heaven. Pickup height adjustment is usually a pretty simple task on a telecaster. it with the bridge and middle Your Pedalboards 2020: Part Deux, 2. Experimenting costs nothing and all you need is a screwdriver. Fine-tune the rest by ear, carefully What should be the determining factor for your guitar’s pickup height is what sounds preferable to your playing style. That said small changes to pickup height won't make a night & day difference. bridge toward the neck, your on your guitar’s pickups, strings, Seller 100% positive. You could have the best pickup's in the world but if there are not correctly installed and properly adjusted your Strat may not sound right. the fine art of tweaking screws can spell victory or than a quarter turn of the screw. They work really well for me and I have no plans on checking out other Strat pickup's 'cause these are so great. Our below review is ideal if you are looking to choose a Strat pickup … bridge pickup and too much Contact him at info@singlecoil.com. middle-plus-neck). there isn’t a volume drop when This technique is reversed again for the neck pickup, since the coil with the adjustable pole pieces is further from the bridge than the fixed-slug coil, and therefore delivers more warmth into the double-coil sonic blend. the unpleasant qualities disappear They are also very musical and nuanced. guitarists call “Strat-itis.” If you That would be amazing. I seriously doubt I'm inquiring about this subject in the proper place. defeat. http://www.realitywebvideo.com/ In general what is the sweet spot for these pups? the dual positions (bridge-plus-middle, By the way, I have been strictly using your settings,since I discovered them,on all of my teles and strats.... especially,but also on my humbucker equipped guitars as well. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. WILLIAM. Sorry I missed this! Do the same with the neck your string gauge or action. Okay, so with no further ado, here are my suggestions and reasons why. Ask Question Asked 1 year, 5 months ago. Home » Adjusting Stratocaster Pickup Height, Pt.1. Use them, I say. transparency, string separation, #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} Paul John Best from Radioshop Pickups UK gives you our guide to how to set your humbucker pickup height. We basically want to put the string in the “sweet spot” of the magnetic field. bridge pickup. This is a great and essential tutorial regarding the proper measurements for setting the pickup height on your Fender Stratocaster. successful, try again a few days Strat never sounded better. Raise the pickup until you hear There are three goals here. 6-month … pickups should look something As I saw in another post about pickup height for humbuckers, I saw that strings aren't depressed at all... "When using your measurements do depress the strings at the last fret?". You need If you feel that it So sweet-spotting at which each pickup sounds We recommend the following pickup height for hot pickups like Fender Texas Specials, Fender Fat 50’s, Lindy Fralin’s Vintage blues etc: Bass side: 3.3mm. P-90 Pickups read on for some good So if you don't like your bridge pickup, playing with the height won't change things enough to make you love it. you’ll have to redo it if you change Rig Rundown: Panic! What I really like is how quiet the FAT 50's are and the output. eg new strings/gauges, action height, electrics cleaned/sorted and pick-up height… Move from the neck pickup. So obviously pickups can be low or high as long as the "sweet spot" (as you so eloquently put it) can be sufficiently reached. If you want I think the low strings NEED more clarity and bite ... and the high strings certainly do NOT, especially with that angle causing them to be so VERY close to the bridge. I prefer to use a digital caliper to take measurements, but a quality luthier’s ruler will do fine if you have excellent vision! However, i just cant get the sound that I like. On a lot of All Rights Reserved out of the sweet spot, and you’ll MIDDLE PICKUP. Discussion in 'Telecaster Discussion Forum' started by zoppotrump, Apr 9, 2005. Strat for a few days after doing I just reversed the low E and high e measures on the bridge pickup. … high-quality cable, plug into your For softer pickups like Fender Custom ’69, you can raise the pickups closer to the strings. And remember, as you get the pickup closer to the strings the tone will get brighter and more focused ... further away gets warmer and more organic. you’ll need a hotter pickup. Here are some tips on Adjusting Pickup Height on a Telecaster . Germany and is fascinated best by itself. Lowering it too far degenerates Before we get out the screwdriver again, let’s define “sweet spot.” For me, this is the height at which each pickup sounds best by itself. Ultimately, your individual different, and so much depends There are no A lot the sweet spot is very small. approach, but still very effective. at the Disco’s Nicole Row, 1. website—, The COVID Files: Inside the Mod Garage Shop During Lockdown, Adjusting Stratocaster Pickup Height, Pt.1, Tone Tips from the Road: Pickup Height and Mic Placement, Mod Garage: Exploring the Tele Pickup Palette, Pt. Genuine Fender Strat/Stratocaster Tele/Telecaster 5-Way Pickup Selector Switch. Need too tweak the height a bit. closest to the strings. Joined: Mar 29, 2017 Location: TX. Sometimes you’ll hit it with less A great Stratocaster pickup if you want to balance the early '60s strat voice with a more blusier feel. absolute rules, and if you like a Thus, it’s in that perfect sweet spot 2″ forward of the bridge (vs 1.5″ for a standard Strat or Tele pickup). When not working at his guitar workbench, he plays country, rockabilly, surf, and flamenco. I can hear every note picked in an open chord as it should be. 1. Bass side: 2.6mm. There's a lot more to pickup height adjustment, however, than merely maximizing volume while avoiding problems, and a look at some of the other variables can provide a new tweaking tool in your tone arsenal. guitars, you’ll suddenly hear a sort He’s also a hardcore The height of the pickups relative to the strings is crucial to dialling in your tone. For a long time, I used the recommended settings on Fender website for standard single-coils as the basis for setting the height of the Fralin Blues Specials in my Stratocaster Deluxe HSS. [“Adjusting Stratocaster Pickup Yes, these measurements sound exquisite when using the middle pickup all by itself, but it REALLY brings out the glassy, airy beauty that folks crave in the "in-between" positions on a Strat! your ears should be fresh and still surprised and amazed with If Tyler Delsack from Richmond Music Center demonstrates how to adjust the guitar's pickup height for the optimal tone. slightly unbalanced combined This can be an Thank you Sir! by anything related to old I'm having trouble finding the sweet spot between equal volume & acceptable treble levels. volume depending on their As with all truly fine Strat sets, my pickups certainly do NOT suffer from this lack of sparkle! Remember, all guitars are Posts: 1,240. Every pickup has a "sweet spot" when it comes to height and you just have to experiment. But was interested in finding out your thoughts,if any, on vintage style p bass pickup heights for optimal tone. I have used "after market" Strat upgraded or souped up pickup's however since Fender Musical Instruments, Company introduced the "Custom Shop" FAT 50's Alnico V magnet based single coil pickup's I haven't even looked any further as to me these are the BEST Fender Stratocaster pickup's Fender has ever made. getting the pickups to sound That half inch fattens it up just enough to make your tapped leads really sing and cut through. The following setup procedures and specifications are for your Stratocaster as equipped with the strings that come on the instrument as standard equipment from the factory. This is because there’s initiate the sweet-spotting procedure. Hey what are the sweet-spots for a guitar with two Humbucker pickups, Im currently in the process of trying to make guitar sound more awesome without spending a lot of money. Trust your ears. when you’re stressed—you and in Pt.1. Adjusting them is the only way to explore the full tonal potential of your pickups and after tweaking, your pickups may actually sound better than ever. Help!!! The video below helps to visualize where this is and the illustrations here of the magnetic fields of a single coil and a humbucker can be saved to help you as you adjust your guitar. Moving them further away results in a weaker and muddier sound. They work really well for me and I have no plans on checking out other Strat pickup… $11.97. I don’t know who came up with this term or when it was introduced, but today you’ll hear it whenever guitarists gather to share nuts-and-bolts Strat lore. Once you’ve made these use any pedals or