"proper" Location For Bridge Humbucker On Strat-Style Guitar

[stratoskier]

Hi,

I have a couple of projects underway which are both more-or-less similar to an Ibanez AT model guitar(Andy Timmons model, with HSS pickups). For these projects, I'm using a couple of old Ibanez RT bodies which are similar to an RG but have non-locking trems (one 2-post and the other vintage 6-screw).

I compared the location of the existing bridge hums on the RT bodies to the pickup location on an AT. It appears that the AT has the pickup sitting quite a bit closer to the bridge than the factory routing on the RTs (RT has rear edge of pickup at about 15mm from front of bridge plate, vs 7-8mm on an AT). My questions are:

1) Is there any agreed upon "standard" for positioning a bridge humbucker?

2) Would this location differ on a 6-screw vs 2-post trem? Specifically, would the larger bridge posts on a 2-post trem require a bit more distance between the trem and the pickup routing to avoid bust-outs?

Thanks for your input!

Bert

[Prostheta]

Hi Bert,

There isn't a hard and fast set of rules as to placement so you can breathe easier there. Considering the trem posts is a wise move however I think you would need to be horrendously close for this to be a problem. The width of the rout for the body of a humbucker is usually narrower than the spacing of the posts anyway (I would need to double-check to be fair) so again you should be safe.

The only problems with placing a bridge pickup is that there will be a significant volume drop the close you get to the bridge. String movement is parabolic (well, in its simplest form) so too close and you will create more problems in that respect.

Have you done much Google image search work? I just did one on "Ibanez body" to try and confirm post location vs. pickup rout so this may be a useful way to figure out what is "comfortable" in terms of distancing the two and then you can apply this to your specific idea.

Nice guitar by the way. Just saw his AT400 model also. I am a big Sabre fan. The RG set up in a sunburst Strat was actually pretty tasty too. Reminded me briefly of a Washburn MG70 I used to own in terms of looks.

[bob123]

That andy timmons model has a vintage style trem. The distance is actually the same considering the extra metal. roughly 1/2". Same as the rg series.

[stratoskier]

Thanks for the input, guys!

To follow up, I did some comparisons to see where the bridge humbucker was situated on other Ibanez 25-1/2" scale guitars. For a baseline, I looked at the distance from the B-string saddle (at the contact point) to the near edge of the pickup. Here are the measurements for various models (again, all Ibanez guitars):

Non-locking trem guitars:

RT450 (2-post, non-locking trem): 27mm

RT150 (vintage 6-screw): 27mm

BL1025 (vintage 6-screw): 23mm

AT100 (vintage 6-screw): 22mm

442R (2-post, non-locking): 30mm

Locking trem (Edge) guitars:

540R: 28mm

S1540: 28mm

RG760: 26mm

JS1000: 28mm

So the range is from 22mm (AT100) to 30mm (the 442R), giving a difference of 8mm or around 1/3". It's interesting that the AT model winds up being the closest of all, which I presume was done according to Andy's preferences. The locking trem guitars tended toward having a greater distance at 26-28mm.

I think I'll leave the pickup in the two RT bodies in its original position, since that location is well within the ball-park of most of the rest.

Take care,

Bert

Edited May 3, 2013 by stratoskier

[Prostheta]

It's an interesting set of specs you've gathered. The main work you have ahead of you is placing the pickup with mm tolerances. Not difficult of itself however as soon as you set up and intonate the instrument you can easily drop a couple of mm! Realistically the differences aren't that huge with regards to placement however you know that you want to be closer than as not for an instrument more like the AT model. Cool.

[bob123]

Can you show me a side by side pick of the AT100 and RT150 please? I was pretty confident AT's, RT's, and RG's (minus the 2 extra frets) could interchange pickguards (as long as the same neck pocket style).

And to clarify, you're measuring from the end of the saddle where you have intonated, and not the actual pivot point?

Edited May 4, 2013 by bob123

[Prostheta]

For a baseline, I looked at the distance from the B-string saddle (at the contact point) to the near edge of the pickup.

You need to read better.

[bob123]

For a baseline, I looked at the distance from the B-string saddle (at the contact point) to the near edge of the pickup.

You need to read better.

*sigh. All guitars intonate differently. My point was for him to affirm that, yes, it was indeed from the saddle and not the actual scale position. With guitars intonated differently, this pretty much voids his numbers from being "concrete". I have most of his guitars that he's measuring, and my numbers are pretty consistently similar, where his are jumping all over the place.

[Prostheta]

Well good for you.

[stratoskier]

Can you show me a side by side pick of the AT100 and RT150 please? I was pretty confident AT's, RT's, and RG's (minus the 2 extra frets) could interchange pickguards (as long as the same neck pocket style).

And to clarify, you're measuring from the end of the saddle where you have intonated, and not the actual pivot point?

Hey Guys,

Don't get overly worked up by this -- the exercise was just intended to be a quick examination to see how much variation there was in where bridge pups are placed, as opposed to some hard and fast "rule." I'm satisfied that yes there is some variation (albeit minor), and that makes sense because the tonality will obviously vary according to where that pup is placed.

The differences appear to be pretty minor and I'm not going to sweat it. As I mentioned, I'm not going to reroute the location of the bridge pup on the RT bodies just to nudge it 4-5 mm toward the bridge.

Bob - since you're wondering about my measurements. I chose, somwhat arbitrarily, the B-saddle for reference because it seemed to vary the least in position among the guitars I quickly looked at. Just so you know it isn't completely bogus, how bout we go the other way -- distance from bridge side of fret 22 to front (neck) side of pickup? I agree that that is less error prone than using saddles, since it eliminates the variation in both saddle design and intonation slop. Here ya go:

RT450 = 121.5mm

AT300 = 126.0mm

AT100 = 127.0mm

So that again gives about 4.5-5.5mm difference between the ATs and the RTs, same as I get going the other direction (bridge to rear edge of pup). I don't have time to redo the other ones.

I already knew about the difference between AT and RT--This quest started when I placed the AT100 pickguard onto the RT body (with same Wilkinson VSV trem as AT) and saw that the hole for the bridge pup in the AT pickguard did not begin to align with the routed cavity in the RT body. It's off by ~5-6mm. No way to align them without a new pickguard or some routing. That got me to wondering if one or the other was "right". Nope- just different.

I'll try to snap and post a shot of the AT pickguard laying on the RT body sometime today.

Take care!

[stratoskier]

Here's that image of the AT100 pickguard properly situated on an RT body having same Wilkinson VSVG trem:

See what I mean?