Twangbanger Question Lew?

[bungalowbill]

I got my Twangbanger installed and gigged with it last night but, didn't have a lot of time to adjust the height for maximum effectiveness. Does anyone know what would be a good ballpark heighth adjustment? I use 10-46 string guage and a little higher than average action. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks...........................Joe

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Doesn't the "manual" say how high it should be?

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

The directions have a wiring schematic only. I was hoping someone who has used a Twangbanger for a while would have some hints as to pickup height. I don't know what manual you are referring to. Thanks anyhow

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Differences of opinions on this...Mine is around 3/32" or a bit lower on both sides...lew likes his pickups up closer to the strings...Everyone has their perspective on what's best..You are best to use 3/32" as a guide and then adjust the pickup up or down until you feel like you've found a spot that's magical for you...It's ok to use numbers as a start,but you need to trust your ears and instincts also....I prefer all of my single coils a bit lower because I feel the pickups read more string vibration...The closer the poles are to the vibrating strings,the more chance you have of "stratitis" and choking the string vibration...It's all physics really....Every time I've tryed running my single coils up closer,I've gone back to having them adjusted down a bit...You really need to watch the neck position..You can get away with being closer on the bridge since there isn't as much string vibration,but you also want to have a balance both across your strings and for all 3 pickups....Sometimes these adjustments take a couple of days of me listening to all 3 of my pickups...

John

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Thanks, I'll start at 3/32 and try from there. I was unsure just how powerful the magnets are and I hate when the low e string can freak out on a Strat. The twanger sounds good and fat but I'm gonna do some experimenting.
Thanks again
....Joe

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Thanks, I'll start at 3/32 and try from there. I was unsure just how powerful the magnets are and I hate when the low e string can freak out on a Strat. The twanger sounds good and fat but I'm gonna do some experimenting.
Thanks again
....Joe

The Twangbanger is a great bridge pickup...If you like,I'll take actual measurements on my own TB,but it would be cool to trust your ears on the adjustments...Listen to how the heights change the overall sound of the pickup...

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

I appreciate the offer but you don't need to go to all that trouble , I probably don't pick with the same amount of force as you do but I think the 3/32 is sure a good place to start....Joe

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

First, I get the action of the guitar where I want it and the intonation.

Then I hold the strings down at the highest fret and adjust the treble side to about 1/16" away from the underside of the string and the bass side a little further away.

Then I tweak it by ear, usually over the course of a week or two, until I'm satisfied.

Thanks! Lew

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Thanks , I got her more in the ballpark now. I'll play this Strat at the gig tonight and she how she does.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Thanks , I got her more in the ballpark now. I'll play this Strat at the gig tonight and she how she does.

I Love that bridge pickup...Tell us how it worked out in your band..

This strat is a "Mongrel" I Put together..It has Surfer/Surfer/Twangbanger, Highway 1 Alder body, Vintage Fender bridge,schaller modern tuners,80s 12" radius maple neck,medium jumbo frets,Slip Stone nut,Fralin Blender Pot(Thanks Lew)I Love this guitar and it has become my favorite of the 6 strats that I own....Like stepping into a nice warm bathtub when I play this one! :dance:

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

I love the tone of the Twanger, it's very FAT and no brittle top end. One little problem is positon 4 sounds like crap, I was afraid I would have to swap out the middle pup ( Fender 57/62). The 2 pups sound O.K. singly, together they have no quack. I think I need another SSL 1 for the middle to get a decent quack tone . If anyone has suggestions for a different middle pup I'd love to hear them. By the way thank you much Stratdeluxer for all the help and thats a beautiful guitar you got there.

 

[Curly]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

my luthier likes this set in a strat :
APS neck/ SSL mid/ SSL 3 Hot bridge

so, I think you could use an SSL mid with a TBanger no problem ... you might experiment with the height of the mid pickup. Some like to set it lower, and prefer the tone that way.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

my luthier likes this set in a strat :
APS neck/ SSL mid/ SSL 3 Hot bridge

so, I think you could use an SSL mid with a TBanger no problem ... you might experiment with the height of the mid pickup. Some like to set it lower, and prefer the tone that way.

The TB mixed with a vintage style middle pickup doesn't quite give you the tone of two A5 pickups in the bridge and middle....The only thing you can do is to bring that middle pickup down some like Curly recommended....

I use the full bridge position alot more than the bridge/middle,so the TB in the bridge doesn't cause me any problems...I also turn my bridge volume down a bit and get the "quack" with my picking technique high and towards the bridge...You can cheat a bit and still get it... :dance:

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

Your Fender middle pup also may be wired out of phase with the TB, as Fender and SD wiring are often opposites. If so, then you should be able to swap the hot and ground wires on the Fender pickup (it's more complicated to do so with the TB because of the baseplate grounding).

I keep my TB pretty close to the strings to enhance the mids -- probably right between Lew and Stratdeluxer at about 5/64" on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side. Since the TB has A2 magnets, the risk of excessive string pull is reduced.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Twangbanger Question Lew?

The Fender is wired backward, I believe I have them in phase because they don't sound hollow and thin together. I lowered both pups and the high end is noticably better. I'm gonna gig with it as is and give it a good listen. I can't turn my amp up at home as much as I need to really check the tone but they do sound better at lower volume. Thanks to everyone who is giving me pointers.....Joe