Pickup adjusting

[dave74]

Re: Pickup adjusting

I do it with my ears, basically the same as mincer posted.
Bridge first (with neck waaay down out of the zone), then I bring the neck up to blend w/ bridge as nicely as possible.

[Larioso]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Start with 2.4mm from strings, when they are fretted on last fret.
2.4mm height in neck seems a good guide to not have string pull from pickups.

Then I usually connect guitar with a mixer with meters - and pick frenetically on high E string and adjust mixer fader so that become 0 dB as peaks.
Then I do the same on low E and adjust pickup that side until peak become 0 dB as well.
Then I get good balance between strings and string separation as some put it.

Think about it - way much more mass on low E string will generate higher signal in pickup.

If any string in between deviate too much I might adjust pole screws as needed.

Then do equal adjustment 1/2 to full turn of height screws on both sides of bridge pickup to keep that balance to have volume as you like it between neck and bridge. Some want more power on bridge for soloing, I prefer have the same perceived level just about - so not any compressor or other pedal freak out switching pickup.

And you can also go for moving pickup down, and pole screws up more - that will brighten sound a bit. Could be enough like for neck pickup instead of switching pickup. It's almost as much as going from 59´model to Jazz doing that trick.

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Start with whatever published spec you feel appropriate. Then adjust until it sounds awesome to you.


As for set on 8/10...


Depends on the pickup, the pot, and the amp tone. If pot value changes enough from 8-10 sure. Some change very little. If the pup is hot enough, sure. And...I play with a good amount of distortion, so my sound is compressed enough that it wouldn't change. On a clean amp, it m night make a big difference. On an amp without much headroom, it might be very noticeable as you'd go into breakup.

I always use a boost pedal or switch on the amp. I usually just want louder.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Just want to ask....
When we talk about measurements from the bottom of the string to pickup, are we measuring to the top of the screw or to the actual plastic bobbin?

[David Garner]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Just want to ask....
When we talk about measurements from the bottom of the string to pickup, are we measuring to the top of the screw or to the actual plastic bobbin?

Top of the polepiece (the screw on a humbucker, the round metal things sticking out of the cover on a Strat, etc.).

[beaubrummels]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Just want to ask....
When we talk about measurements from the bottom of the string to pickup, are we measuring to the top of the screw or to the actual plastic bobbin?

Fwiw I measure from the bobbin top next to the screws (because the screws are at all different heights) to the bottom/underside of the string. Basically the gap.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Top of the polepiece (the screw on a humbucker, the round metal things sticking out of the cover on a Strat, etc.).

Fwiw I measure from the bobbin top next to the screws (because the screws are at all different heights) to the bottom/underside of the string. Basically the gap.

Ahhh....see.
This is why I asked. I always measured from the pole piece to the bottom of the string but it recently dawned on me that the poles aren’t always the same height. Thus, the question.

[jeremy]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Start with whatever published spec you feel appropriate. Then adjust until it sounds awesome to you.


As for set on 8/10...


Depends on the pickup, the pot, and the amp tone. If pot value changes enough from 8-10 sure. Some change very little. If the pup is hot enough, sure. And...I play with a good amount of distortion, so my sound is compressed enough that it wouldn't change. On a clean amp, it m night make a big difference. On an amp without much headroom, it might be very noticeable as you'd go into breakup.

I always use a boost pedal or switch on the amp. I usually just want louder.

thats correct. i come from it from the other side though. i play plenty with just a guitar->cord->small amp cranked up so all my tonal variation comes from the guitar and how its played. i dont know about 8 and 10 but i use my volume control all the time, tone control a fair amount too. for example, on a particular amp it has volume and tone controls, i might set both at 7 which should give me a pretty overdriven tone and a fair amount of compression with the guitar full up but as i roll it back, it gets much cleaner. by the time its fully clean ive lost a little volume too but thats down at 3 or so on the guitar. youd need to experiment with your rig to see if, like my rig it will work great, or like acemans rig it wont

[d2718]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Many Strat pickups don't have adjustable poles. But I start with the bridge pickup, and get it closer to the strings, and gradually move it away until I don't hear their effect on the string vibrations. Then I balance the other pickups to the bridge one, listening for the effect on the strings.

I have a couple of guitars with single-coils in the neck position and coil-split humbuckers in the bridge position, and I do things in the opposite order with those (because the humbuckers can get much closer to the strings before becoming a problem): I start by lowering the neck pickup until it sounds good (which usually ends up being almost flush with the pickguard), then engage the coil split on the humbucker and move it around until I have the two volume-matched (by ear). This makes them sound good together (when the 'bucker is split) and gives a nice hotter sound with both humbucker coils engaged. I realize this may be idiosyncratic to my preference, but I think it's a fairly common preference.

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup adjusting

I have a couple of guitars with single-coils in the neck position and coil-split humbuckers in the bridge position, and I do things in the opposite order with those (because the humbuckers can get much closer to the strings before becoming a problem): I start by lowering the neck pickup until it sounds good (which usually ends up being almost flush with the pickguard), then engage the coil split on the humbucker and move it around until I have the two volume-matched (by ear). This makes them sound good together (when the 'bucker is split) and gives a nice hotter sound with both humbucker coils engaged. I realize this may be idiosyncratic to my preference, but I think it's a fairly common preference.

Come to think of it, the last few Strats I adjusted, I started with the neck pickup. I use the neck pickup most of the time so it makes more sense for a player like me to start there.

[d2718]

Re: Pickup adjusting

Come to think of it, the last few Strats I adjusted, I started with the neck pickup. I use the neck pickup most of the time so it makes more sense for a player like me to start there.

Yeah, I think it really depends on the specifics of the guitar and the player. I would say, in general, it's best to start with whichever pickup is going to choke the strings the hardest, but, if you care most about the sound of a particular pickup (or control configuration), it probably makes the most sense to start with whatever that is, then accept whatever compromises you might encounter in other positions.