Why Install Angled (Slanted) Pickups for Fanned Fret Guitars?

We've been commissioned to build an increasing amount of fanned fret guitars over the years. Fanned fret guitars are like regular guitars except they have multiple scale lengths, which means the frets need to be installed at various angles in order for the notes to play in tune properly. But, there are additional design elements that need to be taken into consideration.

On a normal guitar, the frets and pickups are installed perpendicular to the center line of the neck. It looks good, it works well and we all accept it as normal.

Halo OCTAVIA with Normal Pickups and Normal Frets (not Fanned Frets)

But, on fanned fret guitars, we observe pickups being installed in a couple different ways. Sometimes they are installed perpendicular to the center line of the neck, other times at angles.

Halo OCTAVIA with Perpendicular Pickups and Fanned Frets

Halo OCTAVIA with Angled Pickups and Fanned Frets

The Benefits:

There are two good reasons for installing pickups at an angle on fanned fret guitars:

1. It looks good
2. It allows each pickup to respond in a similar way to how we'd expect them to respond

The bridge pickup will sound more like what we've come to expect a bridge pickup to sound like across all the strings, and the neck pickup will sound more like what we've come to expect a neck pickup to sound like across all the strings. We can understand why this is if we first understand how pickups sound, in general, based on where they are installed on a guitar (specifically, their proximity to the bridge).

The basic rule is this: the closer a pickup is installed to the bridge, the brighter its tone will be; the further away a pickup is installed from the bridge, the less bright (warmer) its tone will be.

With angled pickups, the bridge pickup is installed closer to the bridge (especially noticeable for the lowest strings) and so it will produce a nice, bright sound, which is probably what you'd want from your bridge pickup if you're playing modern metal, hard rock, etc... To complement that, the neck pickup is installed further away from the bridge (especially noticeable for the higher strings) and so it'll produce the kind of warmth you'd probably want and expect out of your neck pickup.

Therefore, it's usually a good thing to install pickups at an angle on fanned fret guitars because of the cosmetic and tonal benefits.

Some Limitations & Drawbacks:

1. Not all pickups can be installed at an angle without causing significant problems
   1. If the pickup's pole pieces are exposed (visible), then often times they will not line up with the strings. This looks bad.
   2. If the pickup's magnetic field is too narrow, then the outermost strings will have a noticeable drop in output compared to the innermost strings. This is unacceptable and must be avoided.
2. Pickup options are limited. Pickup manufacturers only offer select models in "fanned-fret-friendly" configurations.

A Real World Example:

Halo SERAPHIM 7-String Fanned Fret Guitar

Halo SERAPHIM 7-String Fanned Fret Guitar Full

This is a Halo Seraphim 7-string fanned fret guitar with angled Seymour Duncan 8-string Pegasus and Sentient pickups. We had to install 8-string pickups in this 7-string guitar because the 7-string pickups' magnetic field is too narrow when installed at an angle, which would cause Problem 1B (described above). Then, we were able work around Problem 1A (described above) by working closely with the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop on some custom pickups options.

The pickups had to be customized in two ways. First, we had to request the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop to mount their 8-string Pegasus and Sentient pickups in their soap bar casing (active mount). Second, we had to specifically request that they do not allow the pickup poles to be exposed/visible, which was something they do not advertise or offer.

The result has been great cosmetically and tonally. But, don't take our word for it... here's what one of our customers recently said about his Seraphim 7-string, "... these passive Seymour Duncan Pegasus/Sentient pickups seem to have more tone and brutal bottom end than the active Blackouts I usually use... I may be converted to passive pickups now."

A Closer Look at the Pickups:

Seymour Duncan Pegasus 8-String Pickup in Soap Bar Case

Seymour Duncan Pegasus Sentient 8-String Pickup in Soap Bar Case

Please note: these Pegasus/Sentient passive pickups look just like Seymour Duncan Blackouts... but, they are not! Check out these side-by-side photos to be sure:

Blackouts on the left, Pegasus/Sentient on the right

Blackouts on the left, Pegasus/Sentient on the right

And that's why we normally install our pickups at an angle for our fanned fret guitars. This is not an absolute rule, though, as we've also installed pickups at a perpendicular angle on some of our fanned fret guitars (based on customer request).

Thanks for reading!