This is great advice. I always adjust stock pickups before deciding to upgrade. Most of the time, I end up not replacing stock pickups.
@TheWhitmore
5 жыл бұрын
THANK YOU for talking in millimetres. It's actually so helpful. Good on you, mate.
@wiseguy9202
4 жыл бұрын
I couldn't imagine it any other way.
@BryanClark-gk6ie
Ай бұрын
@@wiseguy9202 It's best to know both metric and imperial... that's what a wise guy told me once.
@wiseguy9202
Ай бұрын
@@BryanClark-gk6ie It is most definitely better to know both. Many Americans don't seem to realize they do in fact use both. And then some.
@jbythebay6626
Жыл бұрын
I wish I found this video a year earlier. Awesome information and presentation. Simple, clear, direct. Even the comments are helpful. Thank you!
@russseuffert803
4 жыл бұрын
A fine instructional video. The use of those pieces of paper with the info on them is excellent. We tend to remember new facts when reinforced with visual cues. I did today. Thanks Mr GG!
@DougHinVA
5 жыл бұрын
The luthier (Rodriguez) who builds the guitars on Lindy Fralin's vids showed and explained it to me. The 'D' is the one to start by raising it... skinny string inside fine wire winding. The G or B usually need to be lowered to reduce the 'hard' or too-harsh tone. Adjusting polepieces after height and tilt are set is sensible and effective.
@i3oosted
4 жыл бұрын
I literally just did this and it did take away some harshness in the upper range, thanks!
@DawnSwedenOfficial
5 жыл бұрын
Very informative, proffessional channel. I learned alot and my JB in my Jackson neckthru sounds great now. As you say it takes a couple days to figure out whats works best for the individual pickups. Top notch, thanks!
@tonelok
Жыл бұрын
Super helpful for dialing back in a Friedman Cali that had been set up for me by Grover Jackson before a local kid luthier "helped me out" by "balancing" the pickups when I was just trying to get a minor setup issue fixed. I was so disheartened and hadn't been able to fix it but thanks to this and a little more trial and error was able to dial in the magic sound again. Thank you!
@fzdreaddy
4 жыл бұрын
Best video on this topic online. Great job!
@RussellTHouse
Жыл бұрын
I play a G & L L2000 in a rock band, playing classic rock mostly from the 70's and 80's, but with a good percentage also from the 60's and 90's decades. The bass covers all those decades' bass tones very well, using the tone knob to roll off the brightness or add it when needed in combination with the active bright boost switch. Sometimes I select the neck position pickup or select both pickups but switch them from parallel to series. I really love the versatility this bass guitar has via its controls. I generally like the tone I get through the use of Rotosound Nickel round wound strings, .045-.105. I also use a Whirlwind 10-band bass EQ that makes this guitar sound even better. But I'm always interested in the quest for better/different tone. Before I bought the EQ I experimented with adjusting the pickup pole pieces, thinking that getting them closer to the strings would increase the volume of that string (the G string is the weakest in terms of response). But that didn't seem to help, so I put them back, which is about even with the pickup's surface. I am generally satisfied with the bass's tone, but the G string could be a little hotter. Pushing up the EQ in that string's frequency range doesn't help its volume response so much as resulting in too much upper frequency for ALL strings, which isn't what I want or need to boost. What do you think I could do to boost the G string VOLUME a little. It doesn't need much. Thank you.
@TimTranGuitar
Жыл бұрын
thank you so much! this method works fantastically on my INF1, INF2 pickups
@DragisaBoca
5 жыл бұрын
Amazingly useful information, thank you very much... I have a SD SH-5 custom that's extremely bright... Rose the pole pieces on the bottom strings and everything is perfect now... Thank you so much.
