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Pickup height
Pickup height
Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
it's gone.
I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
it's gone.
I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Re: Pickup height
On 6 May, 10:57, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I prefer my neck pickup a bit further from the strings. This is
because I use a pretty clean amp and prefer the more dynamic /
acoustic sound this height gives. IMO it's easy enough to use a
compressor to smooth things out if required.
General rule is: closer equals more output, fatter and smoother sound;
further away equals less output with more dynamics and clarity.
Yep, it's down to what suits the style of music you play and how you
like it to sound.
On 6 May, 10:57, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I prefer my neck pickup a bit further from the strings. This is
because I use a pretty clean amp and prefer the more dynamic /
acoustic sound this height gives. IMO it's easy enough to use a
compressor to smooth things out if required.
General rule is: closer equals more output, fatter and smoother sound;
further away equals less output with more dynamics and clarity.
Yep, it's down to what suits the style of music you play and how you
like it to sound.
Re: Pickup height
White Spirit wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Good subject! 1 & 2:
1.](by Lindy Fralin)
"Fine Tuning"
There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
output.
Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the
string out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges
(locking tremelos).
Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance
of the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than
shielding the body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the
coil itself. Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the
inside of plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of
the pickup.
Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller
value pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup
(hot to ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a
330k resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
experiment and enjoy!
2.](By Larry Meiners)
November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
Fralin: Part 2
By Larry Meiners
I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to
humbucking pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to
influence the amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that
came after PAFs.
Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value
will enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature.
For PAF humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K
Ohm pot for most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone
pot effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values
roll-off the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will
reduce more of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used
caps from 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with
0.02mfd and 0.01mfd being popular choices.
Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
have to be rewound.
Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output
specs and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup
height to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck
and bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound
levels.
T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers,
as they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than
T-Top or later pickups.
These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers,
including Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975
Flying V guitars included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard
equipment originally.
This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
White Spirit wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Good subject! 1 & 2:
1.](by Lindy Fralin)
"Fine Tuning"
There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
output.
Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the
string out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges
(locking tremelos).
Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance
of the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than
shielding the body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the
coil itself. Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the
inside of plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of
the pickup.
Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller
value pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup
(hot to ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a
330k resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
experiment and enjoy!
2.](By Larry Meiners)
November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
Fralin: Part 2
By Larry Meiners
I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to
humbucking pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to
influence the amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that
came after PAFs.
Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value
will enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature.
For PAF humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K
Ohm pot for most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone
pot effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values
roll-off the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will
reduce more of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used
caps from 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with
0.02mfd and 0.01mfd being popular choices.
Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
have to be rewound.
Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output
specs and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup
height to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck
and bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound
levels.
T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers,
as they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than
T-Top or later pickups.
These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers,
including Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975
Flying V guitars included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard
equipment originally.
This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
Re: Pickup height
What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking about?
They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of what you posted
is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to you or anyone else is to
get your own experience under your belt and be skeptical about anything you
read.
"Gamma Ray" <"fixed-441x82x"@.9spamenzee/my_pa-cks . net > wrote in message
news:yZadnU8jSakEw73VnZ2dnUVZ_j6dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
> White Spirit wrote:
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
>> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are
>> giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's
>> gone.
>>
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
>> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
>> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
>> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
>> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
>> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
>> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>
> Good subject! 1 & 2:
>
> 1.](by Lindy Fralin)
>
> "Fine Tuning"
>
> There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
>
> Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
> output.
>
> Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
>
> ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the string
> out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
>
> Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
> and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges (locking
> tremelos).
>
> Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance of
> the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than shielding the
> body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the coil itself.
> Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the inside of
> plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of the pickup.
>
> Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
> larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller value
> pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup (hot to
> ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a 330k
> resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
>
> A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
> experiment and enjoy!
>
>
>
>
> 2.](By Larry Meiners)
>
> November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
> Fralin: Part 2
> By Larry Meiners
>
> I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to humbucking
> pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to influence the
> amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that came after
> PAFs.
