Clipping pickups?

[SlowerHand]

I recently got a Gibson Les Paul Studio, with the standard 490R and 498T pick ups in it. I love it, the way it plays and the way it sounds is pretty much exactly what I want from it, but I've noticed two things: even playing through an overdriven tube amp the volume roll-off is doesn't happen until around 4, and even with low gain it only sound clean-ish around 2; and the guitar is loud as fook, in fact when I tried recording directly from the headphone output from my ME-20 pedal, and even at pretty low volume levels on both the pedal and the audio interface, it appeared to be clipping!

So now I wonder, is it possible that the pick ups are too high, as in too close to the strings? If so, how do I solve it? If not, what might be another fix?

 

[Victory Pete]

I recently got a Gibson Les Paul Studio, with the standard 490R and 498T pick ups in it. I love it, the way it plays and the way it sounds is pretty much exactly what I want from it, but I've noticed two things: even playing through an overdriven tube amp the volume roll-off is doesn't happen until around 4, and even with low gain it only sound clean-ish around 2; and the guitar is loud as fook, in fact when I tried recording directly from the headphone output from my ME-20 pedal, and even at pretty low volume levels on both the pedal and the audio interface, it appeared to be clipping!

So now I wonder, is it possible that the pick ups are too high, as in too close to the strings? If so, how do I solve it? If not, what might be another fix?

I used to have a similiar situation when I used my Marshall 2204 Master Volume amp. I could never roll down the guitars volume to clean up the signal. These days I have a vox pedal board going into 2 Marshall Plexis. I can now roll down the volume and have a very clean signal, even if I am using distortion. It might not be the guitar but your signal chain.
VP

 

[SlowerHand]

I doubt it's the signal chain, as it's guitar>cable>amp/pedal. Besides, it sounds like the treble pickup clips even with the volume turned down.

I guess I'll have to start experimenting when I get home tonight. On that note, is it dangerous to adjust those middle screws on the pickups to adjust the height, while the guitar is plugged in?

I feel stoopid. I might very well be...

 

[Victory Pete]

I doubt it's the signal chain, as it's guitar>cable>amp/pedal. Besides, it sounds like the treble pickup clips even with the volume turned down.

I guess I'll have to start experimenting when I get home tonight. On that note, is it dangerous to adjust those middle screws on the pickups to adjust the height, while the guitar is plugged in?

I feel stoopid. I might very well be...

No, but turn down your amp because it will make loud pops. I usually set my treble pickup about an 1/8" away. I dont like them too close. Try running the guitar only into a clean channel and see what happens. Good luck.
VP

 

[DrewPeterson7]

The rule of thumb for passives I was told was that you probably want to stay at least 3mm from the strings, measured when fretting your guitar at the last fret (24th, in your case), as any higher and the pickup magnets start to impact the vibration of the string negatively. Has your sustain suffered somewhat, too? If so, that's probably what's up.

Personally, I generally go a little lower than that, but that's a matter of taste - you'll be able to hear subtle changes (well, maybe not so subtle if yours are way too close) as you move your pickups up and down, so basically just plug in, tweak, play for a while, tweak again, see if things got better or worse, and just move around until you find your sweet spot. It's also going to vary quite a bit pickup to pickup - I have a buddy who loves the Duncan JB seven string pickup, but only if it's at least a half inch from the strings as otherwise it just sounds like mush. I've played his guitar, and the thing absolutely smoked (it was a killer KxK flying V), so obviously something's working there.

EDIT - BTW, the pickup itself isn't clipping - it's just copper wire and magnets, there's nothing to distort. what's happening, possibly, is that they're so close to the strings that the output from the pickups is seriously hot and clipping everything downstream in your signal path.

 

[JCH]

The pickups wont clip any part of your signal. The circuit that they're connected to can. The capacitors in the tone circuit can have an effect. Sometimes very dramatic. Here's a good read. This is how my Les Paul is wired. (article in link)