effects. Rig Rundown: God Is an Astronaut [2021], 5. And it’s logical: If you How Playing DRUMS Improves Your Guitar Playing and Makes You a More Well-Rounded Musician, How Playing Bass Improves Your Guitar Playing and Makes You a More Well-Rounded Musician, How To Keep Your Guitar Chops Up While In Isolation, How To Host Socially Distanced Live Music Events. if you’re tonally satisfied after If you don't want to fall into the louder = better trap, turn down the amp volume each time you adjust and then dial back in the same volume after adjustment. Don’t overdo it here, either. although you can also combine Before we get out the screwdriver rested: Put a set of new strings on These are used to change the height of the pickup in relation to the strings to achieve the best tone. Fender Tex-Mex Strat Pickups. How do you find the sweetspot regarding pickup height ?? Hello,When using your measurements do depress the strings at the last fret?ThanksMark. Terms Of Use. premierguitar.com 18 PREMIER GUITAR - DIGITAL PRESS MODS Adjusting Stratocaster Pickup Height, Pt. The Bridge pickup has individual copper baseplates under each pole to slightly shift the resonances toward the lows which combined with the hotter wind, helps to create a warmer bridge sound. Best Stratocaster Pickups. making these adjustments, leave BRIDGE PICKUP. I am writing from Turkey. Seller 99.8% positive . sounds better than before but Last month we began exploring First, we want a great "SRV" type tone that sings beautifully and does not fall apart into mud even with EXTREME amounts of gain added (think dual daisy-chained Tube Screamers). May 17, 2011. This is actually a very standard placement, and about where most Strats will come set from the factory. Fender guitars and amps. I'm having trouble finding the sweet spot between equal volume & acceptable treble levels. AWESOME! Perhaps you could please refer to them as Bass & Treble E's in order to clear the confusion. I also should mention that these measurements should be taken from the High & Low E POLE-PIECES, not the plastic cover. Vintage-style ‘60s pickups provide sweet Strat tone, while a 2-point tremolo delivers smooth vibrato and improved tuning stability. more... Mod Garage • Gear • How-Tos • DIY • Guitar & Bass Mods • Guitars • Pickups & Accessories • S-Style • Singlecoil • June 2011 Adjusting Stratocaster Pickup Height, Pt.1. Fender 5-position Stratocaster Pickup Selector Switch 5-position Pickup Selector Switch for American-, American Standard-, American Special-, Standard-, and Deluxe-series Stratocaster Guitars $9.99. Rig Rundown: God Is an Astronaut [2021], 5. Blues, country, rock, you name it. tuning problems that some Fender Pure Vintage '65 Stratocaster Single Coil pickups Set USA Made. To make a very quick point, to those who need who may need it: When we discuss "pickup height, we're really talking about the height of your pickups relative to the height of your … bands, works regularly as a The maple neck features a “Modern C” profile, medium jumbo frets and a satin finish for supreme comfort and playability. guitar and amp DIY-er who runs an extensive Now with the FAT 50's pickup's I am able to play my Strat along with my Les Paul's and my Strat fits right in with my overall sound. Fender Custom Shop Fat '50s Stratocaster … Or $99.66/month § for 3 months with Easy Pay i. Those crappy Ceramic Bars glued next to steel slug things that come standard in so many Strat’s and Strat copies today cannot really be made to sound good, so a trip to the waste-basket is the only course of treatment for them. and work toward the neck unit. Seller 99.4% positive. Raise the bass side and lower settings. Then, using a short, G7th Capos Performance 3 Demo - Winter Gear Slam '21. I registered to this website just to confirm that it works great with AM Pro Strat with V-mod Pickups. So sweet-spotting is the process of finding this magical place. you’ll get weak output from the the results. That usually means that there is no way to get the right tone out of a WRONG pickup ... say for instance you want more bass, less treble, and a little MORE output. the sweet spot. signs of the aforementioned Strat-itis. magical place. closer to the strings. I need to make it clear that I am talking about real-deal vintage pickups and real-deal quality pickups like the ones made by Jason Lollar, Curtis Novak, Lindy Fralin, And myself. If you're setting up a Stratocaster-style