Pickups and Floyd Rose

[elithraldor]

If you have a Floyd Rose system you are supposed to get a special sized bridge pickup. But what about the middle and neck pickup? Is there any need for these two, too be spaced for Floyd Rose?

[ChrisK]

The easy answer is just to measure the E to E string spread at these points of interest. A normal humbucker is about 50mm (1.95'ish"). An F-spaced (for Fender) humbucker is about 52mm (2 1/16").

I often use F-spaced pickups in at least the middle position on the guitars that I build since I use 1 3/4" to 1 7/8" nut widths. This widens the string spread from the other end.

[guitarmole]

Floyd Roses and copies come with .420" string spacing, so 2.100" total. The real Floyd Rose makes a Pro that is commonly copied as a "lo pro" but the Floyd Rose Pro has .400" string spacing at the bridge, .100" narrower. I don't think the licenced lo pro units have the narrower string spacing.

Truth be told, there is no perfectly spaced pickup. If the bridge and nut are different, the best you can do is get the "closest one" because pickup routes on guitars are not at the exact same locations on the body. I don't think my ears would be good enough (or care) to tell the difference between several sixteenths of an inch in slug placement as well but that is my personal limitations/abilities. I suppose you can somewhat compensate by adjusting pole piece height as well (if an option).