String height vs pickups.

Breen

New member
Blues & Country guys like their string action to be a little higher then the average strummer for somehow things just gets bluesier or twangier. So what from a higher action makes this bluwang more possible?

Also, pickup height affects how your pickups interact with your strings thus your sound out of your amp. What I want to know is what makes what when you do certain things? Meaning, overwound pickup placed higher or lower vs a PAF tilted to one side or a EVO placed right under the strings..... what causes what to sound more what? And to link back to the first question, does a higher action require raising of the pickups?

Please dont be confused :]
 
Also, pickup height affects how your pickups interact with your strings thus your sound out of your amp. What I want to know is what makes what when you do certain things? Meaning, overwound pickup placed higher or lower vs a PAF tilted to one side or a EVO placed right under the strings..... what causes what to sound more what? And to link back to the first question, does a higher action require raising of the pickups?

Yes and no. Pickup heights should not be related to string action. They are 2 separate considerations. Yet, of course, if you do raise your action, it's natural to assume that you should raise your pickups accordingly.

With a decibel meter, you'll find that when balancing pickups, single coils are ALWAYS bass low and treble high slanted for the middle and neck, and the pickup is usually flat for the bridge. Humbuckers tend to have the neck sometimes also bass low and treble high, though not as much as the single coils, but this is usally meant for low output pickups.

I think this shows that lower output pickups tend to maintain weaker trebles and stronger bass. The hotter the pickup, I've noticed that a balanced sound will come from either a flat orientaiton, or bass high, treble low. This is also the usual orientation for me for the bridge pickups.

In respect to overall heights, the closer a pickup is, the bassier the tones are, and the more glaring the trebles are. The further away it is, the more mellow/gentle the tone, and not so defined.

hope this is what you were looking for.

Note: These are not guesstimations. My pickups are balanced with a decibel meter to ensure equal volume across the pickups.

String action is a matter of preference, more than pickup balancing. higher action will result in a fuller note and rounder tone. Lower action will result in mild string rattle, and adds a metallic snap to the strings.
 
Blues & Country guys like their string action to be a little higher then the average strummer for somehow things just gets bluesier or twangier. So what from a higher action makes this bluwang more possible?

actually, i like my action a bit higher than normal because i play slide.
 
I'm gonna convert a shit for brains plastic paint plywood Samick Strat to slide. Gonna have to find a new neck or somehow work the one on it. I want that Seasick Steve thing, yet with an outlet to practice Derek Trucks. Anyway.....

I want more bass thumb in my bridge single coil. Based on what I have learnt, I raise it on the bass side no? But I realize acoustically the low E just don't seem as loud or profound as the A string. Is there a reason for it? I'm guessing thats why I seem to want more from that string.

I have an overwound Fralins in the neck. I think it can do better, in what way I cant quantify, so I don't know what to do with it. Any advice on this?
 
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