Pickup Spacing question

[Nicholasim]

Hi everyone,

Just want to check, does the spacing of the pickups affect the tone much? I am referring to dual humbucker guitars, sometimes their pickup spacing is closer than normal due to 24 frets or whatever reason.

I have read something about the normal spacing to have better harmonics and warmer tone and the smaller spacing to have a brighter tone?

Any ideas?

 

[subversion]

sounds like a pickup positioning discussion more than spacing issues...

 

[Nicholasim]

Yes, youre right Sub, sorry haha. Pickup spacing = F spaced, trembucker etc.

Yeah, its pickup position. If they are further or closer together.

Does it make a lot of difference?

 

[CyanideJunkie]

The strength of the string vibration will differ across different positions. It will be stronger(warmer) nearer the neck and weaker(brighter) nearer the bridge. Pretty much why a neck humbucker sounds darker as compared to a similarly spec-ed bridge humbucker. As for the different configurations/standards in pickup positions, I would assume that there are differences but they would be subtle, albeit noticeable.

 

[relinquish69]

I throw a pickup in and if it sounds good, it serves it's purpose. I have not done an A/B test for it but I have tried plenty of F-spaced guitars that were fitted with regular humbuckers and they sound good as they should.

there may be better harmonics warmer tone etc but seriously, the difference would be very minute.

 

[Nicholasim]

I throw a pickup in and if it sounds good, it serves it's purpose. I have not done an A/B test for it but I have tried plenty of F-spaced guitars that were fitted with regular humbuckers and they sound good as they should.

there may be better harmonics warmer tone etc but seriously, the difference would be very minute.

Hmm, i know i explained a bit confusing. I am trying to refer to the spacing between the neck and bridge humbuckers.

 

[relinquish69]

oh. if that is the case, yes it makes quite a big difference. it's very obvious when you compare the sound of the neck pickup in guitars with 24 frets and 22 frets. for the bridge position I would say the closer it is to the bridge, the more trebly it would sound. that is how I would describe it. whether the pickup is tilted or not I really don't know the sound difference.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

as cynaidejunkie mentioned bout the vibration of strings, the main reason for the differences in sound mainly come the interaction of the vibration of the strings between the nut and the bridge in relative to the pickup position.

The science behind it is maninly the fundamental frequency at which the strings vibrate and its relative harmonic frequency along the strings vibration(between the nut and bridge which acted as pivot point in which the strings vibrate in between), disrupting the magnetic field presented by the pickup and its position, which resulted in the warmer/brighter sound we hear

for slanted pickup, its more interesting as well since the vibration of the strings over the slanted pickup vary from the usual straight position, it also allows a different tonal choice kinda brighter bass strings and fatter treble strings etc

 

[Trax]

Anyone knows how much is the space distance from the strings to the bridge humbucker for a BKP warpig?

 

[Nicholasim]

Thanks for all the input guys! I understand already. Thanks