daveq Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Does anyone know the history of when/why the "triangular" (can't think of a better word right now) shape was created? Is it only used when using a pickup with a base of the same shape or do some builders use a straight based SC in a body routed with the triangular rout? In case you can't tell, I've been a HB kinda guy for a long time but I'm taking more interest in SC's nowadays. I didn't put this in the electronics section because I'm more interested in the body routing and whether or not it is used with a straight type as well. Here's one with what I call "straight" pickups and routing: A Plus Here's one with what I call "triangular" routing and triangular based pickups: SL3 Sorry if this is a basic kind of question - I just haven't used single coil pickups or guitars with them except for my RG550. Thanks, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted January 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Doesn't anyone on this site use single coils? I had another question last week about them that only got one answer! Maybe I'll re-think my interest in these things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings_x Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Single coils?!?! Are you crazy?!?! Why, those would look stupid in a JEM. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted January 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Single coils?!?! Are you crazy?!?! Why, those would look stupid in a JEM Actually, there seems to be more and more Fender guys hanging around lately but I guess none of them are as knowledgeable(nudge, nudge). Well, maybe one of those guys will see this later tonight. Once it goes to page2, I think I'm doomed. Thanks anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 ok i have a bit of info the "straight" routs are made possible because some duncan's don't have the triangle shape, the wires are soldered inside the tape wrap/ right on the side of the pickup's plate the traditional triangles where introduced by fender of course, and i think they were just made so that the wire from the coils had a place to be soldered to so that the lead wire could be attached without worry of yanking on the thin coil wire. (think circuit board type connection) In terms of when which rout is used, i've only ever seen one shape for single coil rings, (triangle) but i suppose you could use a straight rout with a triangular pickup the same way you hid the wings on your emg pickups in one of your guitars. honestly i don't really know, i haven't done alot of single coil routing either, but i hope that kinda helped? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 Personally I've been thinking about this one recently. I may do EMG's for a friends guitar, which only require a straight route. But what if he wants to switch to "regular" singlecoils later? Then the body needs to be re-routed, possibly ruining the finish. Why not just do the "triangular" route from the beginning??? If you paint the cavities black, you won't really see the gap between pickup and cavity... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 i think the partial view of the wires is classy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 I have lots of guitars with SC's. I have lots of old Fender amps too. I'm very big into Fender SC tone. But I'm very big into Metal guitars too. I've been a member of The Fender Discussion Pages, The Fender Forum, and the Telecaster Discussion Pages ReIssue for years and years. I'm not 100% sure what it is you're asking tho. Basically, you can use whichever one makes you happy, it's just a visual thing really, that's all. I use the triangular shape all the time, even tho I have some pkps that don't require it, and I always black out the cavities too. I also shield the cavities. I just like that look better. I can post pics of some examples, but I think you've already found example pics. Are you trying to be historically correct or something? I'm just a bit hazy as to what the point is exactly...are you trying to decide which ones to use based on a historical perspective? Once you black out the cavity, since the bottoms are usually black too, you can't really even see much of a difference either way, so it's really just a personal preference in the end. I don't think the 'drop-in' technique started being used until the early 80's (just a guess, please correct me if I'm wrong) with the Metal guitars. Until then, it was pretty much Fender-style, using pickguards. I don't use pickguards. I've never made a single guitar with a pickguard on it, I'm always trying to show off the top woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted January 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 I'm just trying to understand why two types of shapes exist first. Next, I'm trying to understand what is considered the "correct" way to rout for a pickup that is not triangular. I have two pickups that are of the straight shape and I was wondering if I need to do the straight rout as in the "A Plus" model that I limked to, or if I can use the triangular rout for this. I kinda like the triangular rout shape better but I don't want people looking at it saying "what the $%&@?" if it's just not normal to use a straight shaped pickup in that kind of rout. I have not yet seen a major manufacturer use a straight shaped SC in a triangular rout. If anyone knows of one, please let me know. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 31, 2004 Report Share Posted January 31, 2004 I'm just trying to understand why two types of shapes exist first. _______________ I'm just shooting in the dark, but my guess is it's cheaper to manufacture pkps that don't need the bakelite bottom (or whatever that stuff is made of) I think technology just caught up with and passed Leo's original ideas. He was always a cost-cutter anyway, I'm sure he would approve! When you're manufacturing thousands of units, every piece comes under scrutiny by the bean-counters...probably just a cheaper way to produce them. And as to why both exist now, my guess would be the ones that have the triangular bottoms are selling to the vintage crowd, it's probably just part of re-creating the vintage 'vibe' or 'Mojo'. If you were buying some vintage pkps, I'd bet it would put you off it they didn't have the 'old' bottoms.(?) ________________ Next, I'm trying to understand what is considered the "correct" way to rout for a pickup that is not triangular. I have two pickups that are of the straight shape and I was wondering if I need to do the straight rout as in the "A Plus" model that I limked to, or if I can use the triangular rout for this. I kinda like the triangular rout shape better but I don't want people looking at it saying "what the $%&@?" if it's just not normal to use a straight shaped pickup in that kind of rout. ____________________ I think most pkp manufacturers are still building pkps with pickguards in mind, you never even see the bottom of the pkp with the pickguard, they're not even thinking about the crowd that drops them in with a separate route I'd bet. I mean, when Gibson was winding HB's back in the '50's, they NEVER thought ANYBODY would remove the covers, it never entered their minds at the time...they would say ***??? ...same concept probably... I don't think anybody would even notice if you used round with triangular routes...I do it, I never even gave it a second thought...as I said, when everything on the bottom is black, who's going to peer inside that thin cavity anyway? ____________________ I have not yet seen a major manufacturer use a straight shaped SC in a triangular rout. If anyone knows of one, please let me know. Thanks for the info. __________________ Again, I think it just comes down to your personal preference in the end. I like triangular routes, what kind of pkp goes into it never even crossed my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 the traditional triangles where introduced by fender of course, and i think they were just made so that the wire from the coils had a place to be soldered to so that the lead wire could be attached without worry of yanking on the thin coil wire. (think circuit board type connection) I agree with krazyderek Also, many pup manufacturers still make vintage replacements so this route would still be necessary. As for the black painted pup route, most of what I've seen isn't black paint but shielding paint that comes in black. It can be found at Stewart-MacDonald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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