Is there a rule of thumb with adjusting strat pups?

I have this old strat that my folks bought me when I was in junior high or high school. I love this guitar, but frankly I tore it up in high school and I'm trying to set it back up after digging it out of a closet at my parent's house.

Well, long story short, I have the Mr. Gearhead printout for a strat set up, but I don't have a set of feeler gauges. So is there a rule of thumb for adjusting the strat pups like using a nickle or two on tele pick ups?

I found this to be helpful:

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/aph.htm

And the rest of the website's tips on setting up a solid body:

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial1.htm

On Strats start out with the pickups adjusted low in the pickguard. Have them so the neck pickups cover is about 1/8" above the pickguard to start and the middle and bridge a little higher than the neck.

The worst thing you can do is get them too high it wont play intune if you do that.

When I got my Bill Lawrence pups years ago, that's what he recommended - 1 nickel on treble side, 2 nickels on bass side - works for me YMMV.

When I got my Bill Lawrence pups years ago, that's what he recommended - 1 nickel on treble side, 2 nickels on bass side - works for me YMMV.

I see this measurement a lot. How exactly are you measuring? Nickle on the plastic cover or the poles? Strings fretted or open?

Thanks!

I lowered the neck and the middle pups to where the tops were flush with the pickguard, gives it a nice quack. Especially in the bridge/middle switch position.

It's got staggerd pole pieces if that makes a difference for anyone. I haven't got a chance to really go at it yet as I've been under the weather, but I'll let you know.

The nickel approach assumes you fret on highest fret before measuring distance. With BL pups, the polepieces are flush so it doesn't make a difference where you measure. I don't know how this would apply to staggered polepieces, hopefully another poster knows. If I had to guess, I'd use nickel approach on the highest polepiece for starters and then adjust from there.

The nickel approach assumes you fret on highest fret before measuring distance. With BL pups, the polepieces are flush so it doesn't make a difference where you measure. I don't know how this would apply to staggered polepieces, hopefully another poster knows. If I had to guess, I'd use nickel approach on the highest polepiece for starters and then adjust from there.

Cool, thanks.

Check out the Peter Florence Voodoo pickup website. He has some interesting info on stat and tele pup adjustments. I have not tried it, as my ears are the final judge for my pickup adjustments, but it's good info nonetheless. Of course, ymmv and all other disclaimers apply.

Check out the Peter Florence Voodoo pickup website. He has some interesting info on stat and tele pup adjustments. I have not tried it, as my ears are the final judge for my pickup adjustments, but it's good info nonetheless. Of course, ymmv and all other disclaimers apply.

I actually looked at that page after viewing the "maximum quack" thread, but I had the same question. I wasn't sure how the measurements were being taken. Now I know!

A set of feeler guages can be purchased for $5 or so at any auto supply shop.

Why not buy the proper tool and do a proper job?

A set of feeler guages can be purchased for $5 or so at any auto supply shop.

Why not buy the proper tool and do a proper job?

...you still need to know where to measure from. :)

Use the feeler gages to measure the nickles, adjust the pups using the feeler gages, then check your work using the nickels. Yeah I like that.
Testing your humor tolerance,
Rob

Testing your humor tolerance,
Rob

Where do I measure that from? Can I still use the nickels?

Thanks!

The proper tool for this job (besides your ears) is a 3" stainless steel machinist ruler with 1/64th graduations (or metric equivalent).

You can pick one up at an auto parts store or hardware store.

It's cheap and you'll have it for life (or until you lose it.)

The proper tool for this job (besides your ears) is a 3" stainless steel machinist ruler with 1/64th graduations (or metric equivalent).


That's what I use. Bought it at Sears, I think, about 10 years ago.

Red, now that you mention that... I think I have one of those at work... that I never use... lol....

:oops:

I'll have to look for that on monday.

Measure from the bottom of the string to the
top of the magnet, while depressing the E strings
at the last fret.

Once you've been playing for several decades, professionaly or as a hobby, you'll find the perfect height on a guitar that is you're "sweet spot". High on the bass or treble side, flush and many different options will aide in experimentation to find the way that they sound best to you.