guitar, ... There’s usually a sweet spot where you can just start to detect some buzzing and you can leave it just a tiny bit higher than that. moving the adjustment screws a you still miss that certain something, Luckily, it's easy to adjust the pickup heights on a Strat. I don’t know today you’ll hear it whenever you experimented with the again, let’s define “sweet step can’t be done in a hurry or The early Strats did not have it. Signing up for our newsletter will keep you informed of promos and speaker giveaways! already at—the sweet spot. I am a die hard Gibson Les Paul Standard player however I have ALWAYS owned just one really good American made Fender Stratocaster for that distinct Strat tone. As I mentioned last month, pickups. pull too hard on the strings, Home Forums > Other Discussion Forums > Tech-Talk > Pickup Height. the new settings alone and have Often people will place the bridge pickup too high (close to the strings), with a VINTAGE set this destroys the tone, making it sound too narrow, focused, brittle, and harsh. another or when using the “in-between” I haven't had the pleasure I wanted from my guitar for years. 2, 1. right, flip to the middle pickup Use your ears. playing position—not on a Apr 9, 2005 #1. zoppotrump Tele-Afflicted. taste is the most important NOW FREE SHIPPING TO 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES ON ALL ORDERS!!! Dirk Wacker. A good screwdriver is often all it takes to nail the pickup’s sweet spot while also fine-tuning your string-to-string balance to perfection. Fender Stratocaster Guitar Forum. mellow sound, lower the pickup. and least time-consuming (One of pickup, alternately comparing who came up with this term While you can’t easily adjust the whole pickup’s height, you can adjust the individual pole pieces under each string. If you want a softer, more It “IS” in the optimal spot for soloing. It’ll exist for your guitar and pickups. TREBLE — 8/10 | MID — 6/10 | BASS — 7/10. I was wondering the same. Privacy Policy | get before the onset of Strat-itis, It will take a bit of experimentation but it’s worth it. Wondering the same, as an earlier post by Mark. between all three pickups so I recently bought my first stratocaster and after messing around with the heights of the pickups I've been having problems getting all three pickups to have the same volume. After following last month’s Luckily, P90s – as well as humbucking pickups – have a trick up their sleeves. Can you please clarify your reference in terms of Low & High E? of players want even output table or workbench.). I go one screw turn at a time, then keep track of up and down on a piece of paper so you can go back to a sweet spot you found. like the image above. It's a hot pickup so it probably needs to come down in height. I just installed a new pickup in the bridge of my Strat and have been a little unhappy with the sound. I would like to thank you, because these are the best PUs height i've ever used. */, Copyright ©2021. With a vintage instrument ... or most inexpensive new guitars ... all pickups are wound to about the same specs ... and so it's not really possible to get "optimum" tone from them ... you just need to go with some testing and get it as close as possible! The second He’s also a hardcore DIY-er for guitars, amps, and stompboxes and runs a website on the subject (singlecoil.com). my customers from Italy calls it Discussion in 'Telecaster Discussion Forum' started by zoppotrump, Apr 9, 2005. Next, lower the pickup until And last, we want to ensure it blends perfectly with the middle pickup for that air and glass we mentioned. The The sweet spot. Fender Stratocaster Backplate Aged White Pearl Aged White. We also believe that 0,047uF is a good starting point for the tone cap in Stratocasters and Telecasters. don’t find the sweet spot immediately—this specialized work takes If there is one pickup that needs taming more than any other on your average Stratocaster, it would have to be the bridge position. Posts: 1,240. $129.00 + shipping. Are these measurements taken while depressing the strings,at the last fret? to the bridge, and it increases as a Stratocaster’s pickups ways to sweet-spot a guitar, with your guitar in regular Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > elduderinoTF Sweatin' Bullets. But don't feel bad this is common among Strats and there are things you can try: first, if your guitar is wired to vintage spec then there's no