Slanted humbuckers

[milkchickenbomb]

Weird and probably stupid question.

First some background. I've been obsessed with slanted pickups since I was in high school, which was--let's just say--before Far Beyond Driven was released. I always thought the forward slant of the strat and Kramer pacer bridge pickups was "wrong" and the way Steve Stevens had his backwards slant on his Hamer was "right."

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference since I have a pretty shitty ear. BUT before I die, I really want to own a guitar with backwards slant on the bridge and neck pickups. Preferably both of them humbuckers. I know it's a stupid wish, but I really want this.

How do I get this? Preferably in a USA-made or Japan-made guitar? Seems like the old Hamers are priced pretty steep for what they are. I'm not a rich man, but could perhaps justify buying a reasonably priced custom like GMW if they offered something like that. I'd prefer a production guitar, but the only one I know of is the pawn shop supersonic which I am not a fan of. I think some old old ESPs had backwards slant, but they're probably too rich for my blood.

What say you?

 

[glip22]

Allot of the Multi-Scales have slants. Usually 10 degree. Don;t be afraid of a Multi-Scale. Better upper fret access. Deeper but not flubby lows.

 

[milkchickenbomb]

Allot of the Multi-Scales have slants. Usually 10 degree. Don;t be afraid of a Multi-Scale. Better upper fret access. Deeper but not flubby lows.

Aesthetically speaking, the pickups on many multiscale guitars are slanted backwards, but functionally speaking they are not. Relative to the angle of the bridge, the pickups are either straight or slanted forward:

Straight:

Forward slanted (slanted backwards visually, but slanted forwards relative to the bridge

I've never seen a multiscale guitar with a functional backwards slant to the pickups. Not too surprising since the bridge already has a backwards slant. If you know of any I'd be interested, though

 

[glip22]

Allot of the Multi-Scales have slants. Usually 10 degree. Don;t be afraid of a Multi-Scale. Better upper fret access. Deeper but not flubby lows.

Aesthetically speaking, the pickups on many multiscale guitars are slanted backwards, but functionally speaking they are not. Relative to the angle of the bridge, the pickups are either straight or slanted forward:

Straight:

Forward slanted (slanted backwards visually, but slanted forwards relative to the bridge

I've never seen a multiscale guitar with a functional backwards slant to the pickups. Not too surprising since the bridge already has a backwards slant. If you know of any I'd be interested, though

Not sure how that would affect the tone. I would think it would affect the tone negatively

 

[JakeAC5253]

Washburn SS100.

I assume you want a 6 string? This is probably close enough to what you want for novelty, but to get something that is properly done, many would argue that you require a 7 string pickup. This would make it so that you get proper spread of the pole pieces on the strings. This would likely mean contracting with a builder to get a custom guitar made.

 

[glip22]

I think he is looking for a pickup slanted in the opposite direction which is not something you see. I'm confused on what OP wants.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I think he is looking for a pickup slanted in the opposite direction which is not something you see. I'm confused on what OP wants.

The one that I linked is reverse slant. He wants this because reverse slant does the opposite of what a strat pickup does. A strat pickup slant gives big round bass strings and thin twangy high strings. He wants tight bass strings and rounded smooth high strings.

 

[neilli]

+1. Which makes complete sense IMO - thicken up the treble strings, and tighten the bass. BUT, I have an SS-80, and in reality, the backwards angled pickups don't really make much tonal difference that I can tell.

 

[milkchickenbomb]

Washburn SS100.

I assume you want a 6 string? This is probably close enough to what you want for novelty, but to get something that is properly done, many would argue that you require a 7 string pickup. This would make it so that you get proper spread of the pole pieces on the strings. This would likely mean contracting with a builder to get a custom guitar made.

Why? Didn't EVH slant his pickup to span the string spacing of the trem? Isn't this why f-spaced humbuckers exist? Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post, but it seems that putting a slanted 7-sting pickup under six strings would be way too wide.

Btw what you have in the pic is exactly what I'm looking for.

The one that I linked is reverse slant. He wants this because reverse slant does the opposite of what a strat pickup does. A strat pickup slant gives big round bass strings and thin twangy high strings. He wants tight bass strings and rounded smooth high strings.

this is exactly what I mean. Thanks for stating it in a more understandable way.

+1. Which makes complete sense IMO - thicken up the treble strings, and tighten the bass. BUT, I have an SS-80, and in reality, the backwards angled pickups don't really make much tonal difference that I can tell.

