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Post subject: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:47 pm
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I have some custom shop 60s but would like a bit more meat from the sound with out losing that classic strat clean sound. I'm thinking of the fat 50s ????


Last edited by Jimiroberts on Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:17 pm
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Try a baseplate from Callahan. A LOT cheaper than new sets of pickups. If someone would link to Martian's opinion/processes on baseplates, it'd be better than my stripped down explanation of it attributing more of the tone to the mid/bass frequencies, giving a "fatter" tone.

Martian wrote:
I figure I'll put my two cents in:

Essentially, a base plate serves three functions:

1. Ferromagnetic
2. Electrodynamic
3. Increased shielding

It should be noted the ferrous or words such as #1 above mean the metal is composed of and/or predominantly derived from iron.

Mr. Fender used copper plated steel base plates on the Tele bridge pickups in order to stabilize and increase the magnetic pull of the Alnico III polepieces. The steel was copper plated to retard the steel's oxidization and as most know, copper is an excellent conductor. Ferromagnetic steel plates increase coil inductance akin to mimicking more winds of the coil.

The steel of itself aids in the transmission of the strings through the base plate to the bridge plate via the height adjustment screws and here is where the Tele 'twang' is born. Of note is the obvious fact that this twang will not manifest itself by merely putting a base plate on and in a Strat pickup in a Strat pickguard.

As I've said many times, eddy currents are created when anything is added into the circuit's magnetic field. In this case, base plates made of steel, copper , brass and/or aluminum will create eddy currents. These eddy currents invariably shift the tonality of the affected pickup(s) towards mids and lows where it will be most noticeable with a bridge pickup. Consequently, the better conductivity of the metal(s) used for the base plate, its thickness, etc, will all shape the final tonality of the pickup it is teamed with.

In summation: Only 'regular' steel base plates fulfill the three functions as I've stated above. Brass, copper and aluminum are not ferrous metals and therefore, meet only functions 2 and 3. Lastly, the most common forms of stainless steel used with guitar hardware only meet function 3 as stainless steel's inherent properties largely negate any ferrous influence.


Edit: Aha, found it. Creds to Martian.

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1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:46 am
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Jimiroberts wrote:
I have some custom shop 60s but would like a bit more meat from the sound with out losing that classic strat clean sound. I'm thinking of the fat 50s ????


I think you got it, FAT50s are exactly that.... at least in my setup strat through 6V6 Fender amp.


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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:54 am
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You want meat and mean stratty tone ? Texas Specials FTW!


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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:27 pm
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Is ther any wiring involved with them base plates ?


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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:23 pm
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Getting Grounded
Image
In order to take advantage of the extra shielding a baseplate can provide, it needs to be connected to ground. To accomplish this, simply solder a piece of wire to the baseplate (as shown in the picture above) and connect it to ground, such as the back of a pot, or a solder terminal of the ground wire of the pickup itself – often the black one.


Very little, compared to buying and installing the pickups yourself. :wink:

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano


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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:08 am
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Jones.Ayyy wrote:
Try a baseplate from Callahan. A LOT cheaper than new sets of pickups. If someone would link to Martian's opinion/processes on baseplates, it'd be better than my stripped down explanation of it attributing more of the tone to the mid/bass frequencies, giving a "fatter" tone.

Martian wrote:
I figure I'll put my two cents in:

Essentially, a base plate serves three functions:

1. Ferromagnetic
2. Electrodynamic
3. Increased shielding

It should be noted the ferrous or words such as #1 above mean the metal is composed of and/or predominantly derived from iron.

Mr. Fender used copper plated steel base plates on the Tele bridge pickups in order to stabilize and increase the magnetic pull of the Alnico III polepieces. The steel was copper plated to retard the steel's oxidization and as most know, copper is an excellent conductor. Ferromagnetic steel plates increase coil inductance akin to mimicking more winds of the coil.

The steel of itself aids in the transmission of the strings through the base plate to the bridge plate via the height adjustment screws and here is where the Tele 'twang' is born. Of note is the obvious fact that this twang will not manifest itself by merely putting a base plate on and in a Strat pickup in a Strat pickguard.

As I've said many times, eddy currents are created when anything is added into the circuit's magnetic field. In this case, base plates made of steel, copper , brass and/or aluminum will create eddy currents. These eddy currents invariably shift the tonality of the affected pickup(s) towards mids and lows where it will be most noticeable with a bridge pickup. Consequently, the better conductivity of the metal(s) used for the base plate, its thickness, etc, will all shape the final tonality of the pickup it is teamed with.

In summation: Only 'regular' steel base plates fulfill the three functions as I've stated above. Brass, copper and aluminum are not ferrous metals and therefore, meet only functions 2 and 3. Lastly, the most common forms of stainless steel used with guitar hardware only meet function 3 as stainless steel's inherent properties largely negate any ferrous influence.


Edit: Aha, found it. Creds to Martian.


Couldn't have said it better myself! :lol:

Also and very important: When installing the plate, allow wax (such as from a burning, dripping candle) to permeate in between the entire bottom of the pickup and the plate. This will eliminate any air gaps and looseness between the two, thus preventing the pickup from squealing like a pig at moderate to high volumes.

CAUTION: Take reasonable care when working with (in)flammable materiel. Failure to do so may cause personal injury and damage to property. Your mileage shall NOT vary on this one!

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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 9:54 pm
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Just a wonder I have , I bought a set minus the neck pickup of fat 50s , after talking to my guitar guy he told me there is not much difference between the bridge and neck and if I couldn’t find a reasonably priced neck 50s he had a bridge fat 50s I could put in the neck , so I bought it from him and then got to looking at the lindy frailin baseplate forca deeper neck tone with the bridge pickup in the neck , at least there would be a sonic difference between the two right ? Has anyone tried this with any success ? I love to experiment and have built many many strats with different pickup configs and have come up with some cool sounds by adjusting pickup height etc. whaddya think ?


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Post subject: Re: 60s vs fat 50s pickups
Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 11:49 pm
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I've never tried the exact configuration you've mentioned but I have installed hotter-than-normal pickups in a Strat's neck position because I often use that pickup for solos (a la Clapton during his Cream days). I do have a guitar equipped with the Fat '50s set and I really enjoy them. I see no reason why you couldn't install a second bridge pickup at the neck position in lieu of the standard Fat '50s coil. Be sure to report your findings, however it turns out.

Arjay

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