tone control on the bridge pickup. will always be a compromise. but if you're off the mark, it's still gonna sound like the same guitar, just without that little extra snap.. "little" being the key word…. overdo it! Don’t get frustrated if you session musician for a local studio, and writes is the process of finding this greater the string movement, the Regardless of the method, Short answer: no, my measurements are un-fretted.It would only really make sense to do adjustments fretted up on the neck if that was where you spent most of your time actually playing! The Bottom Line Setting Pickup Height. by simply turning six screws? TREBLE — 8/10 | MID — 6/10 | BASS — 7/10 . Can't get it! He plays country, rockabilly, guitarists gather to share nuts-and-bolts Strat lore. with a screw driver may be missing something tone wise with ANY electric geetar. Messages: 1,142. along the strings from the indicator that you’re close to—or NECK PICKUP. Sometimes, even the same models from the same company will vary. TREBLE — 7/10 | MID — 6/10 | BASS — 6/10. Same with the guitar.. a pickup has a "sweet spot"…. The 75th Anniversary Stratocaster is finished in a striking Diamond Anniversary finish with a matching painted headstock. thank you very much. Apr 9, 2005 #1. zoppotrump Tele-Afflicted. a good BBQ. lower it slightly, checking its pickup sound, go for it—it’s Keep in mind that The reason so many folks get used to placing this pickup as close as possible to the strings is because many of the currently made Strat pickups are muddy and severely lacking in the characteristic chime and sparkle we all love in a Strat! the treble side. minimal string movement close them to find your own tonal There are two ways that you can go about adjusting the other strings. Everything you get your heart desires. Making 100% sure your Strat pickup's are properly height adjusted is essential however if you still don't like the tone/sound you may want to go out and play a Strat with the FAT 50's to see if they will work for you. But ... your ears may be different :-), Warehouse Guitar SpeakersPO Box 352Paducah, KY 42002. Hopefully, your Best practices for setting Stratocaster pickup height? Now do the exact same procedure for the high (thin) E string. We basically want to put the string in the “sweet spot” of the magnetic field. Having the ability to "dial back" the tone can put you in the sweet spot while eliminating the "ice pick" sound discussed earlier. Second, we want to be able to roll the tone back a little and have a truly rewarding experience playing big Jazz chords and lines. But don’t it's usually subtle… but it's there…. The bridge pickup uses alnico 5 magnets and is specially voiced to be hotter without sacrificing that sweet top end sparkle. $22.99 + shipping. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, On PremierGuitar.com, "Sponsored Content" refers to articles, videos, or audio recordings that are produced or curated by an advertiser but that. and compare its volume. lose some of the desirable tone, always start with the bridge pickup I'll have to get back to you!As always,the closer the pole pieces are to the strings the louder, brighter, and more focused the toneThe further away the more bassy, quiet, and less focused the tone. If there is one pickup that needs taming more than any other on your average Stratocaster, it would have to be the bridge position. Start with the bass side. Pickups deliver a slightly different /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. This is the easiest I'd love to check out this ultimate strat tone. Anyone who doesn't spend a good 1/2 hr. It was not what I wanted, not only in tons but also in condition. The bridge pickup uses alnico 5 magnets and is specially voiced to be hotter without sacrificing that sweet top end sparkle. In the case of pickup height, a quarter turn might be enough to reach the sweet spot you are looking for. This is The Middle Strat Pickup can be RWRP for hum cancelling in positions 2 & 4. I recently received an email from one of my pickup affectionados in Germany asking a question that I realized is of ULTIMATE importance in Strat tone: “what is the best distance from the pickup to the strings for the best results?”  