voxac30TBguy
New member
what does this do? what are the advantages?
raising pole pieces?
- Thread starter voxac30TBguy
- Start date
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: raising pole pieces?
Raising all the polepieces while lowering the pickup itself will tighten up the sound, giving it a little bit of a P90ish drive (no surprise here).
I like that effect in the bridge position but not in the neck.
Keep in mind that people who use covers on their humbuckers usually have the polepieces out and the magnet lower compared to users of bare naked pickups.
Raising all the polepieces while lowering the pickup itself will tighten up the sound, giving it a little bit of a P90ish drive (no surprise here).
I like that effect in the bridge position but not in the neck.
Keep in mind that people who use covers on their humbuckers usually have the polepieces out and the magnet lower compared to users of bare naked pickups.
voxac30TBguy
New member
Re: raising pole pieces?
i have a pair of alnico pro's in my les paul and find them kinda muddy. are there any other alternate alnico 2 pickups with a brighter less muddy sound then the alnico 2 pros?
i have a pair of alnico pro's in my les paul and find them kinda muddy. are there any other alternate alnico 2 pickups with a brighter less muddy sound then the alnico 2 pros?
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: raising pole pieces?
lower the pickups a bit while raising the screws out then. if that doesn't work, alnico3 magnets might do the trick for you.
lower the pickups a bit while raising the screws out then. if that doesn't work, alnico3 magnets might do the trick for you.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: raising pole pieces?
pearly gates, but i would try lowering them and raising the pole pieces first.
does the guitar have 500k pots? if it has 300k i would replace them
pearly gates, but i would try lowering them and raising the pole pieces first.
does the guitar have 500k pots? if it has 300k i would replace them
dr. ad
MonkeyDungologist
Re: raising pole pieces?
if you're finding A2Ps muddy something may be wrong with your guitar; how's the guitar sound unplugged, and clean?
if you're finding A2Ps muddy something may be wrong with your guitar; how's the guitar sound unplugged, and clean?
voxac30TBguy
New member
Re: raising pole pieces?
my les paul has those alpha 500k pots. i think CTS pots will help and im getting a better wiring job done soon. epiphone has crappy wires in thier guitars anyways.
my les paul has those alpha 500k pots. i think CTS pots will help and im getting a better wiring job done soon. epiphone has crappy wires in thier guitars anyways.
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: raising pole pieces?
wire is wire, it's all copper strands soldered from one point to another, nothing wrong with getting cheap stuff since it all conducts the same, unless it's a different gauge. most guitars have 22awg wire in them btw. i use radio shack 22awg wire and it works just fine.
as for the pots, alpha pots are by no means bad, just not made in the US. if you do want to get CTS pots, keep in mind that pretty much any import guitar will need it's shaft holes drilled to 3/8" to accomadate the larger CTS shafts.
imo, it's a much more worthwhile and value-priced upgrade to change out stock capacitors, rather than the pots. very often, stock caps dull out the tone in a not so pleasant way compared to even lowly orange drop caps, which are only $.99 each. for example, my buddy's new ibanez came with a stock green no-name cap. the guitar is very bright, but turning the tone down made the tone into a garbled up mush with no definition. subsitute a .033 orange drop cap, and it cleared that right up. note definition, especially in the bass and mids, was still very prominent and the upgrade was cheap and easy. that guitar still has stock alpha pots too
wire is wire, it's all copper strands soldered from one point to another, nothing wrong with getting cheap stuff since it all conducts the same, unless it's a different gauge. most guitars have 22awg wire in them btw. i use radio shack 22awg wire and it works just fine.
as for the pots, alpha pots are by no means bad, just not made in the US. if you do want to get CTS pots, keep in mind that pretty much any import guitar will need it's shaft holes drilled to 3/8" to accomadate the larger CTS shafts.
imo, it's a much more worthwhile and value-priced upgrade to change out stock capacitors, rather than the pots. very often, stock caps dull out the tone in a not so pleasant way compared to even lowly orange drop caps, which are only $.99 each. for example, my buddy's new ibanez came with a stock green no-name cap. the guitar is very bright, but turning the tone down made the tone into a garbled up mush with no definition. subsitute a .033 orange drop cap, and it cleared that right up. note definition, especially in the bass and mids, was still very prominent and the upgrade was cheap and easy. that guitar still has stock alpha pots too
MesaTone
New member
Re: raising pole pieces?
I just tried something different, and it worked out great.
I had already put in hex screws in the lower 4 holes to tighten up a JB, through a Mesa Mk IV. Worked some, but not the definition I wanted. So, after reading some of this, I added something else. I removed all the screws, and reinstalled with a #6 brass washer underneath.
Hell yeah! Much better articulation under gain, and a wider spread so the bends stay strong longer. Not as much as a rail, which I don't like in the bridge - too modern - but much more than standard. I really like it, closer to the PATB sound.
I did lose some grind due to the output being reduced from lowering the pickup, but a little additional gain on the OD and I'm good to go. Just a fantastic mod for me. YMMV.
I just tried something different, and it worked out great.
I had already put in hex screws in the lower 4 holes to tighten up a JB, through a Mesa Mk IV. Worked some, but not the definition I wanted. So, after reading some of this, I added something else. I removed all the screws, and reinstalled with a #6 brass washer underneath.
Hell yeah! Much better articulation under gain, and a wider spread so the bends stay strong longer. Not as much as a rail, which I don't like in the bridge - too modern - but much more than standard. I really like it, closer to the PATB sound.
I did lose some grind due to the output being reduced from lowering the pickup, but a little additional gain on the OD and I'm good to go. Just a fantastic mod for me. YMMV.
stratneck2
New member
Re: raising pole pieces?
Super Rad Stuff , Is right on the money....... Play with the Caps..... is the chippest , and tone worthy to try........
Super Rad Stuff , Is right on the money....... Play with the Caps..... is the chippest , and tone worthy to try........
Re: raising pole pieces?
When I first put a TB-6 into my SG I found it way too dark. After asking around on here I was told to raise the pole piece srews and I was suprised at what a difference it made. I raised them all up about a turn and a half then continued to raise them seperately to match the arch of the strings. Now it sounds amazing.
When I first put a TB-6 into my SG I found it way too dark. After asking around on here I was told to raise the pole piece srews and I was suprised at what a difference it made. I raised them all up about a turn and a half then continued to raise them seperately to match the arch of the strings. Now it sounds amazing.