Topmusicanswers
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. Remember, this is the space between the top of the pole piece and the bottom of the string, held down at the last fret.
- Does pickup height affect tone?
- What happens when pickups are too close to the strings?
- How do I know if my pickups are too high?
- Should Pickups be parallel to strings?
Does pickup height affect tone?
Yes, more output! Closer pickups will deliver a higher output with a more pronounced and defined high end. But you will not necessarily maximize your sound by just setting the pickups as high as they'll go. In fact, a higher setting can diminish an otherwise outstanding guitar tone in a few different ways.
What happens when pickups are too close to the strings?
Your strings are ferromagnetic. ... As well as the strings acting on the pickup's magnetic field, that magnetic field can also act on the string. Adjusted too close, the magnetic field can interfere with the strings' vibration. If that happens, you've got problems.
How do I know if my pickups are too high?
Setting your pickup height too high will cause your magnets to push and pull your strings out of tune. Here's a quick way to tell if this is happening to you: play the Low E string at a high fret (15th fret is a good one to start at). You might hear a “warbling” sound. That sound is your magnet fighting your string.
Should Pickups be parallel to strings?
Angle of the Pickup to the Strings
The top of the pickup body should always be parallel (or close to it) to what the pickup is attached to whether it's a pickguard (like a Strat) or a pickup ring (like a Les Paul, ES-355). ... The pickup angle matches the pickup ring.
