Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

aerial7

New member
I'm guessing there's zero effect on tone, so do you just go for aesthetics and align them perpendicular or parallel to the strings? Or just leave 'em wherever they wind up as you adjust them?
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I've had three guitars now, where I replaced pups that didn't line up, with pups that did. The improvement in string-to-string balance was significant. I would say that it's important.
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

anyway to adjust the spacing a smige mine are all about 1 mm off-center
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I don´t think he means different spacing, but the actuall orientation of the screw slots ;)

I set them to a Crisscross pattern because I find it aesthetically pleasing... I don´t know if it makes a difference.
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

actuall orientation of the screw slots

Exactly. I searched the forum, the FAQ, everything, and yet I couldn't find the answer to this VITAL question. :crying:
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

Zerberus said:
I don´t think he means different spacing, but the actuall orientation of the screw slots ;)

Dang if you ain't right! I saw the thread title as "Alignment of strings on pole pieces." :smack:
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I usually set mine like this:

/ \ / \ / \

or like this:

\ / \ / \ /

But I don't know whether it really makes any difference. :dunno:

You can imagine that if they were all like...

| | | | | |

...then the slots would be right under the strings (assuming perfect string to polepiece alignment).

Maybe this...

- - - - - -

... would be OK.

Having said all that, I have left them totally random in the past and never even thought about it. :)
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

Now that I get the question, I always leave mine at the "factory" alignment. :)
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I thought I remembered hearing that Jimmy Page alligned them in a certain way... Criss-cross or something. I just put the pickup in, adjust overall height, then correct any strin-to-string balance issues.
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

Another related question: How is the height set on the pole-piece screws at the factory? I've got a new CustomCustom trembucker whose screws have never been touched, and the height seems to be sorta random from low-to-high. I guess I sorta expected them to all be at the same height or something.....
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

ArtieToo said:
I've had three guitars now, where I replaced pups that didn't line up, with pups that did. The improvement in string-to-string balance was significant. I would say that it's important.
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

a friend of mine (also called Simon, as it happens) swears that this way is correct

/ \ / \ / \ /

Let me set the record straight gentlemen:

The magnetic field of a pickup just isn't sensitive enough to the orientation of the screw head or whether it is slotted or cross point or hex recessed.

I'd find more important things to worry about if I were you, like the state of your strings or the rust on the pole pieces. That can affect your tone
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

is it possible to change the screws should they get rusty? sorry for hijacking this thread.
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I make mine into a curved patter...you know...it goes with the fretboard,....because the a string is REALLY overpowering and so I have to "turn the others up" plus, it sound more aggressive 0.o
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

I don't see the alignment of the slots in the screw having any affect at all on your tone.
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

D-EJ915 said:
I make mine into a curved patter...you know...it goes with the fretboard,....because the a string is REALLY overpowering and so I have to "turn the others up" plus, it sound more aggressive 0.o

That makes sense. With screws on one coil and slugs on the other you can also slew the flux to subtly alter the depth of the common harmonic cancellation
 
Re: Alignment of screws on pole pieces?

The when the screws are all set all the way down they will look pretty close to:

_ _ _ _ _ _

When you adjust tyhem to match the curve of the strings they get to be something like:

/ \ / \ / \

It's just kinda a by produt of adjusting each one the same amount as you move in from the outside. You would raise both E strings roughly the same amount. I think they set the heights for the curve BEFORE they put the strings on, and then use the pup ring adjust screws to get the height right. So it's a combination of aestetic, ease of construction, and mainly string radius.

Bottom line, set them so the guitar sounds good to you!
 
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