Thought I would relate a little story

[Ahpook]

I've recently sold ALL my gear besides guitars to get in a new rig that FINALLY sounds just about where I wanted to be for ages I get the funds together and purchase a new Marshall Origin 50H as well as a Boogie 4X12 cab. Perfect, right?

Well, no! While I was waiting for delivery of said rig I had a buddy of mine wire up a new switch in my guitar. I get the guitar back, and on the same day my new gear is delivered. I hook up, and the new rig sounds like an AM radio station. Huh?! I'm checking valves, speaker connections, wiring in the guitar, anything I could think of because this rig should melt paint off the walls.

I gave up, but noticed my pickups (Duncan JB/Jazz set) were wrenched down as low as they would go. They were actually recessed below the scratch guard a bit. Raised them up and all the warmth showed up .. instantly! I'd been pranked by my friend who knew I was building a new rig. Not sure why I didn't check or feel that they were that low initially.

I had no idea pickup height made THAT much difference. We all adjust pickup height, but the tonal difference was quite astonishing. Is a hotter pickup like a JB more problematic at extremes? I have the singles fairly low and they still sound warm.

 

[Clint 55]

That's happened to me. I'll be wiring up a new pickguard that I'm all excited about with this and that special wiring. Then I plug in and.. clank. Uhh what happened? It sux? Oh yeah I have to adjust the pickup heights lol.

 

[zionstrat]

That's happened to me. I'll be wiring up a new pickguard that I'm all excited about with this and that special wiring. Then I plug in and.. clank. Uhh what happened? It sux? Oh yeah I have to adjust the pickup heights lol.

What? Me? I'd never do that

It seems like I would have learned my lessons by now but at least I always feel good when I realize it's not a wiring problem

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

 

[AdrianSD]

Gets me almost every time I swap pickups in pickup rings. Never on the guitars where the pickups are mounted directly into the body. Why would that be?

 

[Mincer]

When swapping pickups, I always measure where the previous pickups were and use that as a starting point.

 

[alex1fly]

Funny prank. You'll have to come up with something good to get your buddy back with.

I find that pickup height is a huge factor in tone and/or feel, and always try to thoroughly explore the range of height.

 

[ErikH]

Nice. Not just the JB but lower output pickups can be very sensitive to height changes. I like to start where I had the previous pickup set and go from there.

 

[Ahpook]

Funny prank. You'll have to come up with something good to get your buddy back with.

I find that pickup height is a huge factor in tone and/or feel, and always try to thoroughly explore the range of height.

He's doomed! Thought of writing "I screw goats" in his front yard with Roundup, but I won't I do have a Strat body with only a pickguard on it. I could utilize that in some devious plan for revenge. A fake wiring job in some way?!

 

[dave74]

When swapping pickups, I always measure where the previous pickups were and use that as a starting point.

Well that just makes too much sense. Are you really a member here?

 

[AdrianSD]

He's doomed! Thought of writing "I screw goats" in his front yard with Roundup, but I won't I do have a Strat body with only a pickguard on it. I could utilize that in some devious plan for revenge. A fake wiring job in some way?!

Why not? A 1M volume pot wired counterclockwise from 0-10 would be too obvious, but you can at least wire the neck pickup in the bridge position and the other way around. And have the mid wired in parallel with the bridge with a cap added for extra brightness. It's a Strat right, supposed to be bright.