>
> Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
> value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
> will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value will
> enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature. For PAF
> humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K Ohm pot for
> most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
>
> Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone pot
> effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values roll-off
> the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will reduce more
> of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used caps from
> 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with 0.02mfd and
> 0.01mfd being popular choices.
>
> Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
> will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
> improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
> useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
> have to be rewound.
>
> Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
> guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
> amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
> affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
> and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
>
> Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
> increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
> magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
> slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
> cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
> louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output specs
> and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup height
> to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck and
> bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound levels.
>
> T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
> followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
> original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
> until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
> of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
>
> By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
> form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers, as
> they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
> 1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
> nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
> pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
> dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than T-Top
> or later pickups.
>
> These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
> when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
> players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers, including
> Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975 Flying V guitars
> included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard equipment
> originally.
>
> This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
> Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
>
> Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
>
What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking about?
They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of what you posted
is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to you or anyone else is to
get your own experience under your belt and be skeptical about anything you
read.
"Gamma Ray" <"fixed-441x82x"@.9spamenzee/my_pa-cks . net > wrote in message
news:yZadnU8jSakEw73VnZ2dnUVZ_j6dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
> White Spirit wrote:
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
>> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are
>> giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's
>> gone.
>>
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
>> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
>> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
>> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
>> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
>> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
>> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>
> Good subject! 1 & 2:
>
> 1.](by Lindy Fralin)
>
> "Fine Tuning"
>
> There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
>
> Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
> output.
>
> Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
>
> ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the string
> out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
>
> Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
> and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges (locking
> tremelos).
>
> Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance of
> the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than shielding the
> body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the coil itself.
> Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the inside of
> plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of the pickup.
>
> Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
> larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller value
> pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup (hot to
> ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a 330k
> resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
>
> A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
> experiment and enjoy!
>
>
>
>
> 2.](By Larry Meiners)
>
> November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
> Fralin: Part 2
> By Larry Meiners
>
> I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to humbucking
> pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to influence the
> amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that came after
> PAFs.
>
> Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
> value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
> will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value will
> enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature. For PAF
> humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K Ohm pot for
> most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
>
> Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone pot
> effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values roll-off
> the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will reduce more
> of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used caps from
> 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with 0.02mfd and
> 0.01mfd being popular choices.
>
> Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
> will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
> improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
> useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
> have to be rewound.
>
> Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
> guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
> amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
> affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
> and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
>
> Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
> increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
> magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
> slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
> cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
> louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output specs
> and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup height
> to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck and
> bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound levels.
>
> T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
> followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
> original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
> until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
> of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
>
> By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
> form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers, as
> they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
> 1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
> nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
> pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
> dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than T-Top
> or later pickups.
>
> These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
> when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
> players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers, including
> Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975 Flying V guitars
> included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard equipment
> originally.
>
> This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
> Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
>
> Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
>
Re: Pickup height
Adams you uninostril. I've been playing for decades. I have a set of LP
SP43's on my Strat. You clearly need your ass kicked. Take your act to
"LV" whittaker & co. They need a fresh asshole, theirs are rotting and
hanging at their ankles, -in the way of each other's midnight snack
routines-.
I used to see guys ganging up on you in posts and it pissed me off so
I told them so. Now, I completely see why you're a total fuck-with
magnet. You've popped off before and I just rolled with it. Too bad
assault and battery is incompatible with the law. You could really
use a taste. Now fuck off ya life support system for a wet sphincter.
I've got you figured for either a drunk, or a dry drunk. What you think
means <flush>, because you don't. Bitch.
mvm
Keith Adams wrote:
> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking about?
> They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of what you posted
> is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to you or anyone else is to
> get your own experience under your belt and be skeptical about anything you
> read.
