Pickup Pole Spacing Matcher

What this tool is for

Compare measured string spread with candidate outer-pole spacing and an explicit alignment tolerance. Pickup fit tools compare user-entered physical measurements. They do not maintain a product catalog, predict tone, or authorize routing, drilling, forced installation, or structural changes.

Use it when you can describe the current state and need a defensible next check. It is not a shortcut around inspection: preserve the starting state, change one variable, and verify the result under the same conditions.

Before you begin

Measure outer-string centers directly over the intended pickup location and obtain outer-pole centers from the current candidate drawing or the real part. Set a tolerance that reflects measurement resolution.

• Use a stable, tuned instrument unless the page specifically investigates tuning.
• Name the physical reference, unit, and test condition beside every important number.
• Keep the original measurements so any reversible change can be returned to baseline.

Input guide

Input and display unit

sets the interpretation and display unit; do not mix units elsewhere in the same run.

Outer-string spread over pickup

supplies a measured geometric quantity whose datum and resolution should be written down.

Candidate outer-pole spread

supplies a measured geometric quantity whose datum and resolution should be written down.

Allowed mismatch per side

provides a measured or counted input; confirm the allowed range and repeat the reading before relying on it.

Input labels describe evidence, not targets. A placeholder demonstrates format only; it is never a recommendation for a particular guitar.

How the result should be read

Read the result as an alignment screen only. Check whether the pickup is actually centered and whether it uses rails, blades, large poles, or a magnetic aperture that makes visual alignment less relevant.

Read priorities from top to bottom, but stop as soon as new evidence contradicts an earlier assumption. Save or print the result ticket with the entered conditions so another person can reproduce the decision.

Method and logic

The tool subtracts string spread from pole spread, reports total absolute mismatch and half of that mismatch at each outer side under a centered assumption, then compares it with the entered tolerance.

The page keeps calculation and diagnostic claims deliberately bounded. Display rounding improves readability, while the underlying logic uses entered values; descriptive branches report relative tendencies and the evidence needed to confirm them.

Worked example

A 52 mm string spread and 50 mm pole spread create 2 mm total mismatch, or 1 mm per outer side if centered. A 1 mm tolerance includes the boundary but does not prove body fit.

The example demonstrates reasoning, not a universal setup specification. Substitute real measurements and repeat the final test before accepting the next action.

Assumptions and limitations

Pole alignment does not predict tone, output balance, or magnetic aperture. It cannot verify covers, rings, baseplates, routes, mounting hardware, wire exits, or installed height.

Instrument design, service history, measurement error, and player technique can outweigh a calculator or checklist. Where manufacturer instructions exist for the exact hardware, use those instructions and record the revision consulted.

Safety and stop conditions

Stop for abnormal resistance, cracking, heat, odor, electrical sensation, moving wood or joints, a measurement that cannot be repeated, or any step that would remove material without a confirmed cause. Secure strings and stored mechanical energy before hardware work. Refer structural, fret-cutting, mains-powered, or uncertain repairs to a qualified technician.

Related workflow

• String Spread at Pickup Projector — Project measured outer-string spread at a pickup location without assuming a bridge or pickup standard.
• Pickup Ring & Mount Fit Checker — Check pickup-to-ring opening clearance and existing-versus-candidate screw-center spans.
• Pickup Height Setup Planner — Record bass/treble pickup clearance and plan balanced listening tests.

Open the related page that answers the next unresolved question; do not run every tool as if every system needs adjustment.