jmm555 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I’ve noticed on new Gibson guitars, with humbucking pickups all the pickup-poles are all aligned the same. Like all in a straight line - the horizontal screwdriver slots. Why is this? Is it ok to adjust these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 It's just for looks. If you notice a single string that is too loud or not loud enough you can try adjusting the poles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozarwasagenius Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Yes it is fine to adjust these. I just recommend doing a little at a time though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watersilk Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I've noticed on new Gibson guitars, with humbucking pickups all the pickup-poles are all aligned the same. Like all in a straight line - the horizontal screwdriver slots. Why is this? Is it ok to adjust these? I have a Custom shop guitar, and these are supposedly setup before they leave the workshop. The pickup poles on mine were certainly not in a straight line, I don't think that they should be in a straight line, the way I understand it, and please someone correct me if I'm wrong; each pole should follow the string height, and the string height should be dictated by the saddle height on the bridge, which in turn should be dictated by the fretboard radius. Actually, you should first check that the strings are the correct height, apparently, you can use an under string radius gauge to set the pickup pole heights. I think that a Les Paul has a 12" radius, and the pickup pole screws should end up in a zig zag pattern, as on my '59 reissue. There are many fine tolerances that need to be right, which is why correct setup is so important, so I suggest you work through the whole setup before adjusting the poles. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 you can adjust them any way you prefer, really. there is no set rule, but the reason they are there in the first place is for steing to string balence, as in one or 2 strings being louder than the rest. for overall, you should adjust the height of the entire pickup. while closer gets louder, it often will sound better with it further away, giving a cleaner and more accurate tone. but again, this is a matter of preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watersilk Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I've noticed on new Gibson guitars, with humbucking pickups all the pickup-poles are all aligned the same. Like all in a straight line - the horizontal screwdriver slots. Why is this? Is it ok to adjust these? I found these pages on the subject: http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0018.html and... http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0018/Fretting_supplies/Fretting_tools:_Fret,_fingerboard_preparation/Understring_Radius_Gauges.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 It really doesn't matter. They are just there for looks. They were only there because they had been there in the P-90. Here's what Seth Lover had to say about the screw poles. Seth Lover: ....you see when I first designed this I had the cover plain on the original one...I wanted them to sell it without any adjusting screws because I found that with this there was much difference between the first and second strings like there is on most of the old non adjustable type there was quite a difference in the first & second string but this didn’t seem to have that major difference, and I thought it was not necessary to have pole pieces...well when you take away a talking point from a salesman it’s like breaking off your arm....the first thing I came up with an idea was just fake some things there so I stamped them on the cover, that didn’t please them either, by that time we already made the patent application...that’s why it went through that way, so they finally decided they wanted screws in there, so I put adjusting screws in it for them, then the question they asked me then was which way should those screws set? Should they set up or down? Well you’ve got to give them an answer.. so I decided to take the one closest to the fingerboard and put the screws facing it and the one closest to the bridge towards the bridge, laugh...that made them happy, they had a set way that it should be set, it only amounted to turning the pickup around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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