Neck Vs Bridge Pickup Differences?

[bluesy]

I have seen some discussion on different resistance, but nothing about any possible physical differences. I have 2 secondhand Epiphone humbuckers that measure about the same electrically, but are slightly physically different. The pole pieces are wider apart on one of them. Measuring the 2 outside pole pieces centre to centre, there is 2 to 3 mm difference between the two pickups. The 2 pickups look identical in every other way.

This is about the same as the difference in the distance apart of the 2 E strings when a TOM bridge is used. It changes because the string width tapers down to the 43mm nut, hence they are not parallel of course. If I put the wider pickup in the neck position, it's pole pieces will not align with the strings properly. For example, if I put the bass side directly under the bass E string, the top E string misses the treble side pole piece.

My question is whether one is intended as a neck pickup and the other as a bridge pickup, or whether the 2 pickups came from different guitars that had bridges with different string spacing? A related question is, do you need to specify the bridge type/string spacing when chossing a set of new pickups?

Edit: I may have answered my question to some extent. I found a few sites that sell pickups that are 2 mm different, intended for neck and bridge positions. Other pickups don't seem to specify (EMG select for example). Is this because they don't have individual pole pieces?

Edited September 17, 2008 by bluesy

[westhemann]

My question is whether one is intended as a neck pickup and the other as a bridge pickup,

yes...all pole piece pickups are designed for either bridge or neck...not both...

Blade pickups are for either...except for the output...which is why 81/85 works better than 81/81.

[Tim37]

i think the early gibson pickups where the same bridge and neck but that was 40 or more years ago the bridge is pickup has more windings on it making it have a higher resistantce but also giving it more out put since the strings arnt moving as much over it it helps balance the two pickups

as far as width i have been tring to find some info on that my self and i am wondering did thos happen to come form a guitar with a floyd rose.

if so it might have a f-spaced pickup in the bridge. they are wider than a standard humbucker they are f-spaced because they where made to go on fenders in the bridge position. i have been tring to find some info myself about running a set of emg hum's in a strat.

[bluesy]

i think the early gibson pickups where the same bridge and neck but that was 40 or more years ago the bridge is pickup has more windings on it making it have a higher resistantce but also giving it more out put since the strings arnt moving as much over it it helps balance the two pickups

as far as width i have been tring to find some info on that my self and i am wondering did thos happen to come form a guitar with a floyd rose.

if so it might have a f-spaced pickup in the bridge. they are wider than a standard humbucker they are f-spaced because they where made to go on fenders in the bridge position. i have been tring to find some info myself about running a set of emg hum's in a strat.

I don't know where they came from, as I picked them up cheap from the local guitar shup. Both have "Epiphone" stamped into the metal underneath, so I suspect they never came from a fender.