This flat-pole version of our Vintage Staggered for Strat delivers a shimmering tone for guitars with flatter fingerboards and lighter string gauges. The Vintage Flat for Stratocaster delivers all the chime and sparkle of our Vintage Staggered Strat model, but has flat alnico 5 rod magnets that provide a more even string balance for modern guitars with a larger neck radius, and players using lighter gauge strings. The flat poles also give this pickup a little less edge for an overall smoother tone. The middle pickup is reverse wound, reverse polarity to provide hum-canceling operation in positions 2 & 4, along with the perfect clucky in-between sound. Use a full set for a truly vintage vibe or use in the neck & middle with a Custom Flat in the bridge for a more rocking setup. If purchased as a calibrated set, the bridge pickup is wound slightly hotter for better overall balance between positions.Aside from the flat pole pieces, we use all of the same materials to build these as we do our vintage Fender style single coil pickups. We start by assembling the bobbins with the proper color and thickness of Forbon flatwork, and we hand file the flatwork, assemble, and lacquer our bobbins just as it was done during Fenders Golden Age. This pickup is potted and comes complete with waxed and tinned cloth pushback hook-up wires and traditional keyed bottom plate.