string to pickup alignment

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dabluesman

dabluesman

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I just replaced the DeltaTone pickups in my Am. Std. Strat (I think its a '99) with Kinman AVn-blues pickups. I noticed that the neck and middle pickup pole's dont align with the strings. The bridge (slanted) pickup looks to be aligned, but as the strings get to the middle pickup and then to the neck pickup, the pole's seem to spread out further to the edge or the strings seem to get more narrow missing the pole's. The neck pickup is the worst off though. This is killing my sound, as I bend or vibrato a string the volume cuts out or just kinda fades away. I dont remember the DeltaTone pickups doing this but I dont remember if they were aligned or not, I'll check them tonight to see. What can I do about this? Is this something my guitar technician can take care of. Chris Kinman seems to think that my bridge has narrow string spacing, but if that's so then why does it align over the bridge pickup correctly? He also said something about moving the neck to align it, but I cant see how that would work either. It seems to me that the strings are just too narrow over the neck and middle pickups. I dont know if a nut with wider spacing would fit on my neck, if that's what the problem is. So, If anyone has dealt with this type of situation before please tell me what needs to be done to fix it. Thanks!
 
You have the wrong pickups for the width of your neck. There is a difference.
 
This is a puzzler.Take your original pickup and lay it face down over its replacement and first confirm that the replacement pickup is the same size.The 6 pole-pieces should match up exactly on the original and the replacement.
Assuming the pole pieces match up,the next candidate is the pickup's plastic housing.It is possible I suppose that the two holes for the spring loaded adjuster screws are mis-alligned.If that is the case,you can put your replacement pickups into the original pickup covers.That would assure the same allignment with the strings that you had before the swap.
I am assuming that your neck is bolted on straight.If not,it is necessary to adjust it.Slack the strings and back off the 4 screws in the heelplate 3 or 4 turns each.Do any straightening necessary and re-tighten.That's not a big deal.It won't be your bridge,I feel sure.
Let me know if none of this is any good for you and we'll try to figure it out.
Tom
 
spacing

Since the spacing varies as it leaves the bridge, identical pickups could not line up perfect. What you try for is the two e strings to be on the outside edge of the bridge pickup magnets. That way by the time they reach the front pickup they are not off too much. The only way to get it perfect is individualy space pickups or blade pickups like the Bill Lawrence blades. Neck alignment will only center the strings with the neck.
 
What kinda of bridge do you have on your Strat??

I recently put in a new bridge pickup in my guitar - a Seymour Duncan JB - this comes in two models... an SH-4 and a TB-4 - the latter is a bridge pick up model especially built to deal with the wider string spacing found on Floyd Rose trems... I'm just wondering if you've got a standard Fender trem whether you have a pickup that has slightly wider pole piece spacing designed for a Floyd Rose trem???
 
Coop, I've got a standard twin Pivot bridge. I got another email from Chris, it seems that the E strings should just be over the outside edge of the bridge pickup's poles, as Stan said. They are not, they are right over the center of the poles so the strings are to narrow by the time they go over the middle and neck pickups. It seems that I need to get a traditional 56mm bridge (not the 53mm that I supposedly have.) So, I'm going to check on getting the right bridge installed on my guitar. Chris also thinks that the neck is out of alignment a bit, the micro-tilt apparently isn't holding. Well, I'm taking it the shop today to see the tech guy has any ideas. It probably is the bridge, I just assumed that the strings should pass over the center of the bridge pickup poles. Oh well, thanks for the input, keep it coming. I'll post anything else that comes up about it.
 
Neck width

Make sure your neck can handle a wider spaced bridge without the strings being too close to the edges of the fingerboard.
 
Thats right, my neck wont allow wider string spacing. It looks like my only choice now is to look into some different pickups. I sent Bill Lawrence pickups an email, maybe he has what I need... This really sucks to pay $260 for pickups that wont work properly, then hear that you need a different bridge, and since that wont work your told to refret the neck so the new bridge will work... I'll just find some other pickups.
 
$260

Since you've already bought the pickups, how bad do they sound, I mean how far off is the volume on the front pickup? The magnetic field is larger than the magnet diameter. I've seen this problem on fenders with stock pickups. You would think the guys that make Fender necks,bridges, and pickups would get together and take care of business.
 
Pickup alignment: Leo's secret?

Pickup alignment can make perfect sense (even if seemingly impossible). Google ChordBender & go to their photo gallery. Click on more info. You can sometimes do this while the guitar is together: remove pickguard screws, try scootching plate around until it matches this great alignment, if it can, put it back the way it was, fill the old holes with wood glue & measured round toothpick ends, wipe off glue, put plate where you want it (no need to allow glue to dry), use an ice pick to start a screw hole where you want it, install that screw, scootch plate around a bit again & do an opposite screw hole, now complete the rest. Check the stores: no rhyme or reason or consistency (except for this model).
 
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