S
Spin Doctor
New member
What happens to my sound? like.
mshilarious
Banned
Volume drops a bit; sustain may increase.
J
Jouni
New member
Ditto the volume drop. Never heard about the sustainincrease??? 
Like, if your thinner strings aren't coming through enough, you lower the PU under the fatter strings and/or rise under the thinner..
Actually, IMO it makes a huge difference in sound that way...
Like, if your thinner strings aren't coming through enough, you lower the PU under the fatter strings and/or rise under the thinner..
Actually, IMO it makes a huge difference in sound that way...
Gorty
New member
Jouni said:
Or just raise the pickup under the thinner strings.
Milnoque
Resident Curmudgeon
Lowering the pickup will soften the attack, decrease the volume, and increase the harmonic complexity.
It does not increase sustain, but appears to do so because softening the attack levels out the decay somewhat.
Whether or not this is a good thing depends on what kind of playing you're doing. It can be a real improvement to melodic playing and fat chords, but it will make fast rock or metal sound muddier.
There is no risk in turning your height adjustment screws an exact number of turns, listening to the difference, and returning your pickups to their original positions.
It does not increase sustain, but appears to do so because softening the attack levels out the decay somewhat.
Whether or not this is a good thing depends on what kind of playing you're doing. It can be a real improvement to melodic playing and fat chords, but it will make fast rock or metal sound muddier.
There is no risk in turning your height adjustment screws an exact number of turns, listening to the difference, and returning your pickups to their original positions.
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D
Dani Pace
New member
Lowering the pups will not harm the pup or the guitar, it will alter the sound, mostly affecting volume, (lower pup=lower volume.) Lower pups will also have less attack and a cleaner sound. Sustain wont be affected much by lowering the pups but if you raise them too much the magnetic field of the pup will pull on the string and cause a loss of sustain.
Think of the pups like mics, they pick up the strings much the same as a mic picks up voice. For clearer voice or harmony we move back from the mic, the same idea works with the pups, lower pups for the harmonic sounds of chords or clean sounding guitar. For "in your face" vocals we get cloce to a mic, raised pups have the same affect, more attack, more volume, more likely to distort or clip.
Lighter guage strings will be affected more by lowering the pups than heavier guage and heavy strings wont loose as much volume.
You can lower one side of the pup more than the other, if the guitar sounds too twangy, lower the treble side, if it's too boomy, lower the bass side.
Consider your playing style, how hard you play, whether you play mostly rythm or lead, string guage, and tone... then adjust the pups so you get the sound you want. Lower the pups and try it for a while, if it's not quite what you want a couple of turns with a screwdriver is all it takes to change it.
Think of the pups like mics, they pick up the strings much the same as a mic picks up voice. For clearer voice or harmony we move back from the mic, the same idea works with the pups, lower pups for the harmonic sounds of chords or clean sounding guitar. For "in your face" vocals we get cloce to a mic, raised pups have the same affect, more attack, more volume, more likely to distort or clip.
Lighter guage strings will be affected more by lowering the pups than heavier guage and heavy strings wont loose as much volume.
You can lower one side of the pup more than the other, if the guitar sounds too twangy, lower the treble side, if it's too boomy, lower the bass side.
Consider your playing style, how hard you play, whether you play mostly rythm or lead, string guage, and tone... then adjust the pups so you get the sound you want. Lower the pups and try it for a while, if it's not quite what you want a couple of turns with a screwdriver is all it takes to change it.
GONZO-X
Well-known member
if you've ever raised a 'hot' pickup, or 'overwound' pickup, or one with extremely strong magnets, you'll find that the magnetic pull actually DECREASES sustain.
there's a sweet spot, between balance, attack, sustain, and clarity, and every guitar has one.
you have to find it, thru experimentation.
there's a sweet spot, between balance, attack, sustain, and clarity, and every guitar has one.
you have to find it, thru experimentation.
S
Spin Doctor
New member
Thanks!!!
You guys are so helpful as usual.
You guys are so helpful as usual.
TheRockDoc
New member
slightly hijacking...
I had a beef with a guitar tech here because I have had a Tele that has been... well... a pain in the ass. I asked the guy to intonate and setup- paying particular attention to this high e-string. He tells me that the problem is the pickup- the magnetic pull is causing the string to be off. I thought it was bull- he still didn't really fx it, but is it possible or likely that the cheap ass stock Fender pickup for a Tele could cause that much of a problem?
