The bridge pickup on a Stratocaster is angled for two main reasons:
- To compensate for the different string lengths: The strings on a guitar get shorter from the low E string to the high E string. This means that the lower strings vibrate at a slower frequency than the higher strings. Angling the bridge pickup brings it closer to the bridge for the lower strings and further away from the bridge for the higher strings. This helps to ensure that all of the strings have the same output level.
- To improve the tone: Angling the bridge pickup also helps to improve the tone of the guitar. The bridge pickup is typically brighter and more aggressive than the neck pickup, and the middle pickup falls somewhere in between. Angling the bridge pickup helps to blend the tones of the different pickups together, resulting in a more balanced and even sound.
In addition to these two main reasons, there are a few other potential benefits to angling the bridge pickup on a Stratocaster:
- Reduced feedback: Angling the bridge pickup can help to reduce feedback, which is a high-pitched squeal that can occur when the guitar is played too loudly. This is because the angled pickup is less likely to pick up the vibrations from the amplifier.
- Improved sustain: Angling the bridge pickup can also help to improve the sustain of the guitar. Sustain is the length of time that a note rings out after it is played. Angled pickups help to transfer the vibration of the strings to the body of the guitar more efficiently, resulting in better sustain.
- Increased versatility: The different tones of the bridge, middle, and neck pickups can be blended together in a variety of ways to create a wide range of sounds. This makes Stratocasters a popular choice for many different genres of music.
Overall, angling the bridge pickup is a design feature that has a number of benefits for Stratocasters. It helps to compensate for the different string lengths, improve the tone, reduce feedback, improve sustain, and increase versatility.
It is worth noting that some guitarists prefer to have their bridge pickups installed straight instead of angled. This is a matter of personal preference, and there is no right or wrong answer. However, for most players, the benefits of angling the bridge pickup outweigh the drawbacks.
