Lotza_Noize Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I'm getting a Floyd Rose Pro installed on my JEM. And I am getting DiMarzio pickups. Question is do I need f-spaced pickups? Or standard spacing? I've read some posts on this subject. Tho they are opinions, some say Floyd Rose = F spaced pickups. When others say it does not matter. Does anyone REALLY know. Or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I'm getting a Floyd Rose Pro installed on my JEM. And I am getting DiMarzio pickups. Question is do I need f-spaced pickups? Or standard spacing? I've read some posts on this subject. Tho they are opinions, some say Floyd Rose = F spaced pickups. When others say it does not matter. Does anyone REALLY know. Or what? The answer to your question is "yes." In other words, last I heard a Floyd Rose is Fender-spaced, so you'd need Fender-spaced pickups. (Or not. Back in the day, EVH tilted his bridge pickup to compensate for the bridge spacing.) Now I have a couple of questions: 1. Doesn't the Jem come with factory-installed DiMarzio pickups? 2. Why replace the Edge Pro with a FR Pro? 3. Is this really an Ibanez Jem? 4. How many is a couple? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I second this question. Without Dimarzio pickups stock, I'd seriously doubt that a JEM is what you're dealing with. And the Edge Pro is one of the better Floyd's, in my opinion. I've heard that getting an F-Spaced pickup isn't as essential with the neck as it is with the bridge pickup. I don't have a Floyd myself, so I dunno, just what I've heard. And I'm probably wrong anyways You could circumvent the problem altogether and get the X2N blades and call it a day, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotza_Noize Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I'm getting a Floyd Rose Pro installed on my JEM. And I am getting DiMarzio pickups. Question is do I need f-spaced pickups? Or standard spacing? I've read some posts on this subject. Tho they are opinions, some say Floyd Rose = F spaced pickups. When others say it does not matter. Does anyone REALLY know. Or what? The answer to your question is "yes." In other words, last I heard a Floyd Rose is Fender-spaced, so you'd need Fender-spaced pickups. (Or not. Back in the day, EVH tilted his bridge pickup to compensate for the bridge spacing.) Now I have a couple of questions: 1. Doesn't the Jem come with factory-installed DiMarzio pickups? 2. Why replace the Edge Pro with a FR Pro? 3. Is this really an Ibanez Jem? 4. How many is a couple? Answers: Q. 1. Doesn't the JEM come with factory-installed DiMarzio pickups? Yes it does. But I forgot to mention this is a custom JEM. Oops Q. 2. Why replace the Edge Pro with a FR Pro? Floyd Rose Pro (what I've read off this forum) stays in tune better. Plus (what I've read) FR lasts longer, and is better made. Just what I've read. Q. 3. Is this really an Ibanez JEM? No It's Custom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 an Edge pro is a perfectly good trem better or worse than a floyd thats a personal preference in reality they are about equal. being fulcrum trems they have about the same feel both remain in tune equally. the floyd has a hardened base plate the edge has hardened inserts like the schaller floyds. me i prefer schallers but would not change a edge just for that reason its just not justifiable money wise as far as f-spaced the answer is yes but i use standard spaced strait up (non angled) and i doubt you could hear the difference. I'm just retarded so its all the same to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 F-spaced is "ideal", but regular will work and the differences will be minimal. If you get your choice of pickups anyhow, get the F-spaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I noticed no obvious difference in between the two. I haven't tried the Duncan version though, which I believe is trembucker(I think). The f spaced and trembucker, I believe are usually only used for the bridge as far as I've seen, I don't even know if they make any neck versions at all because the taper brings the strings in close enough by the neck pickup area to use a regular pickup. As greg said if both were equally available then get the f spaced, the only time it would matter is if you ever wanted to reuse the pickup in another guitar without the larger string spacing, then again it probably wouldn't make a terribly noticeable difference anyhow. If you already have pickups and just think a f spaced would better, I wouldn't bother spending the money, but if you need new pickups and have a choice like greg said then get the f spaced for the bridge pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chennik Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 As far as the F vs Standard spacing for pickups, my experience has been that neck pickups generally work better with standard spaced, unless you have a wide nut (1 3/4) or greater, but with a floyd, you will be under that. If you use an F spaced