This looks amazing and has some serious Hamer vibe going on that I’m partial to. Can’t wait to see more!
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What's On Your Workbench?
- Thread starter HaMMerHeD
- Start date
This looks amazing and has some serious Hamer vibe going on that I’m partial to. Can’t wait to see more!
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,600
- 222,016
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
So this is why I continue to ask so many questions regarding pickup placement and pole pieces. I don't know how many of you watch Crimson Guitars' YouTube channel, but Ben just finished up his latest build, a multiscale guitar from the new Crimson uncut kit, and this is where I got stuck -
Okay seriously, how important is that alignment? If a guy like Ben Crowe isn't terribly worried about it, should I really be stressing over it?
Okay seriously, how important is that alignment? If a guy like Ben Crowe isn't terribly worried about it, should I really be stressing over it?
So this is why I continue to ask so many questions regarding pickup placement and pole pieces. I don't know how many of you watch Crimson Guitars' YouTube channel, but Ben just finished up his latest build, a multiscale guitar from the new Crimson uncut kit, and this is where I got stuck -
View attachment 4272040
Okay seriously, how important is that alignment? If a guy like Ben Crowe isn't terribly worried about it, should I really be stressing over it?
I cannot imagine that there would be good consistency between strings across those two pickups with the poles that far misaligned. At least he went with humbuckers so there is more chance of hitting the magnetic field of at least one of the poles on each pickup. Are there any audio clips?
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,600
- 222,016
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
So this is why I continue to ask so many questions regarding pickup placement and pole pieces. I don't know how many of you watch Crimson Guitars' YouTube channel, but Ben just finished up his latest build, a multiscale guitar from the new Crimson uncut kit, and this is where I got stuck -
View attachment 4272040
Okay seriously, how important is that alignment? If a guy like Ben Crowe isn't terribly worried about it, should I really be stressing over it?
Only way to know would be A/B'ing this setup against pu's with bar magnets.
Thanks! I am such a Hamer fan and have unashamedly lifted many of their styling cues from their own "Special"... Control layout and cavity, binding, etc. I've never owned a Hamer, but hope to at some point.
Thanks, JIO! I appreciate it.
In my experience, not all that important. As long as the strings are in the field, side to side, you'll sense the string. There are differences in field strength in a pickup with poles vs a blade, but I feel like the idea of needing perfect alignment is really, really overblown in guitarist lore.
Looking at that photo, it bugs me a little that the pickups don't seem centered, but that may just be the angle of the photo more than anything.
@SlingBlader I've got a 2001 Studio like this that I picked over Gibson and PRS. I haven’t had guitar GAS since then, though I am itching to put Phat Cat p90 in the neck position. Can't wait to see yours finished!
Wow, stunning! I'd like to know how you like the Phat Cat if you do it... I've been eyeballing those.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,011
- 1
- 31,720
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Exactly. People forget that the magnetic field extends much farther than the actual poles, but because the magnetic field isn't visible and the pole pieces are, folks get all wound up over it.
I see what you did there...
Yeah, the audio clip is in the YouTube video of the final part of that build, I've linked to the end where he actually plays it here -
Agreed with what everyone else has said about there being some position latitude with the poles, but when the string lands at the edge of the bobbin it doesn't usually go well!
That being said, testing is the only way to know, and it actually sounds better than I would have expected. The video also revealed some pretty serious height variation on the adjustable poles so that might be covering some of the variance.
That being said, testing is the only way to know, and it actually sounds better than I would have expected. The video also revealed some pretty serious height variation on the adjustable poles so that might be covering some of the variance.
That multiscale guitar is really awesome as a whole. Just beautiful.
However, whether or not the pickup works just fine, it looks terrible.
Even if no one could ever see it while you're on stage and it has no effect on sound, it would bother me to look at it if it were mine.
That's my 2¢ worth. No charge.
However, whether or not the pickup works just fine, it looks terrible.
Even if no one could ever see it while you're on stage and it has no effect on sound, it would bother me to look at it if it were mine.
That's my 2¢ worth. No charge.
The pole piece heights are the opposite of what I'd expect - it looks like the e strings are on the verge of being out of range, yet they have the lowest poles.
I really appreciate the effort that was put into that design, and many of the elements are really nice, but I'm in the "wow that's borderline ugly" camp. When I see a guitar with angled pickups and visible pole pieces, I think it looks much better if the two coils are assembled on a baseplate that's skewed to the same angle as the pickup relative to the strings. And even better if it's done with longer bobbins so that they actually cover the strings side to side and you don't need to cheat with the corners. But then you're in to custom baseplates and custom bobbins and no one seems to want to bother going there.
I really appreciate the effort that was put into that design, and many of the elements are really nice, but I'm in the "wow that's borderline ugly" camp. When I see a guitar with angled pickups and visible pole pieces, I think it looks much better if the two coils are assembled on a baseplate that's skewed to the same angle as the pickup relative to the strings. And even better if it's done with longer bobbins so that they actually cover the strings side to side and you don't need to cheat with the corners. But then you're in to custom baseplates and custom bobbins and no one seems to want to bother going there.
If I was building a guitar that unique, nice and involved, I would go the extra step and spend the $ on custom pups.
I watched the entire build series, and there wee so many times I screamed at the tv "NOOOO!!!!! What are you doing?!?!?!"
But, dude has built a ton more guitars than I'll ever build, so what do I know?
Well, technically they were custom pickups. He used a set of Crimson's "Hookers" and had the guys at the shop custom wind them to a specific resistance. He talks about that a bit in the build series, might have even been that video.
I dunno, I just feel like I'm stressing over pickup-string alignment way too much here, because clearly that worked fine.
Yeah his design is functional and we have video to prove it! My qualms are more aesthetic than functional, and really only because of the exposed pole pieces. I don't think the visual issue exists at all with fully enclosed humbuckers like you're using.
That guy definitely pours a lot of time and effort into instructional videos which are generally pretty good from the few I've watched. That's really noble (even if he is doing it to increase the publicity of his brand). He's like a hip modern badass version of Dan Erlewine.
That guy definitely pours a lot of time and effort into instructional videos which are generally pretty good from the few I've watched. That's really noble (even if he is doing it to increase the publicity of his brand). He's like a hip modern badass version of Dan Erlewine.
Yeah, I watch a ton of his videos, even the "random build series" has some good tips and tricks in it. He claims all the time he does it to build the community, but it does drive sales so there's that. I've learned a great deal by watching him, but equally as much I've learned that I have a lot of questions. But at least he teaches me what questions to ask!
He also owns/runs a vintage tool shop called....."Vintage Tool Shop"! So all those masses of really super cool tools you see on that wall behind him, he really didn't "pay for them". The tool shop bought them in bulk purchases and he took the ones he wanted and sold the rest. He's probably a smarter business man than he is a luthier, and he's a pretty damn good luthier!
Yeah. And I love it when people say things like "I'm not really much of a player" while they're noodling away playing better than I can. 