[/quote][/quote]

Yes, like many of the grails of tone we chase, I fully expect that it won't make a difference that I could distinguish in a blind test. But I don't care. This is a feature I've desired for decades, and it will at least be a placebo of sorts, and make me believe my tone is better. Pretty much like 80% of the shit we buy.

 

[sytharnia1560]

all I know is I have 2 guitars that are set up like Jake E Lee's with the slanted neck and middle pick ups and they are the only guitars I own where the middle pick up is usable...in fact they sound GREAT which isn't something I have ever been able to say about a middle pick up.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Why? Didn't EVH slant his pickup to span the string spacing of the trem? Isn't this why f-spaced humbuckers exist? Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post, but it seems that putting a slanted 7-sting pickup under six strings would be way too wide.

Yes, but then again 7 string pickups weren't an option then, neither were F spaced PAFs, so he made do with what was available. Assuming that the pickup is properly spaced for the guitar that it is installed in, angling it pushes both pole pieces away from the low and high strings to either direction as well as throw off the balance of every other pole piece pair. In addition to having an extra bobbin pair, 7 string pickups have a slightly smaller bobbin spacing, so putting a 7 string pickup in the guitar will cause one additional pole piece to act on the lowest and highest strings, but should also create a more balanced magnetic field across all strings due to tighter concentration of bobbins. I am not a guitar luthier, but I have a long history in electronic engineering and I've modded many guitars and this is just what I have gathered from my research. I reserve the right to be wrong, but this makes sense to me.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

pretty much useless since F-spaced pickups came out.

Personally they bug me and I'd never own a guitar with a slanted bride pickup unless it is a standard strat pickup although I thought Jake E Lee's mid ans neck look kinda cool slanted

 

[glip22]

I think scale length makes the most difference. My Multi-Scale 6 has a slanted bridge without slanted pickups so the pole pieces are further away from the bridge on the bass side. The guitar has great tight lows. If it please you aesthetically go for it but tonally I don't think it will make allot of difference tonally. Many more variables that affect the tone.

 

[milkchickenbomb]

all I know is I have 2 guitars that are set up like Jake E Lee's with the slanted neck and middle pick ups and they are the only guitars I own where the middle pick up is usable...in fact they sound GREAT which isn't something I have ever been able to say about a middle pick up.

I've drooled over that guitar many a time. If the bridge pup was slanted like the others I'd have wrangled the cash for it long ago. Anyhoo, is there anything unique about the middle pup besides the slant that could be responsible for the great sound you get from it?

 

[milkchickenbomb]

I think scale length makes the most difference. My Multi-Scale 6 has a slanted bridge without slanted pickups so the pole pieces are further away from the bridge on the bass side. The guitar has great tight lows. If it please you aesthetically go for it but tonally I don't think it will make allot of difference tonally. Many more variables that affect the tone.

thanks but again that's not what I'm looking for. I did address the fact that I'd probably not be able to hear the difference on a couple occasions. The various things that affect tone are an interesting discussion possibly suitable for a different thread.

I started this thread to see if anyone could point be in the direction of a Japan or US made guitar with backwards slanted pups. If anyone knows of a model that's been produced that I can look for on eBay or reverb, or a custom builder who could accommodate that request, please share your helpful info.

 

[milkchickenbomb]

Anyone?

 

[godgrinder]

I started this thread to see if anyone could point be in the direction of a Japan or US made guitar with backwards slanted pups. If anyone knows of a model that's been produced that I can look for on eBay or reverb, or a custom builder who could accommodate that request, please share your helpful info.

If you have a strat with a generous pickup routing you can get someone to make you a new pickguard with the slant you want. Probably the easiest way.

 

[neilli]

Anyone?

The Washburn SS80 has back angled pickups and is US made with Duncans and a Schaller Floyd. The SS40 is Korean (I think?) and has import level hardware and pickups.

 

[neilli]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1992-Washburn-S ... SwUKxYYqUs

 

[sytharnia1560]

Anyhoo, is there anything unique about the middle pup besides the slant that could be responsible for the great sound you get from it?

nope, one lot are dimarzio sds 1's and the others are duncan quarter pounds. I have had them both installed "normal" and the middle position was always just a bit meh

I have had heaps of dudes play these guitars and they all say the same thing "WOW a middle position tone you can actually use"

Also I have position 4 wired to be bridge/neck and it sounds AWESOME