pickup in the neck though, it will not be too much of a difference, so either will work, really. At the neck pickup the strings are vibrating somewhat wider, so the the strings cross over the pole pieces pretty well with either spacing. As for the bridge, I've found the difference to be much more noticable, but your style has alot to do with it. I play alot of metal riffs where I'm looking for that palm muted chunk, and if I have a standard spaced bridge pickup in a floyd guitar, that slight difference in alignment with the pole piece and the string will cause you to lose some of the meat in your tone and the impact will be somewhat less (similar to if you lowered your pickup to be a little too far from the strings). However, if you are playing more on the middle strings, or playing a style that is generally a little less demanding of the maximum impact on the outer strings, then you probably wont notice that much of a difference, and it might work for you. For instance, I've had the standard spaced Super Distortion bridge pickup on a guitar with floyd and I've never been satisfied with the "metal" (Megadeth, In Flames, Slayer etc) tone out of it, but the tone for say a 70s rock style song (Kiss, Mountain, ACDC etc) has always been more than adequate. I switched this for an F Spaced, and the metal tone drastically improved, while the classic rock tone improved some, but was generally in the same ballpark. If you haven't installed the pickup, most stores and suppliers are usually willing to let you do a swap for one spacing vs the other, as alot of people make the purchase and they realize the other would be more appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 As far as the F vs Standard spacing for pickups, my experience has been that neck pickups generally work better with standard spaced, I've never, in over 20 years of 'Floyd' ownership, found anyone do a neck 'F' spaced pickup - basically that far up there is no difference, or virtually bugger all, whether you're using a Gibson, Fender or anybody else's bridge. As for the question i'd concur with the masses and say if you've got a choice get an 'F' spaced but if you don't have that luxury don't sweat it. The double lock 'Floyd' came into being around '83/4 (i haven't bothered to look this up but i was there-if you see what i mean) whereas 'F' spaced humbuckers didn't appear until some years later and i've got at least 6 guitars that we're made between 85-89 that have normal spaced humbuckers as standard where i get no drop out or anything like that at all. Jem .........sorry, slow day in the office ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probus Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 There is a similar thread in jemsite with some pictures (including f-spaced neck pickups), just thought you might be interested: http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63403 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Er, that's just a bridge 'bucker put in the neck position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Right. When I said that F-spaced is the "ideal", it was under the assumption that everyone already knew you only f-space the bridge pickup. do they even SELL f-spaced neck pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probus Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Right. When I said that F-spaced is the "ideal", it was under the assumption that everyone already knew you only f-space the bridge pickup. do they even SELL f-spaced neck pickups? What's the difference between a neck and a bridge pickup? If you read the thread, you'll find a quote in the last post from dimarzio saying that you should use f-spacing on neck pickups when using a wider nut.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotza_Noize Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Right. When I said that F-spaced is the "ideal", it was under the assumption that everyone already knew you only f-space the bridge pickup. do they even SELL f-spaced neck pickups? DiMarzio makes the Evolution Neck in an F-Spaced version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotza_Noize Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Thanks everyone for there comments and input. I appreciate it very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Right. When I said that F-spaced is the "ideal", it was under the assumption that everyone already knew you only f-space the bridge pickup. do they even SELL f-spaced neck pickups? What's the difference between a neck and a bridge pickup? If you read the thread, you'll find a quote in the last post from dimarzio saying that you should use f-spacing on neck pickups when using a wider nut.. Sure, but the common situation is not. With a standard width nut and a Floyd trem, the "ideal" is to use an F-space bridge pickup and a normal neck pickup. I think it's mostly all bollocks, anyhow, mind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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