>
> "Gamma Ray" <"fixed-441x82x"@.9spamenzee/my_pa-cks . net > wrote in message
> news:yZadnU8jSakEw73VnZ2dnUVZ_j6dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
>> White Spirit wrote:
>>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
>>> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are
>>> giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's
>>> gone.
>>>
>>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
>>> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
>>> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
>>> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
>>> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
>>> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
>>> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>> Good subject! 1 & 2:
>>
>> 1.](by Lindy Fralin)
>>
>> "Fine Tuning"
>>
>> There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
>>
>> Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
>> output.
>>
>> Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
>>
>> ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the string
>> out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
>>
>> Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
>> and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges (locking
>> tremelos).
>>
>> Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance of
>> the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than shielding the
>> body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the coil itself.
>> Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the inside of
>> plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of the pickup.
>>
>> Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
>> larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller value
>> pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup (hot to
>> ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a 330k
>> resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
>>
>> A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
>> experiment and enjoy!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 2.](By Larry Meiners)
>>
>> November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
>> Fralin: Part 2
>> By Larry Meiners
>>
>> I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to humbucking
>> pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to influence the
>> amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that came after
>> PAFs.
>>
>> Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
>> value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
>> will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value will
>> enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature. For PAF
>> humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K Ohm pot for
>> most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
>>
>> Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone pot
>> effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values roll-off
>> the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will reduce more
>> of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used caps from
>> 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with 0.02mfd and
>> 0.01mfd being popular choices.
>>
>> Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
>> will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
>> improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
>> useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
>> have to be rewound.
>>
>> Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
>> guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
>> amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
>> affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
>> and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
>>
>> Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
>> increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
>> magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
>> slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
>> cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
>> louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output specs
>> and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup height
>> to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck and
>> bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound levels.
>>
>> T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
>> followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
>> original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
>> until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
>> of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
>>
>> By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
>> form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers, as
>> they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
>> 1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
>> nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
>> pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
>> dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than T-Top
>> or later pickups.
>>
>> These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
>> when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
>> players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers, including
>> Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975 Flying V guitars
>> included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard equipment
>> originally.
>>
>> This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
>> Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
>>
>> Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
>>
Adams you uninostril. I've been playing for decades. I have a set of LP
SP43's on my Strat. You clearly need your ass kicked. Take your act to
"LV" whittaker & co. They need a fresh asshole, theirs are rotting and
hanging at their ankles, -in the way of each other's midnight snack
routines-.
I used to see guys ganging up on you in posts and it pissed me off so
I told them so. Now, I completely see why you're a total fuck-with
magnet. You've popped off before and I just rolled with it. Too bad
assault and battery is incompatible with the law. You could really
use a taste. Now fuck off ya life support system for a wet sphincter.
I've got you figured for either a drunk, or a dry drunk. What you think
means <flush>, because you don't. Bitch.
mvm
Keith Adams wrote:
> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking about?
> They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of what you posted
> is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to you or anyone else is to
> get your own experience under your belt and be skeptical about anything you
> read.
>
> "Gamma Ray" <"fixed-441x82x"@.9spamenzee/my_pa-cks . net > wrote in message
> news:yZadnU8jSakEw73VnZ2dnUVZ_j6dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
>> White Spirit wrote:
>>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
>>> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are
>>> giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's
>>> gone.
>>>
>>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
>>> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
>>> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
>>> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
>>> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
>>> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
>>> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>> Good subject! 1 & 2:
>>
>> 1.](by Lindy Fralin)
>>
>> "Fine Tuning"
>>
>> There are many ways to tweak a guitar’s tone:
>>
>> Lowering pickups into the body may sound better, but will produce less
>> output.
>>
>> Experiment with pickup heights until you find your own "sweet spot."
>>
>> ALNICO rod pickups that are too close to the strings can "pull" the string
>> out of tune, especially on the bass side of neck pickups.
>>
>> Bigger frets, heavier bodies and maple face plates can add to the highs
>> and thin out the midrange, as do heavier nuts (brass) and bridges (locking
>> tremelos).
