2nd in a series of "I've got a question".

[02R96]

On Strat type guitars, why is the bridge pickup angled?

[Zephyr]

I think it's to give the G B and E strings an increase in treble. So I guess that's why Strat's are so bright

[Caevan O’Shite]

Yeah, I believe that Leo Fender wanted more bite and presence for lead-lines, so they'd stand out. Note that the Broadcaster/Telecaster guitars also had that same angled orientation for the bridge-pickup.

 

Sometimes it's nice to reverse that angle, to get more wrangly twang out of the low-strings, and a rounder, warmer, fatter tone for the high notes. Jimi Hendrix got that partly by accident, flipping his Strats over and restringing 'em to play left-handed.

[GreySeraph]

there are other guitars where different pickups are angled. Some ESP guitars have the neck pickup angled to try and keep the higher pitches from being too muddy when taking neck pickup solos. I find that pretty helpful because I consider the neck pickup to have a rounder clarity when playing lead, as opposed to bridge pickups, which can make the sound too thin and snarly (especially if that's the sound that what you were going for when playing rhythm guitar, such as when I'm playing with my amp's mid-cut engaged). A lot of times, strat style guitars (like, I play on a superstrat (the JEM)) are just generally thin sounding compared to thicker, generally gibson style guitars, and so one would try to make the most of it by playing on the neck.

[d halfnote]

Don't forget Rick Turner's guitars (such as played by Lindsey Buchingham) some of which featured pickups on a rotating plate, for adjustable angles.

 

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/rickturner.htm

 

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/rickturner/gallery.htm

 

http://www.renaissanceguitars.com/

 

 

 

[harvey]

Yeah, I believe that Leo Fender wanted more bite and presence for lead-lines, so they'd stand out. Note that the Broadcaster/Telecaster guitars also had that same angled orientation for the bridge-pickup.

 

Sometimes it's nice to reverse that angle, to get more wrangly twang out of the low-strings, and a rounder, warmer, fatter tone for the high notes. Jimi Hendrix got that partly by accident, flipping his Strats over and restringing 'em to play left-handed.

 

Yeah Ian Moss from Cold Chisel (Aussie rock band) did that with great results...

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

I think that it just looked cool. A lot of the original Fender presentation was done just to differentiate themselves from the competition in a new market. Why were the 12 string pickups split? Why were the bass pickups split? The Fender V uses two different split components for its pickup.

[Strategery]

Hey...why don't they have the single coil pickups...on TOP of the pick guard...where they swivel in small "clicks" that hold them in place?

 

You could have small holes in the pick guard under the center of each pickup to allow for the wires and to hold the pickup in place and allow it to swivel.

 

The tonal options would be limitless.

 

Randy

[Windjammer]

Hey...why don't they have the single coil pickups...on TOP of the pick guard...where they swivel in small "clicks" that hold them in place?

 

You could have small holes in the pick guard under the center of each pickup to allow for the wires and to hold the pickup in place and allow it to swivel.

 

The tonal options would be limitless.

 

Randy

 

That's a great idea. With 3 pickups on a strat that could swivelled like that...maybe you should patent it?

[LeftyBlues]

Caeven you are correct: "Jimi Hendrix got that partly by accident, flipping his Strats over and restringing 'em to play left-handed." When I started playing again 8-9 years ago I was happily surprised to find left handed strats in local shops. One guy told me they made them because you right handers kept asking for them to get the Hendrix sound. So thanks from this Lefty to you guys for making our lives easier! I like the rotating p/up idea too.