Pickup Height - I know there's no hard and fast rules...

[jkdsteve]

...but I can not seem to get it right on some guitars...trying to balance the output vs. mud vs. pulling on the strings....,my JEM is driving me nuts...HELP?

 

[trey85stang]

I read a seymour duncan article about pickup height. They recommend something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side. thats what I always go with... and it seems to work best on almost any pickup ive set it with.

 

[jkdsteve]

I read a seymour duncan article about pickup height. They recommend something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side. thats what I always go with... and it seems to work best on almost any pickup ive set it with.

I assume that's distance from the strings? I think I'll re-set to there and start over.

Most of my guitars are a ways lower than that (except the EMG ones)

 

[again with this]

I usually start with the pickup about half way between the strings and flush with the body. Then I turn on an amp at band volume and gain and without playing or muting the strings much, I adjust the heigth to just below the feedback threshold. Usually, this is a little farther from the strings than, "something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side".

 

[trey85stang]

I read a seymour duncan article about pickup height. They recommend something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side. thats what I always go with... and it seems to work best on almost any pickup ive set it with.

I assume that's distance from the strings? I think I'll re-set to there and start over.

Most of my guitars are a ways lower than that (except the EMG ones)

yeah, from the strings!

 

[trey85stang]

I usually start with the pickup about half way between the strings and flush with the body. Then I turn on an amp at band volume and gain and without playing or muting the strings much, I adjust the heigth to just below the feedback threshold. Usually, this is a little farther from the strings than, "something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side".

that sounds like a good way to do it to... but wouldnt the feedback thresh-hold vary upon how far away from the amp you are?

 

[itsme]

I read a seymour duncan article about pickup height. They recommend something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side. thats what I always go with... and it seems to work best on almost any pickup ive set it with.

+1

 

[Robotechnology]

Depends what you want. JEM stock EVO's are hot when close to the strings or even half way from. Sound a little different to. I have mine about half way back otherwise a clean tone is not possible on full on humbucking mode from either the neck or the bridge. Sounds heavenly driven when close to the strings but, definitely not versatile.

 

[vchizzle]

Depends what you want. JEM stock EVO's are hot when close to the strings or even half way from. Sound a little different to. I have mine about half way back otherwise a clean tone is not possible on full on humbucking mode from either the neck or the bridge. Sounds heavenly driven when close to the strings but, definitely not versatile.

This is my situation as well. Different pickups, but same senario. I usually end up roughly a 32nd or so below that starting point height. If the pickups' got any dynamics you lose a bit of that when too close as well.

 

[blackba]

I usually just set my pickup height by ear, but I do struggle a bit with it. I think 1/16" would be too close on a neck humbucker.

Also you have to be very careful with single coils as they can pull the string out of tune if they are set too close....

 

[bravedude2]

instead of the 1/32 stuff, just get a little phillips head screw driver and turn and turn til your happy. everybody has different ears so 3/32 might sound muddy still.

 

[again with this]

I usually start with the pickup about half way between the strings and flush with the body. Then I turn on an amp at band volume and gain and without playing or muting the strings much, I adjust the heigth to just below the feedback threshold. Usually, this is a little farther from the strings than, "something like 1/16" of an inch on the treble side and 3/32" on the bass side".

that sounds like a good way to do it to... but wouldnt the feedback thresh-hold vary upon how far away from the amp you are?

Yeah, but the room we jam in is about good club stage size and I usually stand about the same distance from the amp. I'd guess 5 or 6 feet, maybe 7 or 8 if I am kissing the wall... Definately facing away from the speakers...

Take what I say with a grain of salt if you're not a high gain metal kinda guy like me...

 

[Mudder]

I use a starting point recommended by Bill Lawrence. I place a nickel on the pickup and adjust it until it touches the strings. Then I adjust by ear. That's for a bridge pickup.