Help adjusting pole pieces
- Thread starter Rhandy
- Start date
vinnie1971
New member
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
You don't need to do that. Even if you had a dB meter or software it still not going to account for variance in your pick or strike. Your ears are your best judge.
Play each string open, then at 5th fret, 7th fret, 9th fret and 12th then slowly strum or arpeggiate G major and or E major chords.
As a guide you can follow the Gibson custom shop method to stagger the poles to follow the radius except for G which is lower as this over powers.
Setting all screws so there the side of the screw meets the domed part is flush with the top of the pickup as a starting point adjust each screw counter clockwise as follows:
E 1/2 turn
A 1 turn
D 1 1/2 turn
G 1/2 turn
B 1 turn
E 1 turn
I find this works most of the time.
On muddier pickups I lower the pickup on the bass side one turn and raise the 3 bass poles one turn and leave the trebles as they are
This is the start point, then minor tweaks 1/8th of a turn at a time to dial in.
This assumes you already balanced the pickup to pickup for volume and balanced each pickup low E to high E for volume on the pickup height adjusters.
I find the above so successful that on some guitars where I thought I wanted new pickups, I just disliked them in, did a magnet swap and presto - no huge expense. But even when I change pickups, I still follow the procedure above. Hence my Gibson neck pickups with Alnico 2 magnets sound bright and not at all muddy even though the are covered.
I am sure others will chime in and give other tips that will work just as well too.
Good luck.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You don't need to do that. Even if you had a dB meter or software it still not going to account for variance in your pick or strike. Your ears are your best judge.
Play each string open, then at 5th fret, 7th fret, 9th fret and 12th then slowly strum or arpeggiate G major and or E major chords.
As a guide you can follow the Gibson custom shop method to stagger the poles to follow the radius except for G which is lower as this over powers.
Setting all screws so there the side of the screw meets the domed part is flush with the top of the pickup as a starting point adjust each screw counter clockwise as follows:
E 1/2 turn
A 1 turn
D 1 1/2 turn
G 1/2 turn
B 1 turn
E 1 turn
I find this works most of the time.
On muddier pickups I lower the pickup on the bass side one turn and raise the 3 bass poles one turn and leave the trebles as they are
This is the start point, then minor tweaks 1/8th of a turn at a time to dial in.
This assumes you already balanced the pickup to pickup for volume and balanced each pickup low E to high E for volume on the pickup height adjusters.
I find the above so successful that on some guitars where I thought I wanted new pickups, I just disliked them in, did a magnet swap and presto - no huge expense. But even when I change pickups, I still follow the procedure above. Hence my Gibson neck pickups with Alnico 2 magnets sound bright and not at all muddy even though the are covered.
I am sure others will chime in and give other tips that will work just as well too.
Good luck.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Thank you for your help.
I have swap magnets on my gibson les paul STANDARD not Exotic (smartwood) comes with 490r and 498t
I swap alnico 5 magnet from 498t to 490r and I put one Alnico 8 on 498t.
Let me try understand.
You first adjust the pole pieces to 12" radius and after give more this turns:
E 1/2 turn
A 1 turn
D 1 1/2 turn
G 1/2 turn
B 1 turn
E 1 turn
??
Thanks
Thank you for your help.
I have swap magnets on my gibson les paul STANDARD not Exotic (smartwood) comes with 490r and 498t
I swap alnico 5 magnet from 498t to 490r and I put one Alnico 8 on 498t.
Let me try understand.
You first adjust the pole pieces to 12" radius and after give more this turns:
E 1/2 turn
A 1 turn
D 1 1/2 turn
G 1/2 turn
B 1 turn
E 1 turn
??
Thanks
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
That is essentially how I use my ears. I don't use precise measurements, and I don't measure how many turns I use. I start with a basic radius (sometimes leave it flat) and play. If I notice something out of balance, I change it. If I don't, then I leave it. Other people have other methods, but no one plays like me or you, so it should only matter to the person who will be playing. But I don't think anyone would use a dB meter or anything. You are listening to hear if something sounds wrong, not trying to decide if it is right (there is a difference).
