightly longer bobbins make up the DCR difference while keeping the turn count the same, your theory doesnt hold up because they do sound different. This is not a problem with other brands I have tried.

I know you weren't, but I did.
And I didn't give you a "theory", I stated a fact.
In any case, all my Trembuckers sound great. Whether or not the DCR affects sound or not; I really don't know.