Pickup height and the Gibson BB Pros!

[papersoul]

Hi guys,

I have been learning with the Gibson BB pros in my LP Standard, I have to raise the p'ups to within 1/16" of the strings and this is actually the Gibson standard set-up height. I find them to be thicker and fuller...more punch.

Many of my other p'ups work better at lower heights, such as 2/16". Is this primarily because B Pros are low output? Anyone else familiar with these p'ups?

Thanks!

 

[papersoul]

It's amazing how you can effect the tone and even the output of the pickup at least to what we perceive. My Rio BBQ and Duncan C-5 are hotter, but since I have the BB Pro in the bridge 1/16" from the strings....it sounds as hot as the others. I am still able to use extra gain with the BB Pros. I know p'ups are supposed t obe brighter closer to the strings, but these just seem hotter and thicker.

 

[Lewguitar]

There are no rules...just personal preference, IMO. I generally hold the strings down at the highest fret and adjust both humbuckers so the polepieces are about 1/16" away from the underside of the strings on the treble side and about 1/8" away on the bass side. The closer the polepieces are to the strings the brighter and more sizzling the pickup's tone. I do tend to move alnico 2 humbuckers a little closer to the strings than alnico 5...as, mentioned, this seems to give the pickup more sizzle and a brighter tone. And with the weaker magnetic field of alnico 2 I can get away with moving the pickup a little closer than if it was alnico 5. Lew

 

[papersoul]

Thanks Lew,

I always have my pickups set even and maybe that is something I should look into...having them closer at the treble side. I'll try that with the BB Pros.

Gibson recomends 1/16" on both sides and that's the best I've found thus far.

 

[jeremy]

i find that moving the pole pieces closer to the strings will tend to brighten the tone but moving the whole pup closer tends to fatten up the tone some. when i want a little thicker sound than im getting it try lowering the pole pieces and raising the pup and when i want a brighter tone i do the opposite

 

[Lewguitar]

i find that moving the pole pieces closer to the strings will tend to brighten the tone but moving the whole pup closer tends to fatten up the tone some. when i want a little thicker sound than im getting it try lowering the pole pieces and raising the pup and when i want a brighter tone i do the opposite

Exactly!

Lew

 

[papersoul]

i find that moving the pole pieces closer to the strings will tend to brighten the tone but moving the whole pup closer tends to fatten up the tone some. when i want a little thicker sound than im getting it try lowering the pole pieces and raising the pup and when i want a brighter tone i do the opposite

That's exactly what I did, jeremy.

 

[papersoul]

It was mentioned to me that having the p'ups too close can cause issues! What kind?

Gibson say 1/16" and that is where my BB Pros are set.

Why would Gibson recomend 1/16?? The thing is I am noticing my tuning goes sharp all the time! Is this it?? Problem is, the BB Pros thin out any lower!

I need a pickup that can be set lower and sound fat. My Rio BBQ actually is like that.

Rich

 

[jeremy]

if you get too close to the strings then the magnetic pull on the strings can kill sustain and pull the strings sharp as you mentioned, id back it off just a touch if you think youre having problems

 

[papersoul]

Thanks Jeremy, but I find it odd that 1/16" is Gibson's setting for the bridge when it causes issues. I like the BB pros close because they thicken up but they keep going sharp.

My Rio BBQ on the other hand is thick enough that I can lower it to about 2/16" and it still is plenty thick.

I am hoping I find the perfect comprimise in the Duncan Custom or C-5 in my LP.

I backed off the BB Pros by 1/32". Is that too much?

 

[dr.barlo]

This might be due to gibson bridge buckers being closer to the bridge. The bridge mounting rings on historics are very tall!

 

[papersoul]

Well, now I have the bridge bucker at 1/16" and it sounds great.....but the strings keep going sharp. I think that is because I never had the nut adjusted since it came from the factory fairly low. My guitar tech said he could adjust the nut and add lubricant to stop this tuning issue.

 

[dr.barlo]

I don't get your problem. Are you talking about tuning problems? My timbucker in the bridge is quite close to the strings, has an a5 mag and I don't have any issues due to magnetic pull. So I am confused now!

BTW if you wanna lose some of the icepickyness (that might bother you) and slightly fatten your tone, consider lowering your tail piece as much as possible and top wrapping the strings. It might create miracles!

 

[papersoul]

Hi dr. barlo,

How close is your Timbucker to the strings if you don't mind?

I know I said that my p'ups sounded great but I am noticing their weaknesses.

I found I had the thickest tone with the BB Pros in my LP at about 1/32" from the strings....very close. Thick and still fairly clear. However, I noticed my tuning was going sharp, so after talking to Jim Wagner, I realized from his statements and from others I know...that the pickups could be too close causing the guitar to go out of tune and Wolfetones? Not sure about that one.

Anyway, he and others mentioned to drop the pickups to about 1/8" or so which is much further than I normally have them set. So, I dropped them to 1/16" and the tone thinned quite a bit and the tuning issues continued. I don't know how guys get the tones they achieve with the p'ups so low. I think my tech agreeed with me as he also set my p'ups to about 1/32". Too cose?

But, my tech mentioned he feels the tuning has to do with the nut and the larger gauges strings getting caught and not moving as easily. He never adjusted the nut because it was cut low from the factory. I am taking over to his place and he said he will widen the nut and add lubricant which shold solve the tuning issue. In this way, I should be able to raise and lower the pickup without tuning issues till my heart is content. LOL.

I guess I have to watch fro these weird harmonics and Wolfetones I hear about.