texmck54
Tele-Meister
Is there something simple I can use like a nickle or a dime to measure correct pickup height within reason.
Setting Strat. Pickup Heights
- Thread starter texmck54
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Stingfan73
Tele-Afflicted
Part of it is preference. Fun to run through positions 1, 3, 5 in particular to equalize volume of each of the three pickups relative to the other two.
dan40
Friend of Leo's
There is no perfect setting. Every set of pickups will require a slightly different height to sound their best, and everyone will have their own opinion of what sounds best. I like to run most of my Strat pickups pretty close to the pickguard. Neck is almost flush, middle is about an 1/8" higher and bridge sits about a 1/4" above the guard. This sounds best to me, but you may prefer them higher to push the amp a little harder.
Tony Done
Friend of Leo's
Yes. It involves both height and tilt. I start with the neck pickup, because it is the one I use most, then match the others to it for equal volume on the 1st and 6th strings. It sometimes takes a few goes before I get it right.
Stingfan73
Tele-Afflicted
Not only a few goes, but I find playing the guitar at gigging volumes out of the house tells me something in the way that appropriate volumes in the house just hint at.
set your neck pickup's bass side first. raise it until you get the warble, then back it off a bit until it goes away, and doesn't hit the front end too hard. then adjust that pickup's treble side. the bass end will definitely be lower.
after that, move to the middle, and then the bridge. you really shouldn't get any warble on the bass side of the bridge pickup, but using the neck pickup as the baseline is your best bet.
regardless, the bass sides of all pickups will more than likely be set lower than the treble side. use your ears as the best guides. you don't want one pickup way hotter than any of the others.
after that, move to the middle, and then the bridge. you really shouldn't get any warble on the bass side of the bridge pickup, but using the neck pickup as the baseline is your best bet.
regardless, the bass sides of all pickups will more than likely be set lower than the treble side. use your ears as the best guides. you don't want one pickup way hotter than any of the others.
Rob DiStefano
Doctor of Teleocity
forget the nickels and dimes - use the best tools you have - YOUR EARS.
Using ears to set pickup heights? Preposterous. Everyone knows you should use the manufactures recommendation and not stray from that by .00001mm or else you'll get horrible tone...
No seriously, use your ears. If the note warbles, the magnets are too close and damping the strings vibrations. The rest is preference.
Start low, and raise them while you listen.
No seriously, use your ears. If the note warbles, the magnets are too close and damping the strings vibrations. The rest is preference.
Start low, and raise them while you listen.
Thin69
Friend of Leo's
The one thing that has worked for me through the years is in general I have better luck with the pickups set low. I usually have the high E side set higher than the low E side and the neck pickup is usually lower than the bridge.
Pickup height is also dependent upon the strength of the magnets. Powerful magnets and too high pickups yields some really nasty tones.
Fenders set up guide is a good reference:
http://www2.fender.com/support/articles/stratocaster-setup-guide/
Pickup height is also dependent upon the strength of the magnets. Powerful magnets and too high pickups yields some really nasty tones.
Fenders set up guide is a good reference:
http://www2.fender.com/support/articles/stratocaster-setup-guide/
user34603
Tele-Meister
For some reason a lot of guys are afraid to name a measure from pickup top to string bottom. You may have poor 'ears' (sense of tone). The simplest solution is to take it to a guy who can really set up guitars for a living and has adjusted hundreds of Strats and Teles over the years. Pay his modest fee and take measurements on the bass and treble E string of each pickup. Use it in the future as a starting point.
Rob DiStefano
Doctor of Teleocity
afraid to name a measure from pickup top to string bottom????
no, not at all "afraid", just smart enuf to know that measurements are total nonsense.
USE YOUR EARS for chrissakes! they are THE best sonic tools for ................... YOU!
"capo" at the last fret, raise up all the pickups as close as you dare to the strings without their excursions hitting the pups.
PLAY. LISTEN. ADJUST PICKUP HEIGHTS TO SUIT YOUR TASTE - not mine or anyone else's.
yeesh.
no, not at all "afraid", just smart enuf to know that measurements are total nonsense.
USE YOUR EARS for chrissakes! they are THE best sonic tools for ................... YOU!
"capo" at the last fret, raise up all the pickups as close as you dare to the strings without their excursions hitting the pups.
PLAY. LISTEN. ADJUST PICKUP HEIGHTS TO SUIT YOUR TASTE - not mine or anyone else's.
yeesh.
sjtalon
Doctor of Teleocity
Sorry, but that's kind of like having someone coming to paint your house and telling them to use whatever color THEY like.
YOUR geetar, adjust the pickups to get the sound YOU WANT.
Specs (Fender isn't afraid to publish them (link removed)) are O.K. for a start point. What a person can use is drill bits like feeler gauges. Then I will adjust them up then down about one screw turn at a time, keeping track of screw turns so you can find the sweetest spot to go to after some experimenting.
ANYONE who hasn't adjusted pickup heights (well worth a good 1/2 hr time at the most) could really be missing something tone wise. Proper height can make or break a lot of pickups out there. There are WAY to many variables to just set to spec ( or have some so called TECH do it) and think you have the cats meow.
.02 and such as
SPUDCASTER
Doctor of Teleocity
Keep a screwdriver handy at all times.
Invest in a Leatherman.
Invest in a Leatherman.
bigben55
Friend of Leo's
Use the ears for sure!
I play a tele and a strat. I find the middle pu on the strat "gets in my way" sometimes. I don't use it much so I lower that one significantly. But the neck and bridge are adjusted for equal volume string to string. My 2&4 positions aren't as loud as 1&5 because of lowering the middle, but I have a mini toggle installed which yields the bridge/neck combo which is equi-volume to either bridge or neck alone.
I play a tele and a strat. I find the middle pu on the strat "gets in my way" sometimes. I don't use it much so I lower that one significantly. But the neck and bridge are adjusted for equal volume string to string. My 2&4 positions aren't as loud as 1&5 because of lowering the middle, but I have a mini toggle installed which yields the bridge/neck combo which is equi-volume to either bridge or neck alone.
Papa Joe
Friend of Leo's
I've been using my ears all my life to measure pickup height and I have the scars to prove it..
Yea ears are your tool for this job like a sonic screwdriver. Different pickups have different magnetic pull, output, balance and I can't see a hard distance to use. Every pro tech I know eyeballs height then listens to each position.
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