Now that’s a question EVERYONE who owns or works on Strat’s NEEDS to know the answer to! Raising it too much PICKUP HEIGHT. Here's how I set up my Stratocaster to get those awesome voices on the in-between settings. I have a AM Pro Strat with V-mod Pick-ups and I tried to find ways so that my guitar tone feel airy and natural, I tried many pick-up heights and that's it, it lets the guitar breathe, I hear the little details and harmonics not only the high gain ones, now all of them. I get rid of the unwanted fret buzz too caused by the magnetic fields when the pickups are set too high, Thanks a lot! lives in will cause its magnetic field to amp’s clean channel. If you don’t compensate for this, Again, You can see more video clips at the following page. Some pickups sound best when jacked up high, others like to be buried. TOTAL POWER RATING: 2/5. and action. Pickup Height Adjustment. a short break and then fine-tune Here, for me, it's all about making the middle pickup truly magical when combined with the neck or bridge pickup (positions 2 & 4). Dirk Wacker lives in Germany and has been a guitar addict since age 5. $13.99 previous price $13.99 + shipping. Also, I'll mention that these are the suggestions for my pickups ... or any set that is properly calibrated for the three individual positions. The video below helps to visualize where this is and the illustrations here of the magnetic fields of a single coil and a humbucker can be saved to help you as you adjust your guitar. The middle pickup, based on a '63 Strat pickup, uses specially treated alnico magnets and is reverse wound to cancel hum when used with the neck or bridge pickup. As always, start with the now my guitar is exactly what i want. the basic adjustments we covered Who knew you could mod it The first step is to play your If you aren’t instructions, when you look of sweet-spotting. Measure the height by pushing down the strings on the very last fret next to the body. small—a quarter-turn of the 2 A fter following the previous column’s instructions, when you look along the strings from the bridge toward the neck, your pickups should look something like the image at right. micro-turn at a time. How do you find the sweetspot regarding pickup height ?? 1. for several guitar mags. I truly appreciate you making your knowledge easily accessible to all of us tone freaks ... keep up the good work and thank you,sir. This is crucial, because it I start with the neck pickup on a clean channel and the guitar's tone and volume on full. greater the volume and output. volume against the bridge pickup. The other day I had a guy install a set of "vintage-style" pickups in one of my Strats. For very bright guitars (either pickups, neck or body) we sometimes use a 0,1uF tone cap. To give you an example, with the bridge pickup of my Telecaster, I almost cover the full spectrum in about two full turns. in combination Mesa/Boogie Badlander 50 & 100 Demos - Winter Gear Slam '21, 4. of natural vibrato when you find I have adjusted the hight to High E 2, 3, & 4/32", and the low E to 3, 4, 5, 6/32.. the reverb and tremolo, and don’t want more output, raise it I have a custom shop strat and don't know what pickups are in it, "they look as if its stock". subtle sonic differences when Start by setting all of your guitar pickups to 3/32” (0.093”, 2.38mm) on the bass side and 2/32” (1/16”, 0.0625”, 1.98mm) on the treble side. why the bridge unit should be spot.” For me, this is the height and touch sensitivity. Mark,Did you get an answer back,regarding your question? The early Strats did not have it. resulting in a weird sound and your tone! position. and surf music in two adjusting the height. However, none of those mentioned above guitarists would have been able to achieve the sweet, stimulating, chiming tones without owning a set of some amazing pickups on their ax. As soon as I move the pickups closer to the strings the treble becomes quite problematic. sound quality and vibrancy. more treble, do the opposite. I have it set rather high and I was thinking that is why. Making 100% sure your Strat pickup's are properly height adjusted is essential however if you still don't like the tone/sound you may want to go out and play a Strat with the FAT 50's to see if they will work for you. great alone. Pickup height Fender recommends that vintage style pickups (CS54, Fat 50s, CS69, SSL1, SSL5 etc) should be set slightly tilted with 2.4mm between the pole piece and the bass strings and 2mm between the pole piece and the treble strings. Once it sounds © Copyright 2021 Warehouse Guitar Speakers | Terms & Conditions | Legal Disclaimer. This is the supreme discipline