Pickup Height

[FL6]

What do you guys prefer for brown sound?
Same height for all brands of pickups?
Assuming we're just talking about bridge pickups.

[julkke]

This makes a big difference in tone and is one of the things you gotta experiment with yourself. Nobody really can tell you at which height in the particular guitar you like the pickups tone most.

[spazowsky]

Add pickup placement distance from the bridge to that!

[demonufo]

Add pickup placement distance from the bridge to that!

Amen to that. When it comes to traditional buckers on a strat type guitar in particular, I really love to get them as close to the bridge as is humanly possible. Really thick mids can be had on a high output pickup, this way.

[Maverick]

Adjust the pickup to what sounds good to your ears!

[FL6]

If your humbucking bridge pickup is too close to the strings you will loose sustain, too far from strings you loose volume and attack so my adjustment procedure as follows=\

depress the high E string onto the last fret and adjust the height to almost touch the edge of the pickup and back off 1 turn and do the same fot the low E string.
This should be
performed with the guitar in the playing position!

Although you can alson adjust while you guitar is resting on the bench!

So just one turn away, roughly?
I was always curious how far away the pickup would be if it was considered too close, less than 1mm, or less than one turn?

[demonufo]

So just one turn away, roughly?

All depends on the thread. The threads on my Seymours are very fine. One turn away from touching is nowhere near big enough gap. I think there's too much string pull at this sort of height regardless.
In reality, no two guitars will be quite the same with their ideal height.

[FL6]

So just one turn away, roughly?

All depends on the thread. The threads on my Seymours are very fine. One turn away from touching is nowhere near big enough gap. I think there's too much string pull at this sort of height regardless.
In reality, no two guitars will be quite the same with their ideal height.

I understand but I just can't hear much difference when I experiment going up and down.
Perhaps it needs to be on really loud volumes to notice.

[demonufo]

Most of the admittedly subtle differences are more obvious with the volume pot backed off a little.

[JimiJames]

Yes, once the desired pup and pup height is achieved then it's on to Part II :
More noticeably with hi-gain pup's and type of pot used... Oddly, a tone within a vol...
This is a dirty little secret that has major impact, but major fail with most players
because it's easier to crank and leave the knob on 10.

Monster Blues cats back-off. Heck, all the Greats' do/did it...
Even recordings will take on a whoa! new meaning.
Anyway, I call this adding a hue or adding a sheen. ...or *The Silver Lining*.

Also pointed out is with bridge distance.
Custom Pickguard or direct screwed-in with "swiming pool" route.
That area is tricky as pointed out by Les Paul himself in a video explaining the science of where they finally decided where to rest the pups. I assume has to deal with open string harmonics...
Noticeably, but not so much, angle. Because of what the magnetic field does.
That is why if it is too close the note warps and it takes skill to normally play & palm mute without that annoying clicking noise when he E string makes contact with the pup's bobbin screw or slug.
Usually when you have it that close a n d it works is because it was a weak pup to begin with. Sometimes an asset with the right gained head because the strings breathe with weak string pull.
To bring out the E,B & G strings I favor a slight tilt closer to the strings so they cut through and not drown out.

[FL6]

Yes, once the desired pup and pup height is achieved then it's on to Part II :
More noticeably with hi-gain pup's and type of pot used... Oddly, a tone within a vol...
This is a dirty little secret that has major impact, but major fail with most players
because it's easier to crank and leave the knob on 10.

Monster Blues cats back-off. Heck, all the Greats' do/did it...
Even recordings will take on a whoa! new meaning.
Anyway, I call this adding a hue or adding a sheen. ...or *The Silver Lining*.
.

I have a Dimarzio SD but with a 250k pot.
I prefer the 250's because the volume swell is more gradual IMO.
So I noticed when I back my 250 pot off to 8 or 9 it gets thinner, I tend to use for rhythm parts and quieter soloing.
I'm usually all over the volume settings when playing live. I might go back and try the 500 pot and play it backed off.
Thanks for the tips.