@user-ld6uu1cs6r
9 ай бұрын
physics - a string's reaction to the pickup magnetic field is most influenced by the mass of the string core, not the windings. The smallest core is on the D. The largest core is on the G. To balance these, you'd want the G pole piece recessed, and the D pole piece higher relative to the others. There are more subtle differences in the other strings because the core diameters aren't as markedly different. It can make a very big difference as string balance is a big part of the overall tonality of the instrument. The airier/more open characterization of raised pole pieces seems to work in practice. You can make a "muddy" pickup a lot less muddy. A lot of trial/error for each setup but worth the effort. 🙂
@moshezarviv1252
3 жыл бұрын
thank you . great helpful advices !!
@kristiandelfin5907
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you sir!! Such a big help.
@barbmelle3136
5 жыл бұрын
From Leo: Good video. This is correct information. I am a very clean player and so many new guitars come with high output pickups that muddy the tone. I like more articulate tone than many pickups are set for. I drop the pickup down about 1/8th inch and raise the pole pieces the same amount. It really changes the tone characteristic and makes each note more present. This works on most, but not all. If I want to make a muddy, gritty, overdriven or fuzzy tone, I have many pedals to get that sound.
@ImYourOverlord
10 ай бұрын
Bonus cool points for the top-wrap :)
@tobywestfall2970
Жыл бұрын
It's really not changing the tone the tone is what it is it's elevating the volume of each string and by having one lower than the others brings out the volume of that one string more which makes it stand out more than the others so if you want your a string to stand out you raise the a string a little higher
@ALtheDoctorWho
4 ай бұрын
Interesting. When I was in my teens I played around with pickups a lot and I found that adjusting any of the poles wound effect the over all sound of the pickup. Then it hit me visualizing how the total magnetic field of the pickup is affected. Thank you for sharing.
@shredgd5
6 жыл бұрын
I actually use the adjustable pole pieces primarily to set the string volume balance between the strings, which is NOT achieved by following the radius of the fretboard as it is, but taking into account the wounded vs unwounded and diameter of the strings. You end up with a stagger alike the one you can see in the picture of the DiMarzio True velvet in their website, i.e.: from the low E to D you get closer to the strings, same thing from the G to high E (so the G string pole is low although the string is central, because it is thicker!). Only after achieving this volume balance I use the polepieces for tonal variations (more bite/highs when closer to the strings, more lows/warmer when away from the strings... sometimes you even have to correct the overall pickup height, if you move the pole pieces a lot).
@guitarguts5530
6 жыл бұрын
shredgd5 Agreed. I didn't think to mention that in the video because that is a problem I encounter way more often in single coils, where there isn't much you can do for it.
@MrShadowofthewind
5 жыл бұрын
And when you do that, do you still have to angle the humbucker, or keep it straight ?
@RapttorX
5 жыл бұрын
@@MrShadowofthewind i believe that you still angle it since there still is the other coil with fixed polepieces that needs to be set up
@antonioflowing5604
4 жыл бұрын
Great man!! Thank you!!
@petekinne2702
3 жыл бұрын
Great video thank you.
@zsaz4453
Жыл бұрын
Oh i loved the sound of the infinity in my old ibanez.nice punchy pickup
@morrinsville23
8 ай бұрын
Thanks that was super useful!
@ChrisHollandGuitar
2 жыл бұрын
What you touch on at 5:00 is exactly what I discovered recently. I was raising the D string pole pieces to increase the output a bit, but the volume change wasn't as noticeable as the tone. I decided to just keep all of the polepieces flush with the bobbin.
@masongregory278
Жыл бұрын
Agreed.
@billsmart2532
5 жыл бұрын
Interesting subject, mostly I raise or lower a pole screw to adjust volume for that string. The G string tends to be louder so I adjust that screw below the others.
@p.s8950
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for this info, think you have just saved bout $400. on a PRS SE. Chow
@BrandonOutside
5 жыл бұрын
A couple questions, to see if I'm thinking of this correctly: 1) If you took those screws out completely, it would render that side of the pickup inactive, essentially turning it into single coil (or "coil splitting") correct? 2) If that's true, then backing the screws out half way would be like "coil tapping" that side of the pickup. (basically only half of the screw would be coiled)? [Of course in any case, the slug side of the pickup always remains active no matter what you do to the screws.] Is that close at all? I'm trying to conceptualize the physics. Either way, great video, I'll have to play around with this!
