Gibson pickup heights

jp_nyc

jp_nyc

Kick Henry Jackassowski
Gibson claims that their factory spec pickup height for a bridge pickup is 1/16 inch from the top of the pickup to the strings. I’m pretty sure this is BS because that’s about as high up as the pickup can go measuring from the top of the pickup and it sounds kind of shrill. What’s a more realistic starting point for the bridge pickup height on a Gibson?
 
You've got to be really really precise here. 1/64th of an inch off, and you go from sounding like Peter Green to sounding like Jimmy Page. And if you'd rather have Jimmy Page's tone over Peter Green's, then you should probably sell your guitar. Or shoot yourself.
 
Last edited:
jp_nyc said:
Gibson claims that their factory spec pickup height for a bridge pickup is 1/16 inch from the top of the pickup to the strings. I’m pretty sure this is BS because that’s about as high up as the pickup can go measuring from the top of the pickup and it sounds kind of shrill. What’s a more realistic starting point for the bridge pickup height on a Gibson?
Click to expand...

Every pickup is different...

But basically, as a starting point, for Hum buckers - I like 3/32nds for most pickups... I've had them to 1/64th on both pickups, they went way beyond 1/16th. If you like em hot, get em close... want em clean, get further away... But I've tweaked from as far as they would go until the screws let go, and so close that they started to buzz the strings, and everywhere in between.. 3/32nd's always seems to be a go0d starting point for me..... Go up or down to taste...

It helps to get a good quality machinist rule, or the stew mac string gauge, I like the SM gauage better but both work well enough.
 
I'm not nearly as precise with it...I use the "nickel" rule...the bridge pickup is 2 nickels away, the neck pickup 3...
 
1/16th is not that high. are you measuring properly? You must depress the strings at the last fret and measure from the top of the pole to the bottom of the string.
on my humbucker tele I have the neck and the bridge at about 2mm or 5/64ths and 6/64ths

there are no rules. humbuckers can be raised as high as they can go if you want.
but they might not sound best there.
 
#fuqafactoryspec

I've always tended to keep my pickups a bit lower than most.
 
Step 1: Fret strings at last fret
Step 2: Make sure the strings aren't touching the pickup
Step 3: Adjust pickups to where they sound best.

Really, it's crazy to do it any other way.
 
Last edited:
dougk said:
Step 1: Fret strings at last fret
Step 2: Make sure the strings are touching the pickup
Step 3: Adjust pickups to where they sound best.

Really, it's crazy to do it any other way.
Click to expand...
Agreed, although I think you meant "aren't" in Step 2, right? LOL

Different pickups have different sweet spots. Hell, even two pickups of the same model have different tolerances (I believe Seymour Duncan's tolerance is 5%).

Hell... I've actually had pickups so low to fit my needs that one guitar ran out of height adjustment screw and it fell in. LOL

Not this guitar, though.

pickupheight1.jpg


pickupheight2.jpg
 
I always use the Bill Lawrence method. It has never failed me. http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickupology/Introduction.htm

"The distance between pickup and string is a very important factor for output and sound.

As a general rule for the bridge pickup - put a nickel on top of the pickup under the high E string and play the highest note on that string. Adjust the height on that side of the pickup till the string touches the nickel. Repeat the same with the low E string, but use two nickels on top of each other. If this gives you too much output, you can reduce the height slightly. Don't forget that twice the distance will reduce the output by about 60%, and the sound will lose some lows. NOW, you can adjust the neck pickup to match the output of the bridge pickup. For the sound test, use stage volume."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top