That is essentially how I use my ears. I don't use precise measurements, and I don't measure how many turns I use. I start with a basic radius (sometimes leave it flat) and play. If I notice something out of balance, I change it. If I don't, then I leave it. Other people have other methods, but no one plays like me or you, so it should only matter to the person who will be playing. But I don't think anyone would use a dB meter or anything. You are listening to hear if something sounds wrong, not trying to decide if it is right (there is a difference).
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Hi,
I must strongly agree with Lt. Kojak. All my guitars wind up pretty much like that. Especially the top E,B,G strings.
My gauge is custom. Fender or Gibson scale with a humbucker.
I use .009, .011, .015, .024, .036, .046 or .048, depending.
On my Strat, with floating trem, I use the same thing except, in my experience, if I use 2 really heavy low strings, it comes back to tune quicker, and more accurately. I use a .038, and a .050 or .052. for the low A and E. With this gauge, I lower the bass side of the humbucker, and raise the poles up to match like the other ones, as this helps the poles pick up more high end and not get so muddy with 2 gauges that big (to me).
Steve Buffington
Hi,
I must strongly agree with Lt. Kojak. All my guitars wind up pretty much like that. Especially the top E,B,G strings.
My gauge is custom. Fender or Gibson scale with a humbucker.
I use .009, .011, .015, .024, .036, .046 or .048, depending.
On my Strat, with floating trem, I use the same thing except, in my experience, if I use 2 really heavy low strings, it comes back to tune quicker, and more accurately. I use a .038, and a .050 or .052. for the low A and E. With this gauge, I lower the bass side of the humbucker, and raise the poles up to match like the other ones, as this helps the poles pick up more high end and not get so muddy with 2 gauges that big (to me).
Steve Buffington
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Everybody is different. We all play differently so the way you adjust pickups must be dependent on that. Almost all of us will have different rigs, different speakers, different room from which to listen to the sound in.....different ears.
And speaking of ears, if your ears cannot tell you what you yourself like....well as a guitar player you are quite literally doomed
Everybody is different. We all play differently so the way you adjust pickups must be dependent on that. Almost all of us will have different rigs, different speakers, different room from which to listen to the sound in.....different ears.
And speaking of ears, if your ears cannot tell you what you yourself like....well as a guitar player you are quite literally doomed
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Sounds good, good advice. On this instance with my new rock set up with a 59 in the middle and JB in the bridge, the diagram that Kojack recommended sounds great with the 59. On the JB, I had started with a radius and then listened, basically did what Mincer said and thought nope that sounds bad, and adjusted it to flat.
Sounds good, good advice. On this instance with my new rock set up with a 59 in the middle and JB in the bridge, the diagram that Kojack recommended sounds great with the 59. On the JB, I had started with a radius and then listened, basically did what Mincer said and thought nope that sounds bad, and adjusted it to flat.
Thundermtn
New member
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Tagged
Tagged
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
If you are playing a STRAT!!!!!!! OP has a Les Paul.
6 X
5 XX
4 XXX
3 XXX
2 XX
1 X
Above is the shape you want to start with for Mr. Lester Paulus type guitars.
Depending on the bass, the alignment, the pickup, string gauge, etc....you COULD end up with...
6 XX
5 X
4 XXX
3 XX
2 XXX
1 X
That's your starting point.
HTH,
If you are playing a STRAT!!!!!!! OP has a Les Paul.
6 X
5 XX
4 XXX
3 XXX
2 XX
1 X
Above is the shape you want to start with for Mr. Lester Paulus type guitars.
Depending on the bass, the alignment, the pickup, string gauge, etc....you COULD end up with...
6 XX
5 X
4 XXX
3 XX
2 XXX
1 X
Last edited:
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Yeah Rahndy - as mentioned, you really have the wrong attitude here. There IS NOT A CORRECT ANSWER.. Every guitar is going to be different. Wood, variation in construction, everything. On top of that, the pickups and the playing.
I suggest starting with the factory settings. Put all poles flat, then go with 2/32" and 3/32" or whatever the spec is on the bass and treble string. Then arc the poles as Vinnie said. But after that - YOU have to decide if it works.
Spending some time doing that will be one of the BEST things you can do. Can't say how many guys could have had great tone because they just didn't spend time adjusting the pickups.