@flyingwondercat739
5 жыл бұрын
Thinking point: I find that the orientation of the screw slots actually affects the tone significantly. The baseline position should be with the heights where you want them and the screw slots perpendicular to the strings. To my ears this got the fullest, most consistant tone from each string. Now, if a string is too harsh, or is a bit too compressed, you can slightly slant the screw head (try 30-45 degrees from perp.) either way to make it weaker/quackier. I wouldn't recommend placing the screw slots parallel to the strings because the volume of the string during bends will vary unexpectedly. All of these observations are subtle but I think you will feel/hear them esp. with some drive
@TheChadPad
5 жыл бұрын
detuskified_walrus wow, that's some great insight! Thanks!
@adamcolbertmusic
2 жыл бұрын
Wow this is very interesting!!! Maybe this is related.... When you move a magnet perpendicular to the path of an electrically conductive wire, it creates an electric current. The vibrations of the metal guitar strings create alternating current in the pickup's wires. (This is in addition to the DC current flowing through the pickups because of being plugged in to the amp). The magnets partially magnetize the strings; the strings vibrate and effect/vibrate the magnetic field to begin with, but the magnetized strings create AC in the wires, and this current creates an "eddy" magnetic field of its own. There's quite a bit going on!! Now... Getting back to the screw slot orientation... A flathead slot means that the magnet field would have a corresponding shape (namely, weak down the middle). And so maybe this shape of the magnetic field at the screw head, with the flat slot i.e. "weak point" perpendicular to the strings and the "two magnetic bulges" (from each half of the screw head) likewise arranged, somehow it "works with" the direction of the string as it is vibrating and altering the magnetic fields???
@cesarmancini8339
5 жыл бұрын
Good information gracias
@p.s8950
Жыл бұрын
Yes. That'll help a lot. 👍
@rareform6747
4 жыл бұрын
Some Gibson SG's are different as the pickup has no slant . 52 years in the Gibson 490 and Burst are Monsters !
@davidsummerville351
2 жыл бұрын
Good info. Thanks
@wolfgange.9465
4 жыл бұрын
Great video! Would you recommend setting the height of the pickup before adjusting the pole pieces or the other way around?
@RavenMadd9
4 жыл бұрын
thank you brother
@mikefarquhar5063
Жыл бұрын
Hi thank you for your vid, time and effort gone into explaining something that's very interesting and helpful 👍 I've a Q- my pickups on both strat and tele, are single coil fixed pole pieces, stratocaster theyre staggered on all and all are random apart from the 1st & 2nd- 5th & 6th string, I usually use my tone knob for harsh highs, easy fix, but I've been more and more interested in the magnetic field of a pickup and how to find the sweet spot by whole pickup adjustment, starting with fender specifications. And adjusting accordingly while keeping in mind the volume balance of all three pickups on my strat, it's easier to get a decent tone with a telecaster . I've also noticed alot of strat players completely lowering the bass string end flush with the pickguard and about an 8th inch up on the treble side 1st 2nd 3rd strings, this would make the tone harsh/er there by your demonstration and observation, but this is with humbuckers, how much more of a difference if the magnetic field could be seen and adapted to would there be with single coil, alino 5 pole pieces around 6- 6.9k? Are there any good books on this you'd recommend or sites in the same manner sir. Thank you kindly
@boogiemorgan
Жыл бұрын
Thanks again!
@DSTheEngineer86
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Guitar Guts, Thanks for the instructional video about pickup adjustment! The real question for me is how do you get a humbucker to sound as close to a PAF on a real "burst"? IMO, this sound is characterized as very woody, very very "airy", on both clean and overdriven sounds, and on top of that very thick and creamy on overdriven sounds, especially on the neck pickup. To put things in context, I have a 2018 Gibson Custom Shop 58' Les Paul Standard with Custombuckers (AlNiCo 3's), and I think it doesn't quite nail the "burst" sound, but it might... What do you think? Thanks a lot!
