Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

pickup distance from the strings problem


upsidedown club

Recommended Posts

pickup distance from the strings problem

It's a matter of taste.

While pressing the string at the last fret, measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string.

 

A good reference point:

Neck Pickup:

3/32" on bass and treble side

 

Bridge Pickup:

1/16" on bass and treble side

 

The rest is just what balances and sounds good to you.

 

Willy

 

Edit. The closer to the string the more drive up to the point where the magnetic field starts to reduce your sustain.

Further from the string... more of an open airy sound.

W.W.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a matter of taste.

While pressing the string at the last fret, measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string.

 

A good reference point:

Neck Pickup:

3/32" on bass and treble side

 

Bridge Pickup:

1/16" on bass and treble side

 

The rest is just what balances and sounds good to you.

 

Willy

 

Edit. The closer to the string the more drive up to the point where the magnetic field starts to reduce your sustain.

Further from the string... more of an open airy sound.

W.W.

willy my bridge is set real high on the low E to make up for restringing righty and the way the neck is set to the body. The string height is as low as I can get without buzz and the picup ring is maxed all the way up on the one side.just real weak signal with that ole epi paf .. im going to get a new pup soon and thought maybe I would get a hotter one than if I didnt have this to deal with. do you think hotter means pulls more signal from farther away?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

willy my bridge is set real high on the low E to make up for restringing righty and the way the neck is set to the body. The string height is as low as I can get without buzz and the picup ring is maxed all the way up on the one side.just real weak signal with that ole epi paf .. im going to get a new pup soon and thought maybe I would get a hotter one than if I didnt have this to deal with. do you think hotter means pulls more signal from farther away?

I will cut some length off the adjusting springs and this should allow for more up before they are fully compressed ,dont see why not, now I can just pick the pup without considering if it needs to be extra whatever

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A picture or two would be nice. What guitar is it.

 

I have an LP I just bought new and here are my measurements from the factory.

 

Pickup height. Neck pickup - Base side 3/32, Treble side 2/32. The Bridge pickup - Base side 5/32, Treble side 3/32. All measured from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A picture or two would be nice. What guitar is it.

 

I have an LP I just bought new and here are my measurements from the factory.

 

Pickup height. Neck pickup - Base side 3/32, Treble side 2/32. The Bridge pickup - Base side 5/32, Treble side 3/32. All measured from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

That's an extremely odd setup to have the neck pickup closer to the strings than the bridge pickup, it should be the other way round. The strings oscillate far more over the neck pickup so it has to be further away so as not to influence that oscillation with the magnetic field.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A picture or two would be nice. What guitar is it.

 

I have an LP I just bought new and here are my measurements from the factory.

 

Pickup height. Neck pickup - Base side 3/32, Treble side 2/32. The Bridge pickup - Base side 5/32, Treble side 3/32. All measured from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

thank you good to know . I had more pictures but I cant figure out how to get them on the page, sorry. les paul standard anyhoo Im pretty sure I can dial it in now after I get the springs shortened thanks again, upsidedown

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rastus.... This is what I have. It is all "from the Factory" setup pics and measurements that I took. Volume wise the pickups are equal this way.

 

Upsidedown - your bridge pickup looks "normal".

 

P2010020.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rastus.... This is what I have. It is all "from the Factory" setup pics and measurements that I took. Volume wise the pickups are equal this way.

The bridge pickup should be closer to the stings than the neck pickup, absolutely certain. The figures Willy posted in #2 are pretty much on the money. It's all to do with the movement of the strings, they vibrate far more at the neck than the bridge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have to have the strings really high to avoid fret buzz, is the neck bowed out? When that happens to me, I'll look at the neck (looking from the bridge) and usually see a slight back bow. Even with a perfectly straight neck you might get a little fret buzz if the strings are low. I prefer a slight inwards bow on my necks. All it takes is a 1/4 to 1/2 turn of the truss rod, moving the tool from the low strings towards the high strings. Only takes a minute or two. As guitars go thru temp and humidity changes, necks can bow in or out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a matter of taste.

While pressing the string at the last fret, measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string.

 

A good reference point:

Neck Pickup:

3/32" on bass and treble side

 

Bridge Pickup:

1/16" on bass and treble side

 

The rest is just what balances and sounds good to you.

 

Willy

 

Edit. The closer to the string the more drive up to the point where the magnetic field starts to reduce your sustain.

Further from the string... more of an open airy sound.

W.W.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does one pickup sound louder than the other. Remember that the tone will change and the bridge may seem louder. I like to turn the tone knobs down to cut the highs when checking the balance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does one pickup sound louder than the other. Remember that the tone will change and the bridge may seem louder. I like to turn the tone knobs down to cut the highs when checking the balance.

If you swap to 57's, whatever, the bridge IS louder. All depends on your height settings I assume.Correct me fellows if I'm wrong please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...