rawpowerocks
New member
On a regular humbucker I have seen some guitarists raise the adjusting pole pieces up. What does this do to the tone? If it just makes each string louder why not just raise the whole pickup up by a couple of mm's?
humbucker adjusting pole pieces what do they do to the tone?
- Thread starter rawpowerocks
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Funkfingers
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Re: humbucker adjusting pole pieces what do they do to the tone?
The adjustable screws are to enable the setting of string-to-string volume balance. This is something that you might want/need to change after a change of string gauge or after fret levelling work.
On an original Stratocaster single coil pickup, this balance was preset by the magnet height "stagger" pattern. The shift to lighter gauged strings with a plain G meant that the stagger pattern was now "wrong" but some people like it that way.
The adjustable screws are to enable the setting of string-to-string volume balance. This is something that you might want/need to change after a change of string gauge or after fret levelling work.
On an original Stratocaster single coil pickup, this balance was preset by the magnet height "stagger" pattern. The shift to lighter gauged strings with a plain G meant that the stagger pattern was now "wrong" but some people like it that way.
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richard parker
New member
Re: humbucker adjusting pole pieces what do they do to the tone?
It does make a difference but it's hard to describe (for me anyway). Raising or lowering the whole pickup makes a difference in tone as well as volume. It's the easiest adjustment you can make so why not try it and hear for your self ? Report back when you've had a go.
It does make a difference but it's hard to describe (for me anyway). Raising or lowering the whole pickup makes a difference in tone as well as volume. It's the easiest adjustment you can make so why not try it and hear for your self ? Report back when you've had a go.
Re: humbucker adjusting pole pieces what do they do to the tone?
I read in this forum (sorry but I can't recall whose posts they are) that raising the pole pieces while lowering the whole pup (so that the distance between the string and the top of the pole pieces remains unchanged) can slightly tighten up the bass and add more clarity. I did this to my TB5 and found there is indeed some difference, but not significant enough to make me do this to all my pups.
I read in this forum (sorry but I can't recall whose posts they are) that raising the pole pieces while lowering the whole pup (so that the distance between the string and the top of the pole pieces remains unchanged) can slightly tighten up the bass and add more clarity. I did this to my TB5 and found there is indeed some difference, but not significant enough to make me do this to all my pups.