>>
>> Shielding, on the other hand, reduces highs by raising the capacitance of
>> the circuit. Shielding the coil has more of this effect than shielding the
>> body cavity because it places the shielding closer to the coil itself.
>> Therefore, we do not recommend shielding the coils or the inside of
>> plastic covers because of potential damage and shorting out of the pickup.
>>
>> Volume pots put a small short across the pickup dampening highs so a
>> larger value pot will make a guitar a little brighter and a smaller value
>> pot will make it darker. A resistor can be added across the pickup (hot to
>> ground) to achieve resistances between standard pot values. ( a 330k
>> resistor added to a 250k pot gives a 145k short across the pickup).
>>
>> A good tone out of your instrument can make playing more rewarding— so
>> experiment and enjoy!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 2.](By Larry Meiners)
>>
>> November 2001 Issue - A Few Secrets About Gibson PAF Pickups, with Lindy
>> Fralin: Part 2
>> By Larry Meiners
>>
>> I want to explain a few of the adjustments that can be made to humbucking
>> pickups, including the guitar's controls and set-up to influence the
>> amplified sound. Also, I'll discuss the T-Top pickups that came after
>> PAFs.
>>
>> Volume Control Pot - Changing the volume pot (potentiometer) resistance
>> value can marginally enhance the high-end response. A higher K Ohm value
>> will make the pickup sound a bit brighter. Conversely, a lower value will
>> enhance the mids and lows by reducing the treble sound signature. For PAF
>> humbuckers, Gibson used a 500K Ohm pot and Fender used a 250K Ohm pot for
>> most of their single-coil pickup guitars.
>>
>> Tone Control Capacitor - Changing the capacitor connected to the tone pot
>> effects the treble response of the pickup. Different cap values roll-off
>> the treble at different frequencies. A higher value cap will reduce more
>> of the pickup's treble response. Vintage Fender guitars used caps from
>> 0.1mfd to 0.05mfd. Gibson used different cap values with 0.02mfd and
>> 0.01mfd being popular choices.
>>
>> Removing the Pickup Cover - Removing the metal humbucking pickup cover
>> will marginally brighten the pickup. Be aware that removing the cover
>> improperly may damage the windings on the coils and make your pickup
>> useless. If a pickup is damaged in this manner, one or both coils will
>> have to be rewound.
>>
>> Setting the String Height - Raising the action (string height) of the
>> guitar's strings will generally allow for a clearer and cleaner
>> amplification of the notes and especially chords. Also, the string gauge
>> affects the guitar's amplified tone. Higher gauge strings have more mass
>> and ultimately change the frequency response, overtones and sustain.
>>
>> Setting the Pickup Height - Raising the pickup close to the strings will
>> increase the output (sound louder). The downside is that a strong pickup
>> magnet may dampen string energy (reduce sustain) and may pull the string
>> slightly out-of-tune. Lowering the pickup may produce a clearer and
>> cleaner signal with less output. Remember, the neck pickup will sound
>> louder than the bridge pickup (given the pickups are the same output specs
>> and the same distance from the strings). You can adjust the pickup height
>> to equalize this output difference if you switch between the neck and
>> bridge pickups while playing live on stage and want similar sound levels.
>>
>> T-Top Patent Number Pickups -The T-Top patent number decal pickups
>> followed the non-T-Top patent number decal pickups that followed the
>> original PAFs. The patent number decal pickups were produced from 1962
>> until 1975. During 1975 Gibson stamped the patent number into the bottom
>> of the pickup's base and these markings lasted until the early 1990s.
>>
>> By 1967 Gibson added a mold mark on the top of the pickup bobbins in the
>> form of a 'T', with and additional small number. The T-Top humbuckers, as
>> they are called, sound very similar to Gibson humbuckers made from
>> 1961-1967. Most of these pickups measure a resistance of 7.5 K Ohms
>> nominally. The existence of T-Top humbuckers helps to determine if the
>> pickups are original equipment for a particular guitar. Vintage guitar
>> dealers assign more value to non-T-Top pickups made before 1967 than T-Top
>> or later pickups.
