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As we all know, the bridge pickup on the strat is angled and so the pole piece magnets do not sit directly under the high E and low E strings.Whilst making minor adjustments to my guitar, I noticed that as a result of the strings being over the edges of the magnets that the up and down strokes produced a very noticeable difference in tone on the Low E and High E strings.Particularly the low E.The initial direction the pick pulls the string was making it sound full in one direction and thin in the other.Similar with the high E string.As both of these strings sit right near the magnet edges.Funny how I never really noticed before just how much difference there is!
Try it.It may be less of a problem on guitars with the closer string spacing bridge but is very noticeable on my 63 strat.

Hi Stuart. I have a Fender Highway One Strat (circa 2002), the original PUs for the the hi & low string magnets were nicely centered under the string. Not too long ago I sent for a Kinman PU and despite having to state the string placement measurements at the bridge, the magnets do not sit directly beneath the high and low E strings. It bothers me somewhat but thats the way it is right now. John

Hi John, looking at your picture I would say that the problem is more exaggerated on my old strat.The low E string sits right at the edge of the pole piece.As previously mentioned, the problem probably doesn't occur on the narrower string spacing of the Squier , that is assuming that the pickup pole pieces are still of the same original spacing.

Well the polepiece spacing on the Strat has always been 52mm. I have come across the occasional aftermarket set where they adjust the spacing on the neck pup and sometimes the middle also - but never one where they've done that on the one that really needs it!

Hi Stuart,
Your post has prompted me to look at my Fender Mexican repro of a '59 Strat. The spacing is as you have noted on your "63 Strat. It could be corrected if it were possible to have slightly narrower bridge saddles for the high and low E strings. I have not heard or read of such saddles being privately or commercially available, so there may be another tech type reason why not? (May affect the spacing on the neck pickup?).

Could string height over the pole pieces be a factor in what you are hearing as a difference in the up and down strokes? I know that there is advice on the Net concerning string height, but I have never had to adjust mine due to the sound produced, but have paid more attention to the string height over the frets for reasons of intonation, a cleaner sound and to avoid "fret bounce".

Which, by the way, has reminded me that my first guitar tutor back in "62, played a Gibson (looked like 335 but had a tailpiece) and insisted on a very low action to give a clunky sound, like the Liverpool bands preferred. Took me years to work out how to get a cleaner sound for Shadows type numbers!

KIndest regards,
Christopher