"Modern stagger" Fender pickups

[Tony Done]

There was a MIA Fender in for repair at my mate's store at the weekend, and
I noticed that it had "modern stagger" pickups, ie pole heights
approximately 123212 bass to treble. Can anyone tell me what the model of
guitar and/or pickups would be?

Thanks,

Tony D

[LULU]

======================================

Fender uses variations of their staggered pickup design across the
Strat and Tele lines. I haven't seen a lot of Tele's with staggered
pickups, but they're out there. I'm not sure if staggered pickups are
offered on additional Fender models. I've seen a couple Fender basses
with staggered pickups, but didn't get a closer look to see if they
were original. There are a lot of after market pickups made with a
staggered design. Seymour Duncan for example. Fender's Custom Shop
Fat '50s are staggered with beveled polepieces. I'm sure that Fender
must offer several pickup models that have staggered polepieces since
they have been available again beginning around 1980.

Good Luck,
Lulu : )

Staggered Polepieces: Why?
http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=482

========================================

[jimmy]

On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:03:58 +1000, "Tony Done" <tony...@bigpond.com>
wrote:

Co-incidentally, I was looking at an ad this AM for a MIA fender HSS
loaded picguard. Diamondbach humbucker and "2 Custom-Staggered
Tex-Mex Single-Coil Strat Pickups (Neck and Middle)"

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN0110102

The guy only wants $50 for it so I'm trying to get it. Got a couple
old roadstars on the workbench.

tony

[Squier]

could be most anything.
Fender has been using that stagger in MIA Strats
since 1987. Unless it is a vintage re-issue or FSR (Fender Special Run)
or some other limited run or MIA model then that stagger is what
you'll most likely find on MIA Strats since 1987 that use the
standard Alnico single coils or most Tex. pups.
Actually you might see slight variations from what you mentioned
as in: 123211 <--- many times the high E 6th string is same height as 5th.

anyways - you'd have to measure resistance ohms or output millivolts
to know better what pickup it is. The Tex. pups have more output
than the standard Alnicos. And custom shop alnico single coil
pups can be all over the dial
from vintage 5k to 7.5k overwinds.

you have to custom order flat pole (no height difference) pups
from fender custom shop for MIA Strats and either put them in
yourself or in the case of a complete Fender Custom Shop order
then specify a flat pole design.

The only flat pole pups that can come as standard
on MIA Fenders now are on Telecaster bridge pups.
Although Fender has occasionally released staggered
pole pups on Tele bridges. But turn your head for a moment
and the next production run (within the same year) goes with
the tried and true flat pole Tele bridge.

[Tony Done]

"Squier" wrote in message news:300120121449131682%squ...@strats.net...

*************

Thanks, I hadn't noticed before. I'll have a look at a few more at the w/e.
I had kind of assumed that they were mostly vintage stagger, 123412, so
hadn't bothered looking any closer. What about MIMs and MIJs?

Tony D

[Tony Done]

"Tony Done" wrote in message news:jg6smh$ba7$1...@dont-email.me...

*****************

A Google search only came up with a discussion and pics of vintage (high G
pole) stagger. Am I the only one who generally finds the plain 3rd string
too hot on flat pole and vintage stagger pickups?

Tony D

[RichL]

"Tony Done" <tony...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:jg6u95$lgm$1...@dont-email.me...

> Am I the only one who generally finds the plain 3rd string too hot on flat
> pole and vintage stagger pickups?

Nope. That was one of the motivating factors that led me to get the Fralin
steel-poled pickups with adjustable pole pieces.

[Bruce Morgen]

Gotta love Lindy's marketing
-- I guess "steel-poled" comes
off sexier than "ceramic-
magneted" (not that there's
anything wrong with ceramic
magnets properly employed, of
course).

[Tony Done]

On Jan 31, 7:42 am, "RichL" <rpleav...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "Tony Done" <tonyd...@bigpond.com> wrote in message

**********

I've gone the P90-style route, though my bitsa strat currently has two
Ibanez Excel fiber endplate modern stagger SCs that were generously
given to me by one of the regulars here. - I like them a lot.

'Course if they are plastic bobbins you can always poke the ploles
about., which I have done many times on cheap pickups. Which really
leads to the next question. - How many Fenders pickups have fiber
endplates these days? Hypothetically, I would by a guiitar with
vintage stagger pickups if I knew that they were plastic bobbin.

Tony D

[Squier]

that's why I like the modern stagger where that 3rd plain 'G' string
has the pole lowered. Also ends a lot of piercing nonsense when
playing with overdrive and higher gain. The 3 and 4th strings smooth
out with each other together much better when chording with the way
the modern stagger is. And the 5th and 6th strings behave in overdrive
and higher gain without getting brittle.

_
_ _ _
low E _ _ _ _ _ _ high E 6th

kinda like a pyramid shape.
that's the typical Fender modern stagger 1-2-3-2-1-1
and in fact - sometimes that 3rd plain G string can be a little lower than '2'
I like the modern stagger. Lots better for all around sounds than
vintage stagger.

anyways - the 'vintage' stagger and flat pole single pups on a strat
really suck for playing modern overdriven or higher gain stuff or
even moderate overdrive stuff. Viintage staggers are too piercing
and 'pop' everything too much on the plain strings for chording in
heavier music. (imho). Now to be fair, a lot of players back in the day
when what we call the 'vintage' stagger was the normal way Fender did it,
they played with wound 3rd strings. Not everyone, but apparently the
change to just about everyone using plain 3rd string wasn't quite there yet.

