Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

[cheameup]

Hi All

I'm sure this question is to pickup installation what "what are modes?" is to theory forum's but here goes.

I just installed a 59 neck and a Sh14 in the bridge and it is my first pick up change. It sounds good even great . Still tweaking the heights to get best sound out of each .

Are most of you pretty close with your set up to the SD recomended pickup heights on the instruction sheet (1/8 inch neck ,1/16th bridge) or way off ?

 

[aleclee]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

Are most of you pretty close with your set up to the SD recomended pickup heights on the instruction sheet (1/8 inch neck ,1/16th bridge) or way off ?

Asking me about my guitar's pickup height is like asking me about my guitar's action: I have no friggin' clue other than not too high and not too low. I just adjust it until I'm happier with the results than any other setting.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

I capo the guitar at the 12th fret and then use a feeler guage that reads 32nds. I usually have the bass side set at 4/32 and 3/32 on the treble whether its a single coil or humbucker. It like it right in between fat and snappy.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

i actually set the heights by ear.Harmonics as much as possible without loosing the sustain!That is my way to adjust my Brigde PU.I don't use the neck alot ,but i adjust it to fit the volume from my bridge.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

Just thought I would touch on this again.

I was typically adjusting my bridge pickup to 3/32" and neck to 4/32", but have since been told humbuckers need to be closer so I moved up a bit to 2/32" for the bridge and 3/32" neck. In this case, the bridge p'up is about 1/16".

This seems thicker and denser in tone......however I sometimes notice now at rehearsal/gigs at very high volumes my tone can be a bit bright and muddy at the same time. I may have to revisit the heights. best thing to do is adjust at high volumes.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

Hi All

I'm sure this question is to pickup installation what "what are modes?" is to theory forum's but here goes.

I just installed a 59 neck and a Sh14 in the bridge and it is my first pick up change. It sounds good even great . Still tweaking the heights to get best sound out of each .

Are most of you pretty close with your set up to the SD recomended pickup heights on the instruction sheet (1/8 inch neck ,1/16th bridge) or way off ?

AFAIK those are "minimum recommended height", i.e. the distance should be that figure or farther away. On all my guitars, I'm that distance or the next distance away (measured with Coins). Right now my usual setup is bridge pickup two dimes high, middle pickup a dime and a penny high, and neck pickup two pennies high.

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

I like to keep the neck HB not very high..get a more woody sound out of the guitar and there is no mud in the sound. Clean and overdriven sounds are cool then. I use the bridge 'bucker only for overdrive/distortion sounds so I got that one quite high but there is still some space left when I pull the strings on the 24th fret down.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

So you guys think 1/16"(2/32") is standard for bridge? You guys think they tend to get brighter and muddier as you get closer or just thicker? I went from 3/32 - 2/32 bridge.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

So you guys think 1/16"(2/32") is standard for bridge? You guys think they tend to get brighter and muddier as you get closer or just thicker? I went from 3/32 - 2/32 bridge.

I think the point you're missing is that the minimum height is where you should start. I measure pickup height with either the high E or low E string (based on which side you're setting the height of) fretted at the last fret (24th fret on fingerboards with 24 frets, etc). From the minimum height, if you don't like how bright and/or muddy the pickup(s) sound, back them away from the strings a little bit and try it again. It's not a science: you can't just set every guitar's pickups at the same height. All pickups have a different "sweet spot" at which they sound the best... to your ears, through your amp and effects, in your guitar, etc.

I remember going through the slightly obsessive side of adjusting pickup heights when I first installed my first SD set (Hot Rodded combo). I would put them at minimum height, then move them down, etc, back and forth for a while. Finally I just settled on the whole using coins thing and just set them and left them there.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

Asking me about my guitar's pickup height is like asking me about my guitar's action: I have no friggin' clue other than not too high and not too low. I just adjust it until I'm happier with the results than any other setting.

:werd:

The first response said it best. All else is fluff.

 

[noth]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

Asking me about my guitar's pickup height is like asking me about my guitar's action: I have no friggin' clue other than not too high and not too low. I just adjust it until I'm happier with the results than any other setting.

Aleclee, I consider your knowledge vaultworthy. If you ever have the inkling to measure your pup height in your various guitars and post it, I know it would benefit many. But I know it's tedious and time-consuming.

Noth

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

I'll give a way shorter answer than my usual -
Set them to spec. You'll probably love it. Adjust from there to taste!

*Hot pups sound better backed off a bit rather than asa close as possible. Too far or too close sucks tone.

 

[JamesPaul]

Re: Pickup height - Are you close to SD recommended heigths ?

This topic has rolled around enough times that I was curious to try an actual measurement and see where mine ended up. I am in the neighborhood.

I did start at the heights Seymour recommends in the FAQs/tips. Note that Seymour also recommends the "tweak to find the sweet spot" approach your forum bros have already stated. I viewed the starting height as gap between strings and the pup cover or bobbin.

No guarantees how long they'll stay here but it's where they are today. ;-) I've also adjusted the screw pole pieces quite a bit on the Jazz in my Gold Top.

So... measured "best effort" with the 6 inch metal scale, gap between the center of the bobbins and string, while fretted at the 22nd...

Distortion, string 1 - 3/32 in., string 6 - 7/64 in.
Jazz, 1 - 3/32 in., 6 - 9/128 in.

Custom, 1 - 7/64 in., 6 - 13/128 in.
Jazz, 1 - 3/32 in., 6 - 7/64 in.

Seth Bridge, 1 - 4/64 in., 6 - 5/64 in.
Seth Neck, 1 - 5/64 in., 6 - 5/64 in.

(My daughter borrowed the Bullet so perhaps a future edit for it.)

Your results may vary; no warranty implied; Not certified for your specific application; <insert your favorite disclaimer here>; etc.