Pickup Height? (get low output ie john mayer)

[ngjingming]

Does the pickup height affect the tone of the guitar much?

Ive read up on and im currently deciding or not to change the pickup heights.

My question, if i lower the pickups, will i get lower output like john mayer? Coz his stuff is pretty low output and i find my guitar is abit too "hot".

Also, anyone know how jm has his pickups' heights done? Like one side higher, etc etc.

Thanks!

Oh and does anyone know where to get Fender Custom Shop '54s pickups?

 

[keithC]

yo man, haha.

if pickup height is low, u get
lower output
more clarity.

if pickup height is high, u get
higher output
a fatter tone.

if pickup height is too high, u get
A LOT OF MUD.

so lets say u want a fat tone, but without the excessive mud, get a pro to find that sweet spot... even if output is high, amp volume can be brought down...

 

[Whitestrat]

Does the pickup height affect the tone of the guitar much? - YES.

My question, if i lower the pickups, will i get lower output like john mayer? Coz his stuff is pretty low output and i find my guitar is abit too "hot". - PICKUP TONES ARE INHERENT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO TO THE HEIGHTS. IT'S GOT TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF WINDS AROUND THE COILS, OUTPUT VOLTAGE LEVELS AND DC RESISTANCE. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET A LOW OUTPUT TONE FROM A HOT WOUND PICKUP.

Also, anyone know how jm has his pickups' heights done? Like one side higher, etc etc. - THAT DOESN'T MATTER MUCH. AS A RULE OF THUMB, BOTH SIDES SHOULD BE OF EQUAL HEIGHT. THE REST IS UP TO YOU.

Oh and does anyone know where to get Fender Custom Shop '54s pickups? - SWEE LEE. i THINK GUITAR CONNECTION HAS A SET AVAILABLE TOO.

replies in bold caps.

 

[zax]

yo man, haha.

if pickup height is low, u get
lower output
more clarity.

if pickup height is high, u get
higher output
a fatter tone.

if pickup height is too high, u get
A LOT OF MUD.

so lets say u want a fat tone, but without the excessive mud, get a pro to find that sweet spot... even if output is high, amp volume can be brought down...

didnt know that , thanks

 

[keithC]

"PICKUP TONES ARE INHERENT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO TO THE HEIGHTS. IT'S GOT TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF WINDS AROUND THE COILS, OUTPUT VOLTAGE LEVELS AND DC RESISTANCE. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET A LOW OUTPUT TONE FROM A HOT WOUND PICKUP."

hey whitestrat, is that true?? i thought once u lower the pickup it does become lower output?

does that mean if i lower my pickup and up my amp volume, the end sound will be totally the same as before??
i thought height mattered a lot... my bad, any other pro can help clarify?

 

[suckasucks]

i have the same opinion as whitestrat. changing the pickup height can solve some tonal problems, but the output of the pickup depends almost totally on the no. of windings etc. the character still remains the same.

 

[thor666]

It's a reversible process so long as you don't unscrew until the screws drop off from the pickups. So ask not anymore and just do it.

 

[almondx]

Output does decrease when the pickups are further away from the strings, but it is very minor and is used to fine tune the pickup rather than to change its inherent voicing.

 

[keithC]

Output does decrease when the pickups are further away from the strings, but it is very minor and is used to fine tune the pickup rather than to change its inherent voicing.

great info man, thanks!

 

[ngjingming]

k thanks guys. whitestrat thanks, but erm it felt like you were shouting at me sorry haha no offence.

 

[dearxarson]

hmm

shouldnt the pick up side nearer to the thinner strings be slightly higher than the those near the thicker strings?

having it balanced will cause the thicker strings to overpower your sound when ur playing full/barre chords.

 

[crozzfire]

Well there's no right or wrong, its all up to personal preference. If it works for u, then it works!

 

[Whitestrat]

"PICKUP TONES ARE INHERENT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO TO THE HEIGHTS. IT'S GOT TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF WINDS AROUND THE COILS, OUTPUT VOLTAGE LEVELS AND DC RESISTANCE. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET A LOW OUTPUT TONE FROM A HOT WOUND PICKUP."

hey whitestrat, is that true?? i thought once u lower the pickup it does become lower output?

does that mean if i lower my pickup and up my amp volume, the end sound will be totally the same as before??
i thought height mattered a lot... my bad, any other pro can help clarify?

Ok. Think of it this way. output is a matter of electricity. whether or not it produces a high or low output depends on the strings cutting the magnetic fields of the pickups, and generating a current. Cut means cut, and regardless of how far the pick up is away, moving the pickups only affects the amplitude of the string vibrating being picked up.

But remember that the minimum out put that a high output pickup can generate will still be more than the maximum of a low output pickup.

And also, moving the pickups too far away actually doesn't really improve your tone. It just makes it softer, so less frequencies are picked up. The height DOES matter, but not in the way that you're describing it. The right height will be fantastic for tone. The wrong height will just kill it.

Wah... you really testing my electonics sia... whatever little left I remember.

 

[Whitestrat]

hmm

shouldnt the pick up side nearer to the thinner strings be slightly higher than the those near the thicker strings?

having it balanced will cause the thicker strings to overpower your sound when ur playing full/barre chords.

No, because pickup manufacturers actually have taken that into account already.

And you don't want your bass strings to sound wimpy do you?

 

[Whitestrat]

k thanks guys. whitestrat thanks, but erm it felt like you were shouting at me sorry haha no offence.

heh... sorry... that's not what i intended...

 

[keithC]

cool info man, now i know.. haha.

No, because pickup manufacturers actually have taken that into account already.

And you don't want your bass strings to sound wimpy do you?

actually, sometimes your bass gets louder than the trebles, thats what a compressor is for right? it balances both of them?

 

[Whitestrat]

cool info man, now i know.. haha.

actually, sometimes your bass gets louder than the trebles, thats what a compressor is for right? it balances both of them?

Compressor? No. Honestly, I don't really know how to use a compressor, and have never needed one. But this isn't it's purpose. You don't need this balancing done with a pedal. If any, it should be an equalizer, but that still doesn't make sense. You need a set up. Not a pedal.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

compressor dont balanced bass and treble. The balancing mainly come from guitar setup

the compressor affect the signal over the whole range as per setting, it doesnt pick up bass or treble frequency individually. It compressed everything thats going thru the circuit, unless you have compressor that do parallel mix of dry and compressed signal

 

[Whitestrat]

compressor dont balanced bass and treble. The balancing mainly come from guitar setup

the compressor affect the signal over the whole range as per setting, it doesnt pick up bass or treble frequency individually. It compressed everything thats going thru the circuit, unless you have compressor that do parallel mix of dry and compressed signal

OT a bit... so what is a compressor used for actually?

 

[keithC]

i've read things on compressors, there's a huge thread from the G4C forum, but i still cant understand it at all. gotta own one..