Hi folks.
Just trying to get my head around pickups and wondering about the benefits of a three-string guitar using a three pole pickup. Am I wrong in believing that each pole of a pickup reads to the side too? Do strings HAVE TO run dead centre of the poles? What happens if they don't and is it/why is it better if they do? What about rail type pickups? How do they differ from the others? Are they generally better or worse? Genuinely just trying to learn.
Bear.
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The poles extend the magnetic field up at certain points so you can theoretically increase the volume of each string individually.
Blade type pickups extend he magnetic field across a linear path so that all the stings in any position will cross through the field.
It can be problematic using pickups with poles, try to get your strings to match up with them for volume or even in equidistant between them (not as loud but still volume ballanced) by try to avoid having some strings over them and some to the side.
Two fixes.. Turn the pickup so that it is at an angle or you can put a flat piece of metal over the top of the poles to produce the same as a blade pickup.
Paul Craig > FomhorachSeptember 12, 2016 at 2:47pm
I've put a piece of stainless steel cotter pin over the poles on 6 pole pickups before and it works, but there is a slight drop in volume because it actually weakens the magnets some. So angling the pickup is better, but as long as you have one pole under each string you'll be fine. 6 pole pickups will most likely be hotter than the 3 or 4 pole pups.
Thanks again Fomhorach. I'd forgotten about this thread but great that you brought it back to my attention. I've seen two single coils with a humbucker pre-wired to a selector switch and pots for a really great price on eBay. Knowing this and the help you gave on the other thread will really help should I go for that option. As always, much appreciated.
Paul Craig > Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey BearSeptember 12, 2016 at 2:54pm
If this is for a typical Strat type guitar they can be s great buy. Most of these have the 2 single coils at 5k to 5.5k and 10k to 12k for the double coil. I've seen them on Amazon for as little as 10 bucks, but mostly unheard of brand names. However they are most likely all made by the same company in China.
Great price if you can get them for $10! The ones I've seen are £17 but from a guy I've bought from a few times already and I've always been really happy in the past. A good experience goes a massive way to bringing customers back over and over. The peace of mind is worth a cash amount in itself. Not sure what the amount is that it's worth but it does go a long way. Thanks for helping out again :)
Paul Craig > Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey BearSeptember 13, 2016 at 2:24am
I tell you something I did with a set of these pickups. The double coil pickup in the bridge sounded great, but the neck and middle singles measured 5k for neck and 5.5k for middle were a little dull. So I wired the 2 singles together in series as a humbucker and put a 3-way switch in place of the 5-way switch. those 2 pups made one of the best sounding neck humbuckers I've ever heard.
Another way is to do a series/parallel switch for the neck and middle so you can do both the original wiring or switch to series when you want it. It gives your git an extra punch.
I'll have to see if I can find a wiring diagram for how to do that. Sounds complicated but a definite option. Thanks for the advice Paul. Awesome stuff going on in here lately.
Paul Craig > Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey BearSeptember 13, 2016 at 1:08pm
Paul Craig > Paul CraigSeptember 13, 2016 at 1:09pm
They didn't label the pups. Far right is the neck pup. uses a 2DPT switch on/on with 6 contacts(3 sets of 2) on the bottom.
Looks complicated but it would definitely help having the diagram. Thanks Paul. No excuses now I own a soldering iron, though it might help if I knew how to use it lol. Much appreciated, as always.
Replies
The poles extend the magnetic field up at certain points so you can theoretically increase the volume of each string individually.
Blade type pickups extend he magnetic field across a linear path so that all the stings in any position will cross through the field.
It can be problematic using pickups with poles, try to get your strings to match up with them for volume or even in equidistant between them (not as loud but still volume ballanced) by try to avoid having some strings over them and some to the side.
Two fixes.. Turn the pickup so that it is at an angle or you can put a flat piece of metal over the top of the poles to produce the same as a blade pickup.
I've put a piece of stainless steel cotter pin over the poles on 6 pole pickups before and it works, but there is a slight drop in volume because it actually weakens the magnets some. So angling the pickup is better, but as long as you have one pole under each string you'll be fine. 6 pole pickups will most likely be hotter than the 3 or 4 pole pups.
Thanks again Fomhorach. I'd forgotten about this thread but great that you brought it back to my attention. I've seen two single coils with a humbucker pre-wired to a selector switch and pots for a really great price on eBay. Knowing this and the help you gave on the other thread will really help should I go for that option. As always, much appreciated.
If this is for a typical Strat type guitar they can be s great buy. Most of these have the 2 single coils at 5k to 5.5k and 10k to 12k for the double coil. I've seen them on Amazon for as little as 10 bucks, but mostly unheard of brand names. However they are most likely all made by the same company in China.
Great price if you can get them for $10! The ones I've seen are £17 but from a guy I've bought from a few times already and I've always been really happy in the past. A good experience goes a massive way to bringing customers back over and over. The peace of mind is worth a cash amount in itself. Not sure what the amount is that it's worth but it does go a long way. Thanks for helping out again :)
I tell you something I did with a set of these pickups. The double coil pickup in the bridge sounded great, but the neck and middle singles measured 5k for neck and 5.5k for middle were a little dull. So I wired the 2 singles together in series as a humbucker and put a 3-way switch in place of the 5-way switch. those 2 pups made one of the best sounding neck humbuckers I've ever heard.
Another way is to do a series/parallel switch for the neck and middle so you can do both the original wiring or switch to series when you want it. It gives your git an extra punch.
I'll have to see if I can find a wiring diagram for how to do that. Sounds complicated but a definite option. Thanks for the advice Paul. Awesome stuff going on in here lately.
They didn't label the pups. Far right is the neck pup. uses a 2DPT switch on/on with 6 contacts(3 sets of 2) on the bottom.
Looks complicated but it would definitely help having the diagram. Thanks Paul. No excuses now I own a soldering iron, though it might help if I knew how to use it lol. Much appreciated, as always.
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