pickup face alignment

[RJ70 0]

My 2016 SG Standard has steel covers on the humbuckers. The face of the humbuckers seem to be generally parallel with the face of the pickguard. The face of the humbuckers are way out of parallel with the strings.

My question is simple are the humbuckers supposed to be parallel with the pickguard or the strings?

Thanks:

bogart45harley

[Megafrog 168]

Can you add a picture or two so we can get a better idea of what is going on?

[SGgypsyboy 20]

Generally all the humbuckers on the SG's with the full pickguard are at a slight angle and not parallel with the strings. Some people correct this either by installing humbucker rings on top of the pickguard or adding foam underneath the pickups. I'm not sure why Gibson has not addressed this as it seems, especially with the treble pickup, like less surface area is under the strings. This is one of the reasons I now prefer the SG's with the small pickguard and pickup rings...the pickups on those are parallel to the stings.

[jmm555 1]

There was some Gibson article about how they wound pickups, scatter wound vs not, whatever. At the end the article, to some effect, stating that the field was stronger on the non-screw side, (not sure that makes any sense, i'm not a Physicist). Seems like the row of magnets, the row of screws, and the strings are relatively level. Need some real fact checking science in that, does it matter if this magnetic-field slants, which is curved itself.

 

You got to try and test yourself.

Can you move the pup with your finger as you play a chord. Does it sound different.

Could be, I suppose depending on the pickup. It looks better when their level.

[RJ70 0]

Generally all the humbuckers on the SG's with the full pickguard are at a slight angle and not parallel with the strings. Some people correct this either by installing humbucker rings on top of the pickguard or adding foam underneath the pickups. I'm not sure why Gibson has not addressed this as it seems, especially with the treble pickup, like less surface area is under the strings. This is one of the reasons I now prefer the SG's with the small pickguard and pickup rings...the pickups on those are parallel to the stings.