[Nil]

On 30 Jan 2012, "Tony Done" <tony...@bigpond.com> wrote in
alt.guitar:

> Am I the only one who generally finds the
> plain 3rd string too hot on flat pole and vintage stagger pickups?

I'm sure you're not the only one, but I've never found it to be a
problem. I don't go out of my way to avoid them.

[Flasherly]

On Jan 30, 10:51 pm, Squier <squ...@strats.net> wrote:
>Viintage staggers are too piercing
> and 'pop' everything too much on the plain strings for chording in
> heavier music. (imho). Now to be fair, a lot of players back in the day
> when what we call the 'vintage' stagger was the normal way Fender did it,
> they played with wound 3rd strings. Not everyone, but apparently the
> change to just about everyone using plain 3rd string wasn't quite there yet.

Think I've a dozen Fender packs w/ wound 3rds down in the bottom of
the "Box of Tubes" -- kind'a like those coke-bottle KT88s (four times
more expensive now than what I paid) I rarely swap for 6L6s into a
GV40 Pignose -- odd occasions for John Mayall Bluesbreaker's retro,
man. Rogue, though, sure put its foot down since when buying
discounted individual strings by the gross. Been so long since I
pulled a Fender pack out, be curious to check the G's longevity and
intonation for old-time's sake. Thanks for the reminder. (Oh - ran
into a performer using a premium fishing line for unwound guitar
strings. Known, I suppose, indulgently classical.)

[Tony Done]

"Nil" wrote in message news:Xns9FEB18B...@127.0.0.1...

*******
It could be related to the fact that I am an acoustic fingerpicker
primarily, and those hot spots remind me of wolf tones or strong resonances
in acoustic guitars. They often occur in inexpensive acoustics, and are a
real turnoff for me. That could have a lot to do with my great liking for
Matons, which mostly sound tight, some would say overbraced.

Tony D

[Tony Done]

"Andy" wrote in message news:835mv8...@fully.qualified.domain.name...

I actually sometimes miss that 'too hot' thing on the G - I mostly use
nickel .012-.054" sets with a wound third these days, and the G is quite
mellow/restrained.

It's certainly noticeable when I pick up my tele strung with .011s and a
plain third though, but not in an annoying way - almost seems like
it's part of the guitar's inherant 'voice' IMHO (which is already very
distinct compared to the Jazzmaster/s I use most of the time...)

A.

********************

One of the assistants in my mate's store reckons that the hot 3rd string is
popular with many younger players, because in his words, the melody is often
centered around that string. Mark B and I have been sparring over this
vintage stagger thing for years because he likes them.

Tony D

[JNugent]

On 31/01/2012 05:09, Nil wrote:

> "Tony Done"<tony...@bigpond.com> wrote:

>> Am I the only one who generally finds the
>> plain 3rd string too hot on flat pole and vintage stagger pickups?

> I'm sure you're not the only one, but I've never found it to be a
> problem. I don't go out of my way to avoid them.

I would never use a plain third string with a vintage stagger pickup.

Plain thirds are only really practical when the pickup has adjustable polepieces.

Flush-pole Fender pickups simply won't balance with *any* gauge of strings.
Work of the devil.

[JNugent]

On 01/02/2012 11:50, Andy wrote:

> Tony Done wrote:
>
>> "Andy" wrote in message news:835mv8...@fully.qualified.domain.name...
>

>>> "Tony Done"<tony...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
>>> news:jg6u95$lgm$1...@dont-email.me...
>>>
>>>> Am I the only one who generally finds the plain 3rd string too hot on
>>>> flat pole and vintage stagger pickups?
>

>> I actually sometimes miss that 'too hot' thing on the G - I mostly use
>> nickel .012-.054" sets with a wound third these days, and the G is quite
>> mellow/restrained.
>>
>> It's certainly noticeable when I pick up my tele strung with .011s and a
>> plain third though, but not in an annoying way - almost seems like
>> it's part of the guitar's inherant 'voice' IMHO (which is already very
>> distinct compared to the Jazzmaster/s I use most of the time...)
>>
>> A.
>>
>> ********************
>>
>> One of the assistants in my mate's store reckons that the hot 3rd string is
>> popular with many younger players, because in his words, the melody is often
>> centered around that string.
>

> Either that or it being all they're used to? Even with non-staggered
> poles I find a plain steel third stands out like dogs balls compared to
> the wound fourth string.

>
>> Mark B and I have been sparring over this
>> vintage stagger thing for years because he likes them.
>

> Ha!
>
> You may be appalled at the, erm, 'stagger' of the Jazzmaster pickups I
> had wound then :-D

> (fixed width font required)
>
> =
> = = = = =
> E A D G B E

Do you make them for sale? Or do you mean you ordered them (and if so, from
whom, please)?

I currently have a JM I'm looking to upgrade. Previously (on other examples
of the JM and the Jagmaster), I've used modded P90s. Do you have a vntage
style JM pickup with vintage stagger magnets?

No-one seems to offer them.

> I could probably still do with a _little bit more_ output from the wound
> third... Might try a couple of sets of nickel-wound/stainless strings
> the next time I put a string order in...

[Tony Done]

"JNugent" wrote in message news:9ot50k...@mid.individual.net...

*******************

I agree with all of that, but just to repeat something I wrote earlier - you
can easily adjust plastic bobbin poles. I make acoustic soundhole pickups
for phos bronze strings like that, and I also did it to a Blade tele, which
sold very quickly. So if you can find a JM pickup with a plastic bobbin.....

Tony D