@erichowell1050
4 жыл бұрын
Awesome video! I was trying to get a better tone out of my gretsch and the only thing I found at the time was adjusting the actual pickups but not the pole pieces. I never could get it exactly the way I wanted and noticed the pole pieces were at mixed heights, so I took a screwdriver and started just trying to even them out across the pickups. It sounded so much better with that alone and then I started lowering them slightly keeping them even until they were barely above the plastic is where I ended up with mine. I was amazed at how just that slight adjustment made a huge difference in the tone of the guitar.
@montag4516
4 жыл бұрын
I have a Gretsh with TVJ filtertronss and still need to go back and set the pole pieces to taste. What tonal difference did you notice by lowering the pole pieces?
@viktortulbya2107
3 жыл бұрын
Good info, about pickup height tho, a guitar tech once told me 3/32 starting point, but he also said to fret the last fret when taking measurements which makes sense to me, if you adjust 2 mm and your string height is 1.8 at 12th fret when you play those high frets youll be way too close to pickup, any thoughts on that?
@bluwng
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks , this sounds like lots of work, so many variables. In actuality you have overall height adjustment, secondly you can tilt the pickup, example higher on treble side lower on bass side and lastly the individual pole pieces. Do you recommend skipping step 2.
@Osssssssssssssh
Жыл бұрын
good lesson
@STAY-GOLD-VINYL
6 жыл бұрын
Adjusting pole peices make a humbucker less muddy?
@russellcrea9701
4 жыл бұрын
My neck pickup is a little too bass-y compared to my bridge. I have neck pup set as low as it can go. Any advice for me? How should pole pieces on both pups be adjusted to even out eq?
@BrentAdams
Жыл бұрын
Interesting...I would have guessed just the opposite effects from raising or lowering the pole pieces on humbucker pickups.
@daverenick5830
9 ай бұрын
I got a tele with 2 humbuckers , when it was a new thing over ten years ago. I swapped in Lollar Imperials with Nickel covers and that was an improvement. But they couldn't be coil tapped. I miss the bright single coil bridge pickup. I dial in treble with my EQ but it just gets harsh and thinner. I have adjusted bridge pickup height and played with the pole pieces but it's still murky. The good part is that I play a lot of blues using mids. I am thinking about swapping the Fender bridge pickup back in (it's uncovered and came that way, with a covered neck pickup) and coil tapping it. Unlike 'regular' Tele's, the bottom coil with be perfectly horizontal, rather then diagonal with the lowest part under the high strings, which means I will get compromised brightness. Or I could just buy a Strat...but the ones I like are ridiculously priced, like everything these days as the USD dies. Anyone else trying to coax treble out of Lollars?
@timelanguid4813
10 ай бұрын
I find my high e is louder and brighter than all the others so will try lowering that one. Thanks
@colinfreeman-ib1zz
4 ай бұрын
What about volume? If the treble E string seems too quiet, it sounds like raising the pole under that string is not going to make it louder?
@Rav3nnn
Жыл бұрын
Can you fully remove it and replace the polepiece with a new one when it gets rusty?
@WorshipGuitarist4life17
3 ай бұрын
2:48 what if I don't have those screws?? Mine looks just like that but only the poles. No screws
@nickf9392
4 жыл бұрын
Interesting, I have always experienced the opposite. Raising the PU or the pole screws make the PU louder, and makes the bass boomy and the high strings harsh and piercing. And 5/64 is essentially the same thickness as an American Nickel, that also seems very close to the PU to me. The important thing however is to know the PU hgt settings do make a significant difference in sound, and you need to simply make adjustments till your ear says OK this is it.
@voxpathfinder15r
Жыл бұрын
I think your experience of raising the entire pickup is correct. But manipulating the pole pieces has a different effect
@peteosco
Жыл бұрын
This is the information I've been looking for. However I'm confused. The reviews seem to be saying just the opposite of what you stated in the video. You said the higher (closer to the strings) the pole pieces are, the softer and more mellow the tone. The comments (Jaybythebay) stated just the opposite and in your response, you agreed,. No one seemed to address the fact that a magnet tries to stop a string from moving back and forth (vibrating) so the stronger (closer) the magnet is the less sustain you will have and the weaker (further) the magnet is the longer the string will vibrate. Or don't anyone think that particular effect is worth consideration?