>>
>> These T-Top pickups have the smaller Alnico 5 magnet and sound different
>> when compared to early PAFs with more high-end and less warmth. Many
>> players prefer the sound of the later patent number humbuckers, including
>> Michael Schenker. Gibson's 1971 Medallion and early 1975 Flying V guitars
>> included these patent number T-Top pickups as standard equipment
>> originally.
>>
>> This is the end of the first Gibson humbucker pickup primer. Flying
>> Vintage Publications hopes this information helps you make great music.
>>
>> Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved
>>
Re: Pickup height
Keith Adams <keithadams@socal.rr . com > wrote:
> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking
> about? They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of
> what you posted is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to
> you or anyone else is to get your own experience under your belt and
> be skeptical about anything you read.
Fralin knows what he's talking about. On the other hand, neither you
nor Mulay does. The only time mvm makes any sense is when he's copping
stuff from others, and even then it's a 50-50 proposition.
Keith Adams <keithadams@socal.rr . com > wrote:
> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking
> about? They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of
> what you posted is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to
> you or anyone else is to get your own experience under your belt and
> be skeptical about anything you read.
Fralin knows what he's talking about. On the other hand, neither you
nor Mulay does. The only time mvm makes any sense is when he's copping
stuff from others, and even then it's a 50-50 proposition.
Re: Pickup height
RichL wrote:
> Keith Adams <keithadams@socal.rr . com > wrote:
>> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking
>> about? They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of
>> what you posted is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to
>> you or anyone else is to get your own experience under your belt and
>> be skeptical about anything you read.
>
> Fralin knows what he's talking about. On the other hand, neither you
> nor Mulay does. The only time mvm makes any sense is when he's copping
> stuff from others, and even then it's a 50-50 proposition.
>
>
Lindy Fralin's site simply had the info. That's "copping"? You poor wad.
You have everyone's pity for your illiteracy and negatronic hay8r beam
mentality. You and Keef here have something in common with
all -0-'s. :-)mvm
RichL wrote:
> Keith Adams <keithadams@socal.rr . com > wrote:
>> What makes you think L . fr alin knows what in the hell they're talking
>> about? They're pickup winders. Its their job to lie.About half of
>> what you posted is fact and the other half is opinion. My advice to
>> you or anyone else is to get your own experience under your belt and
>> be skeptical about anything you read.
>
> Fralin knows what he's talking about. On the other hand, neither you
> nor Mulay does. The only time mvm makes any sense is when he's copping
> stuff from others, and even then it's a 50-50 proposition.
>
>
Lindy Fralin's site simply had the info. That's "copping"? You poor wad.
You have everyone's pity for your illiteracy and negatronic hay8r beam
mentality. You and Keef here have something in common with
all -0-'s. :-)mvm
Re: Pickup height
On 6 touko, 12:57, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Well I always keep them pretty much as high as possible, except,
because I always play with all pickups on, I adjust the neck pickup
lower so it'll only contribute to the sound, not be equal to the
bridge which governs the base tone area.
I mostly use EMG's so they can safely be lifted as high as they go
physically, but the same goes for my JB equipped strat. On a strat
there really isn't much room for adjustment anyway.h
On 6 touko, 12:57, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
Well I always keep them pretty much as high as possible, except,
because I always play with all pickups on, I adjust the neck pickup
lower so it'll only contribute to the sound, not be equal to the
bridge which governs the base tone area.
I mostly use EMG's so they can safely be lifted as high as they go
physically, but the same goes for my JB equipped strat. On a strat
there really isn't much room for adjustment anyway.h
Re: Pickup height
On May 6, 5:57 am, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I prefer them lower and further away from the strings as I get better
dynamics and a smoother tone that way. When I was in metal bands, I
liked them closer to the strings for a sharper attack. So, yeah,
there's no right or wrong; it just depends on your style and the tone
you like.
