Make the D pole higher and the G pole lower

[Webfoot]

Seems like the plain G is considered too loud relative to the other strings.

So do pickup makers address this by making the D pole higher and the G pole lower?

Which pickups are these?

[Doug 54]

This has been an irk with me forever.

Fralin has one ready-available.

However, Neil Young's tech, Larry Cragg, has had Fralin make small runs
in excatly what you are wanting- the D pole taller then Fralins already-available flat G/ raised D model.
I guess it would be a custom pup. Mention the Larry Cragg mod.

I use the G&L ASAT Classic pups with adjustable poles in my cheapie.
They sound very good to me.

No need to go the wound G route: your bending intervals will suffer from that alot.

[chezdeluxe]

The Fender 62RI pickups have staggered poles with the D the highest but the G is still higher than the E and B. That isn't a problem for me as I use a wound 3rd string.

[madzub]

Kinman's have an improved, well balanced stagger.

on most standard single coils you can just push the G pole down, or tap it down if it's too tight to push. just don't push too far....

It's pretty silly that everyone wants their guitars and pickups to follow vintage specs, but they don't want to use the heavy strings with wound G that these things were designed for.

[Telenator]

There are several custom winders on this board alone that I'm sure would gladly wind you a set with your preferred magnet specs very reasonably.

[gmann]

Any of the boutique winders will do this for you, it doesn't cost extra.

[Doug 54]

Webfoot, ya there??

[dgr888]

Illusion pickups in New York make some of the best sounding, reasonably priced pickups that you can get customized to your specs. I had one made last week and had it in 3 days!!

[southwoodgtars]

This guy does not have a website. His email is tilsonpickups@gmail.com. He has built me several pickups to my specs. All have been awesome. His prices are quite reasonable as well. I am sure he could build you whatever you were looking for.

[Webfoot]

I guess I was wondering if this was a big deal. If so, seems like 98% of the pickups would be made this way versus an almost custom order. So I guess its not that big of a deal.

[jefrs]

It /is/ possible to push an alnico pole magnet in or out of the coil to adjust height.
Do not strike them as brittle and may shatter, push.
Ball-bearing as pusher, small nut as catching cup, vise. Once shifting they can be pushed with thumb even partly on the guitar for final adjust.

Quite easy on a strat pickup as without a base plate or cover.

[alnicopu]

Originally Posted by Doug 54

This has been an irk with me forever.

Fralin has one ready-available.

However, Neil Young's tech, Larry Cragg, has had Fralin make small runs
in excatly what you are wanting- the D pole taller then Fralins already-available flat G/ raised D model.
I guess it would be a custom pup. Mention the Larry Cragg mod.

I use the G&L ASAT Classic pups with adjustable poles in my cheapie.
They sound very good to me.

No need to go the wound G route: your bending intervals will suffer from that alot.

+1 on being an irk. Did most use wound G's in the old days? My ear is incredibly atuned to the over twang of a plain G especially as the strings start to age. No one else seems to hear it but I change strings when I can never seem to get the G to sound in tune or not just stand out so much. I have this same problem with my highway 1 strat with the alnico 3 pickups. I have been told by some that it is ok to push the G pole down, others say not to try. All my research says that the poles in these pickups are in plastic tubes with the wire not directly wound on the poles.

[bradpdx]

This has been a bugaboo for me the past 30 years, and all that time my solution on Teles and Strats is to lighten the G string by a notch or two. When using 10s I drop the G from .017 to .016 or .015. Sounds better and more balanced to me all the way around.

I would like a raised D all by its lonesome.

[jackal]

Originally Posted by bradpdx

This has been a bugaboo for me the past 30 years, and all that time my solution on Teles and Strats is to lighten the G string by a notch or two. When using 10s I drop the G from .017 to .016 or .015. Sounds better and more balanced to me all the way around.

I would like a raised D all by its lonesome.

Read an interview a long time ago in Guitar Player where this was recommended and have done so. Quickly got used to the different string tension. Also have went to a bigger D string. Back in the early sixties, a few local guys would swap the A and D strings to get a balance.