@biffwellington850
4 жыл бұрын
I just wanna know what make and model is that beautiful blue guitar lying in the video?
@petesorensenguitar
3 жыл бұрын
It's a PRS, I know that much. Not sure about the model. I've seen it before.
@Zombie_13x33
15 күн бұрын
i use a purple dunlop tortex pick to set my height initially, 1.14, 1.4mm, 1.47?? or something like that. i havent looked at the numbers in a while. great video with lots of little tidbits of info that i love hearing. im not as good of a presenter or speaker as you lol.
@tobywestfall2970
Жыл бұрын
Another problem if you raise the pole pieces too close that magnetic field pulls on the string and muffles the volume and tone like putting your hand on a symbol you want just enough but not too much
@wiseguy9202
4 жыл бұрын
I've stopped buying high output neck humbuckers because I'd have to recess them too deep into the body of my guitars to avoid mud. Now I've did a complete 180 and prefer really low output neck pickups. Bridge pickups on the other hand, I much prefer pickups around 13k and ceramic. Not a fan of most alnico bridge pups. A great pickup not very well known came out of ESP's custom shop back in the early 90's called 'Joker'. They came with half slotted pole pieces and the other half were hex head allan types but sound near perfection.
@alphonsobreakfast
2 жыл бұрын
A lot of interesting stuff here. I have a 1958 National with bobbin .. I've been told that one side runs typically hotter by design in fabrication?
@Boogieplex
4 жыл бұрын
Thats funny, i came here to try and get my Duncan distortion a little brighter,sharper and dare i say”sweeter”. Its like you were talking to me about the Duncan distortion comment u made about not turning it into an alnico 2....lol.But the sh-6 has the output and mids i need, just wish it was a tad brighter and less round. I wonder if a JB would work better?Damn. Any recommendations?
@montag4516
4 жыл бұрын
Ironic, I have a Duncan Distortion bridge pickup and I'm trying to get the opposite results that you are. I'm striving yo get a bit more fullness from it. No lack of sharpness and upper miss/highs from mine. There's a SD r59 in the neck and getting a good balance between those two is proving tricky. Have you made further adjustments to your Distortion pup since your earlier comment?
@Boogieplex
4 жыл бұрын
Montag Alexis no , ive left it exactly how it is. Though i did switch amps up a bit, I have a rotation of about 4-5 amps i use, and with my Peters 50 watt, its perfect. Im in the opinion that 75 % of your tone is the amp. Im perfectly happy with the Duncan distortion, but it is without a doubt the heaviest, chunkiest pickup i own. I may one day swap it for a JB. Btw- I have my pickup pretty close to the strings,so maybe try raising your pickup a bit.otherwise it may be your amp. What amp are you using and what genre are you covering?
@montag4516
4 жыл бұрын
My guitar with the Duncan's is really for my dedicated Hard Rock, borderline Metal guitar. My other guitars are more for 60's/70's Classic Rock. The Distortion is the hottest pickup I've owned as well and I'm liking it a lot. I play through several amps, primarily classic style Marshall and Hiwatts, so I'm setting that guitar up to serve that Hard Rock purpose regardless. Yes the Duncan Distortion is best suited to higher gain amps and pedals. Pretty sure the JB will give you a much fuller, thicker bottom tone than the DD. It might not give you any increase in the high end sharpness. I've been experimenting with pickup/pole piece height on my Duncans. My DD has ample sharpness and clarity and overall output , I'm just trying to set it up for more fullness. FWIW... The underside of my DD has a small label that reads DDL. Turns out the L means it was wound by Lidia Daniels at the Duncan shop. It's from a 1998 USA Washburn.
@MC-xt6xf
5 жыл бұрын
4/64 is 1/16, for those who need an easier number to visualize...