On May 6, 5:57 am, White Spirit <wspi...@homechoice.co.uk> wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I prefer them lower and further away from the strings as I get better
dynamics and a smoother tone that way. When I was in metal bands, I
liked them closer to the strings for a sharper attack. So, yeah,
there's no right or wrong; it just depends on your style and the tone
you like.
Re: Pickup height
"White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are giving
> wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's gone.
That is the one necessary - objective - calibration.
Aside from that, the rest are subjective calibrations.
In other words, they are adjusted to taste and context.
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music.
That is very likely why.
Just as an example, consider that the guitars used on many popular
recordings (what comes to mind for me at the moment are many Beatles and
Byrds recordings) didn't have high output pickups; they were clean and
bright and allowed a lot of room to hear the other instruments (though that
might have been filled in with Ringo bashing on cymbals).
Sometimes you don't want an instrument taking the entire sonic spectrum.
The bottom line is taste and what really fits the tune, the arrangement, and
the instrumentation.
HTH
-pk
> I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one Strat that
> always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the height as
> much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and now really
> drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my pickups now and
> set them up for maximum output :)
"White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are giving
> wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's gone.
That is the one necessary - objective - calibration.
Aside from that, the rest are subjective calibrations.
In other words, they are adjusted to taste and context.
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music.
That is very likely why.
Just as an example, consider that the guitars used on many popular
recordings (what comes to mind for me at the moment are many Beatles and
Byrds recordings) didn't have high output pickups; they were clean and
bright and allowed a lot of room to hear the other instruments (though that
might have been filled in with Ringo bashing on cymbals).
Sometimes you don't want an instrument taking the entire sonic spectrum.
The bottom line is taste and what really fits the tune, the arrangement, and
the instrumentation.
HTH
-pk
> I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one Strat that
> always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the height as
> much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and now really
> drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my pickups now and
> set them up for maximum output :)
Re: Pickup height
Patrick Keenan <test@dev.null> wrote:
> "White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible?
>> I like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the
>> strings are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them
>> balanced) until it's gone.
>
> That is the one necessary - objective - calibration.
>
> Aside from that, the rest are subjective calibrations.
I disagree. Even if a pickup doesn't produce wolf tones, it can
significantly reduce sustain. This is objectively quantifiable by
examining the waveforms.
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>> style of music.
>
> That is very likely why.
>
> Just as an example, consider that the guitars used on many popular
> recordings (what comes to mind for me at the moment are many Beatles
> and Byrds recordings) didn't have high output pickups; they were
> clean and bright and allowed a lot of room to hear the other
> instruments (though that might have been filled in with Ringo bashing
> on cymbals).
>
> Sometimes you don't want an instrument taking the entire sonic
> spectrum.
But that can be corrected to taste using those treble, mid, bass etc.
knobs that are on amps, or with EQ when recording.
> The bottom line is taste and what really fits the tune, the
> arrangement, and the instrumentation.
Agreed. I like 'em fairly low myself.
Patrick Keenan <test@dev.null> wrote:
> "White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible?
>> I like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the
>> strings are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them
>> balanced) until it's gone.
>
> That is the one necessary - objective - calibration.
>
> Aside from that, the rest are subjective calibrations.
I disagree. Even if a pickup doesn't produce wolf tones, it can
significantly reduce sustain. This is objectively quantifiable by
examining the waveforms.
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>> style of music.
>
> That is very likely why.
>
> Just as an example, consider that the guitars used on many popular
> recordings (what comes to mind for me at the moment are many Beatles
> and Byrds recordings) didn't have high output pickups; they were
> clean and bright and allowed a lot of room to hear the other
> instruments (though that might have been filled in with Ringo bashing
> on cymbals).
>
> Sometimes you don't want an instrument taking the entire sonic
> spectrum.
But that can be corrected to taste using those treble, mid, bass etc.
knobs that are on amps, or with EQ when recording.
