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  • #1

    I've realized:

    That I can't adjust pickup height/pole pieces to save my life. I'll fiddle around with a humbucker and find something "tolerable" but I quickly move on to just playing on my neck pickup until I finally decide to move on to the next adjustments that I may or may not be satisfied with.

    The pickup in question is still my sh-5. Is it time to move on and try another bucker? I like the feel of the custom so I'd love to get this thing straight. If not, then maybe I'll have to buy something else.
     Originally Posted by DreX

     I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.
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  • #2
    Re: I've realized:

    lol What are you trying to tweak by adjusting the height?

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: I've realized:

      Note definition mostly. The screw piece adjustments don't seem to do anything, man. Its kinda weird. Its like no matter the adjustments I make I cannot get the strings to have an even volume so its either sharp and piercing, or muddy as hell.
       Originally Posted by DreX

       I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: I've realized:

        hrmmmm... what's your entire rig consist of? (I know it might seem like overkill to even ask that, but bear with me...)

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: I've realized:

          Originally posted by CTN View Post
          hrmmmm... what's your entire rig consist of? (I know it might seem like overkill to even ask that, but bear with me...)
          Its a good question to ask.

          Pickups are a custom and a 59n loaded into an Ibanez arx300, (an artist essentially so mahogany body/neck with rosewood fretboard), the amp I'm currently using is a 5w bugera tube amp. The amp itself is pretty nice honestly considering the my 65DRRI is currently out of service. For high gain tones I've been using an EMMA pisdiyauwot.

          The amp may be the issue but I have an lp junior with a stock humbucker and it doesn't sound too bad through the same rig. My tele seems to do fine with it as well.
           Originally Posted by DreX

           I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: I've realized:

            I've found that string imbalance seems worse the closer the pickup gets the strings. Try setting the poles flat, lower the whole pickup, and then turning your amp up to compensate for the decrease in volume.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: I've realized:

              Originally posted by Big Flannel View Post
              Its a good question to ask.

              Pickups are a custom and a 59n loaded into an Ibanez arx300, (an artist essentially so mahogany body/neck with rosewood fretboard), the amp I'm currently using is a 5w bugera tube amp. The amp itself is pretty nice honestly considering the my 65DRRI is currently out of service. For high gain tones I've been using an EMMA pisdiyauwot.

              The amp may be the issue but I have an lp junior with a stock humbucker and it doesn't sound too bad through the same rig. My tele seems to do fine with it as well.
              Yeah for the most part it should all be fine. My only thought is that the mahogany body/neck and rosewood fretboard are attenuating a lot of the frequencies associated with attack and note definition. But then again, if you want surgical tightness, the Custom is the wrong pickup for that. I had a Custom in a set neck ibanez which was also mahogany neck/body and rosewood fretboard, and had much the same problem. I eventually changed out the polepieces for hex-head polepieces like on the Full Shred and that helped a lot.

              Put a whole bunch of warm woods like mahogany and rosewood together without anything to balance them out, and you're going to get a naturally smoother/rounder/warmer guitar.

              In terms of fixes, try raising the polepieces a bit higher than normal (try to get them radiused to the same string radius as your bridge), then lowering the whole pickup a bit. But also do this while playing so you can make small adjustments as you go.

              or get a Full Shred - the wind is very similar to the Custom, but the double rows of hex-head polepieces makes it surgically tight. Great note definition even in warm guitars.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: I've realized:

                Originally posted by CTN View Post
                Yeah for the most part it should all be fine. My only thought is that the mahogany body/neck and rosewood fretboard are attenuating a lot of the frequencies associated with attack and note definition. But then again, if you want surgical tightness, the Custom is the wrong pickup for that. I had a Custom in a set neck ibanez which was also mahogany neck/body and rosewood fretboard, and had much the same problem. I eventually changed out the polepieces for hex-head polepieces like on the Full Shred and that helped a lot.

                Put a whole bunch of warm woods like mahogany and rosewood together without anything to balance them out, and you're going to get a naturally smoother/rounder/warmer guitar.

                In terms of fixes, try raising the polepieces a bit higher than normal (try to get them radiused to the same string radius as your bridge), then lowering the whole pickup a bit. But also do this while playing so you can make small adjustments as you go.

                or get a Full Shred - the wind is very similar to the Custom, but the double rows of hex-head polepieces makes it surgically tight. Great note definition even in warm guitars.
                I hear ya, man. I wouldn't say that I want a surgically tight pickup because whereas I like to play some metal, I play alot more of blues and stoner-rock style guitar. I'll try lowering it, and trying to match the radius.

                If that doesn't solve my dilemma, (which it might), do you have a suggestion as to what you'd look for next?
                 Originally Posted by DreX

                 I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: I've realized:

                  if that doesn't work, see if you can get a hole of some hex head screws to use as replacement polepieces. It'll tighten things up for sure.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: I've realized:

                    I too think you should lower the whole pickup then start over. I have the sneaking suspicion that the ceramic being so close to the strings is messing with your dynamics.
                    “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: I've realized:

                      So I lowered the pickup and raised the screws a higher than usual and its definitely better. Not quite where I want it to be though. I'm going to leave it alone for a while and I'll get back to you guys.

                      I will say that the clean tone with bothe pickups selected sounds really good now.
                       Originally Posted by DreX

                       I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: I've realized:

                        take out the magnet and install an alnico 5.
                        "Technique is really the elimination of the unneccessary ... it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to acheive the smooth flow of energy and intent"
                        Yehudi Menuhin

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: I've realized:

                          We'll figure it out, man. Let's get together sometime this week, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: I've realized:

                            Originally posted by formula73 View Post
                            We'll figure it out, man. Let's get together sometime this week, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday.
                            Fo sho'. I'm working both days so lemme know what your schedule looks like
                             Originally Posted by DreX

                             I don't mean to be a jerk, but some people bring out my compartmentalized rage, and I think that's their idea of victory. I wouldn't bother asking people to be civil on the internet though, just hide them in my basement and move on. Call the authorities any time you feel it necessary.

                            Comment

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