@gitarbangsatchanel8036
2 жыл бұрын
Hard to fixed my LP PU ,, string 4 5 6 need moore attack
@josiahcarlitz5018
3 жыл бұрын
Can you replace the pole screws on pickups without causing problems?
@iridios6127
2 жыл бұрын
Everyone can. If not a total handassmen. )))
@samlelowitch
4 жыл бұрын
What brand/model of guitar is that?
@petesorensenguitar
3 жыл бұрын
PRS. Not sure about the model, sorry.
@BrentAdams
Жыл бұрын
that is a PRS SE Santana (a little older model)
@goodboyringo9716
4 жыл бұрын
Funny cause at time 4:36 you hold up a radius paper that has the radius at the top and it's flat at the bottom . So how is this any benefit in raising the pole pieces?
@davidletterboyz
2 жыл бұрын
Haha good spot.
@achilleasanastasiou4597
Жыл бұрын
what happens if you totally remove the pole pieces??
@BryanClark-gk6ie
Ай бұрын
Since no-one has replied.... I have a video on my channel from 3 months ago that demonstrates that.
@epicmetalness
3 жыл бұрын
i have my bridge humbucker so close the 6th string occasionally collides with it. METAL OR DIEEEEE!!! lol
@autistichead8137
3 жыл бұрын
Counter clockwise is raising?
@jamescarpenter4777
3 жыл бұрын
Yes
@iridios6127
2 жыл бұрын
You have not too much choice. )))
@prefacciprian7728
4 жыл бұрын
Infinity rules....in physics anyway.
@petermiller1839
2 жыл бұрын
Low strings closer to strings and high strings lower to the strings.
@paulkielt9301
5 жыл бұрын
The way that DiMarzio pickup is staggered is really weird. It even does not respect the rule of the radius of Stratocaster's neck. Moreover, adjusting pickups to the radius of a neck is a total bullshit!
@immanuelkantholz9033
4 жыл бұрын
You don't have a clue what the real purpose of the screws is, do you? :'D Of course it also changes the tone in a way but this is not in the least what the screws are for. They're there so you can adjust the two halfs of the humbucker to be absolutely identical in output so they REALLY can buck the hum. That's also the reason, why there are only screws on one of the two halfs.
@russseuffert803
4 жыл бұрын
Say Rev, was it necessary to word your comment that way. You come off sounding like "Mr. know-it-all".
@immanuelkantholz9033
4 жыл бұрын
@@russseuffert803 You're right. That wasn't okay. I'm sorry.
@davidkastin4240
3 жыл бұрын
My humbuckers have 6 adjustable screws in each pickup.
@immanuelkantholz9033
3 жыл бұрын
@@davidkastin4240 congratulations
@ragnaroksangel
5 жыл бұрын
Your advice with pickup height is garbage. You need to be in tune and press at the 12th fret and strike each string one at a time while listening for warble and adjust until the warble stops. THAT is the sweet spot.
@vernarddevilliers7899
4 жыл бұрын
I'm new to this, what do you mean by warble?
@stringsattached67
4 жыл бұрын
I'll agree to setting them low enough to not warble but not sure I agree that that's the sweet spot always .
@stringsattached67
4 жыл бұрын
@@vernarddevilliers7899 the warble he's referring to is a sound a string makes if the pickup magnets are to close to the strings they will pull on the strings and it's a warble sound just like a string that's out of tune .
@jessegaronband
4 жыл бұрын
fatalheart: You are absolutely correct!
@defrauder_band
5 ай бұрын
STRAIT GARBAGE SON
@WannDann2-cz6ms
Жыл бұрын
Laber, Laber,.. . Komm auf den Punkt... dein Video kostet mich Lebenszeit!
@MrBlackHimself
3 ай бұрын
0N A HUMBUCKER IS THE POLE PIECE SIDE THE H0TTER 0F THE 2 C0ILS?? I WANT T0 INSTALL A JB PICKUP BUT FLIPPED 0VER IN A CHARVEL. F0R A BIT THICKER S0UND.
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