> The bottom line is taste and what really fits the tune, the
> arrangement, and the instrumentation.
Agreed. I like 'em fairly low myself.
Re: Pickup height
"White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are giving
> wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one Strat
> that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the height
> as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and now really
> drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my pickups now and
> set them up for maximum output :)
I like mine close too but can't have em too close on the guitar I play slide
on for obvious reasons.
"White Spirit" <wspirit@homechoice.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fvpa1r$si9$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck pickup
> at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings are giving
> wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one Strat
> that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the height
> as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and now really
> drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my pickups now and
> set them up for maximum output :)
I like mine close too but can't have em too close on the guitar I play slide
on for obvious reasons.
Re: Pickup height
White Spirit wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I've found it depends on the pup.
I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down
to the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound fantastic,
with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
White Spirit wrote:
> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced) until
> it's gone.
>
> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the lower
> they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain style of
> music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have in one
> Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I raised the
> height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power, sustain and
> now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height of all my
> pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
I've found it depends on the pup.
I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down
to the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound fantastic,
with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
Re: Pickup height
west wrote:
> White Spirit wrote:
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
>> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced)
>> until it's gone.
>>
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>> style of music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have
>> in one Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I
>> raised the height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power,
>> sustain and now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height
>> of all my pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>
>
> I've found it depends on the pup.
>
> I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down to
> the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
> Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound fantastic,
> with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
Absolutely, it does. Strength and location of magnet + your ear. I
agree. mvm
west wrote:
> White Spirit wrote:
>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible? I
>> like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the strings
>> are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them balanced)
>> until it's gone.
>>
>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>> style of music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I have
>> in one Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon as I
>> raised the height as much as I could, it developed bottom end, power,
>> sustain and now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the height
>> of all my pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>
>
> I've found it depends on the pup.
>
> I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down to
> the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
> Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound fantastic,
> with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
Absolutely, it does. Strength and location of magnet + your ear. I
agree. mvm
Re: Pickup height
Gamma Ray wrote:
> west wrote:
>> White Spirit wrote:
>>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible?
>>> I like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the
>>> strings are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them
>>> balanced) until it's gone.
>>>
>>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>>> style of music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I
>>> have in one Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon
>>> as I raised the height as much as I could, it developed bottom end,
>>> power, sustain and now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the
>>> height of all my pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>>
>>
>> I've found it depends on the pup.
>>
>> I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down
>> to the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
>> Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound
>> fantastic, with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
>
> Absolutely, it does. Strength and location of magnet + your ear. I
> agree. mvm
I thought you just kill filed me. Do I need to show you how to do it
properly?
Gamma Ray wrote:
> west wrote:
>> White Spirit wrote:
>>> Does anyone like their pickups as close to the strings as possible?
>>> I like the bridge pickup a few mm away from the strings and the neck
>>> pickup at the right height to balance with the bridge. If the
>>> strings are giving wolf tones, I gently lower both (keeping them
>>> balanced) until it's gone.
>>>
>>> I just don't get the whole thing about pickups sounding better the
>>> lower they are on the guitar. Maybe it's because I play a certain
>>> style of music. I was really disappointed with a set of JB Jrs I
>>> have in one Strat that always sounded a bit weak and thin. As soon
>>> as I raised the height as much as I could, it developed bottom end,
>>> power, sustain and now really drives the amp. I'm going to check the
>>> height of all my pickups now and set them up for maximum output :)
>>
>>
>> I've found it depends on the pup.
>>
>> I have some Seymour Duncan stacks in one Strat that are almost down
>> to the pickguard to get the tone I like. I also have a strat with Bill
>> Lawrence pups that are almost touching the strings, and sound
>> fantastic, with no string drag. Also have them in a Tele.
>
> Absolutely, it does. Strength and location of magnet + your ear. I
> agree. mvm
I thought you just kill filed me. Do I need to show you how to do it
properly?
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