I had a beef with a guitar tech here because I have had a Tele that has been... well... a pain in the ass. I asked the guy to intonate and setup- paying particular attention to this high e-string. He tells me that the problem is the pickup- the magnetic pull is causing the string to be off. I thought it was bull- he still didn't really fx it, but is it possible or likely that the cheap ass stock Fender pickup for a Tele could cause that much of a problem?
EdWonbass
pull the goalie
If you lower your pickup you may bottom out on speed bumps and probably rip your exhaust system off or do some suspension damage. 
Milnoque
Resident Curmudgeon
In response to TheRockDoc, It is -possible- that your problem with the tone of your high "E" string is caused by magnetic pull. If you are using very light gauge strings that would make it more likely. There would be no harm in lowering the pickup to find out.
Even new strings can have flaws that result in tone problems. Has your problem been apparent all along? It may be that you can correct the problem just by swapping out a string.
I keep hearing people complain about stock pickups on good guitars. I've been playing for 35+ years and I call bull. I've run across dog pickups occasionally during that time. Even on some of those "Holy Grail" guitars of the fifties and sixties, But they are rare. I've played enough new teles to say that the stock pickups are perfectly acceptable. Even on most MIM teles. The best way to get great tone is with great technique. No kind of pickup will change that.
Sorry for the rant. You probably didn't deserve it. I just get frustrated sometimes.
Anyway, try a new string, maybe slightly heavier gauge. Then try lowering the pickup a bit and see if your problem gets better. I bet it will.
If you are looking for a different tone the guys on this forum have tried almost everything. They can help steer you in the right direction.
There's probably nothing wrong with your stock pickup itself.
Even new strings can have flaws that result in tone problems. Has your problem been apparent all along? It may be that you can correct the problem just by swapping out a string.
I keep hearing people complain about stock pickups on good guitars. I've been playing for 35+ years and I call bull. I've run across dog pickups occasionally during that time. Even on some of those "Holy Grail" guitars of the fifties and sixties, But they are rare. I've played enough new teles to say that the stock pickups are perfectly acceptable. Even on most MIM teles. The best way to get great tone is with great technique. No kind of pickup will change that.
Sorry for the rant. You probably didn't deserve it. I just get frustrated sometimes.
Anyway, try a new string, maybe slightly heavier gauge. Then try lowering the pickup a bit and see if your problem gets better. I bet it will.
If you are looking for a different tone the guys on this forum have tried almost everything. They can help steer you in the right direction.
There's probably nothing wrong with your stock pickup itself.
dave.....
New member
pickup's
+100 for milnoque ....... most of my tone and sound comes from my technique ....
+100 for milnoque ....... most of my tone and sound comes from my technique ....
G
ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
TheRockDoc said:
Commonly called "Stratitis", the effect on string vibration by the magnetic pull of a too-close pickup is very real. It will screw with your intonation and can cause a very unpleasing warbling overtone on certain notes. The unwound strings are the most vulnerable to this; on my Strat it usually shows up first on the G string.
dave.....
New member
stratitis
i keep the pickups on my strat a little lower than my other guitar's . to avoid stratitis .... i also keep them a little lower on the bass side of the pickup ... this seems to make the high notes sound less muddy ..........
i keep the pickups on my strat a little lower than my other guitar's . to avoid stratitis .... i also keep them a little lower on the bass side of the pickup ... this seems to make the high notes sound less muddy ..........
jimistone
long standing member
I set my pickups (strat) flush with the pickguard on the bass side and raised up about the thickness of a dime on the treble side.
They sound incredible like that.
If you are having a volume issue after doing that...get a bigger tube amp!!
They sound incredible like that.
If you are having a volume issue after doing that...get a bigger tube amp!!
capnkid
Optimus Prime
I recently took out my "Floating" humbucker brackets and direct mounted them to the guitar via a peice of wood. I can't describe the sound I guess warmer maybe.
The two screws on each side of the floating humbucker are meant to be adjustable, or tweakable. You might go with larger or smaller strings in the future, and adjust accordingly. There are so many variables between your fingers and the speaker it could keep one busy for a lifetime.
Anyway, I want to build a guitar with a (direct mounted) humbucker in the bridge, and a nice (floating) single coil in the neck. All good fenders have floating single coils.
The two screws on each side of the floating humbucker are meant to be adjustable, or tweakable. You might go with larger or smaller strings in the future, and adjust accordingly. There are so many variables between your fingers and the speaker it could keep one busy for a lifetime.
Anyway, I want to build a guitar with a (direct mounted) humbucker in the bridge, and a nice (floating) single coil in the neck. All good fenders have floating single coils.