Yeah Rahndy - as mentioned, you really have the wrong attitude here. There IS NOT A CORRECT ANSWER.. Every guitar is going to be different. Wood, variation in construction, everything. On top of that, the pickups and the playing.
I suggest starting with the factory settings. Put all poles flat, then go with 2/32" and 3/32" or whatever the spec is on the bass and treble string. Then arc the poles as Vinnie said. But after that - YOU have to decide if it works.
Spending some time doing that will be one of the BEST things you can do. Can't say how many guys could have had great tone because they just didn't spend time adjusting the pickups.
LtKojak
New member
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
That's the p'up that just took off this guitar, my ES-339.
Does the stagger look familiar, Ace?
You must've forgotten who you're talking to...
Oh yeah? And how do you explain this?
That's the p'up that just took off this guitar, my ES-339.
Does the stagger look familiar, Ace?
You must've forgotten who you're talking to...
Thundermtn
New member
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Ok, so I've never touched the screws on a pickup. Is it best done string by string one at a time or localized chords for a wider field of action? I have a good ear for tone but how much difference are we talking here? 1% or 10% in tone/frequency responce.
Ok, so I've never touched the screws on a pickup. Is it best done string by string one at a time or localized chords for a wider field of action? I have a good ear for tone but how much difference are we talking here? 1% or 10% in tone/frequency responce.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
It's a very noticeable difference. A continuous radius sounds smooth to me. On my Strat where I want clean blues tones, I have them all following the radius, the neck I wanted smooth so I have the arc close to the bobbin. The bridge pickup was already very warm so I put the arc of the screws higher for more bite.
On my rock pickguard that I just made, I was looking for a way to give my 59 in the middle lots of bite. Kojack's diagram sounds great for my application. I had a radius for the JB, sounded too harsh, so I lowered the screws down to flat to have bite but sound even.
There's a lot of adjustment you can do depending on your rig and preferences. Try flat of different heights, try radius of different heights, try the Kojack, etc.
It's a very noticeable difference. A continuous radius sounds smooth to me. On my Strat where I want clean blues tones, I have them all following the radius, the neck I wanted smooth so I have the arc close to the bobbin. The bridge pickup was already very warm so I put the arc of the screws higher for more bite.
On my rock pickguard that I just made, I was looking for a way to give my 59 in the middle lots of bite. Kojack's diagram sounds great for my application. I had a radius for the JB, sounded too harsh, so I lowered the screws down to flat to have bite but sound even.
There's a lot of adjustment you can do depending on your rig and preferences. Try flat of different heights, try radius of different heights, try the Kojack, etc.
LtKojak
New member
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
I set them all about flush or just slightly out, but near even with each other, then adjust the pickup as a whole to my preferred tone for the outside strings, then adjust the inner-poles by ear to match tone with the outer.
You can also of course crank them all out more to start, then just do the same thing.
I set them all about flush or just slightly out, but near even with each other, then adjust the pickup as a whole to my preferred tone for the outside strings, then adjust the inner-poles by ear to match tone with the outer.
You can also of course crank them all out more to start, then just do the same thing.
Re: Help adjusting pole pieces
Lt. Kojak-
His visual on post 13 was talked about years ago, and it hasn't changed. The reason I remember is that Larry Carlton was shown with almost exactly the same shape. It was from an article that Carlton had written and he included pictures looking just like our Lt. Kojak shows.
Carltons D and A were just a touch lower. A smidge. As if Mr. Monk touch them just slightly
Dave74-
Just said the most practical paragraph in this thread. When I do that I still wind up with a Larry Carlton or Pepe (Lt.Kojak), screw pole placing, shapes on my pickup. And it is a humbucker, not a Strat,
Steve Buffington
Lt. Kojak-
His visual on post 13 was talked about years ago, and it hasn't changed. The reason I remember is that Larry Carlton was shown with almost exactly the same shape. It was from an article that Carlton had written and he included pictures looking just like our Lt. Kojak shows.
Carltons D and A were just a touch lower. A smidge. As if Mr. Monk touch them just slightly
Dave74-
Just said the most practical paragraph in this thread. When I do that I still wind up with a Larry Carlton or Pepe (Lt.Kojak), screw pole placing, shapes on my pickup. And it is a humbucker, not a Strat,
Steve Buffington
Last edited:
