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Topic: Pick up ,string spacing |
Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 9:13 am |
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I know over the years ,the old standard is just slide a couple of quarters under the strings to get the right spacing, but there has to be a better or should I say, more exact way .
With all the Freq. and vibration going on in this small space and the effect it has, I think the spacing is more important than just slipping a quarter or two in there.
Does anyone have a more exact or better way of doing this and or the effects of different spacings between the two and the effect it may have on the tone. |
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Bob Knight
From:
Bowling Green KY
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 9:23 am
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Use a digital micronometer, and space itto exactly .12489999999,  seriously Richard this will vary from guitar to guitar, and pick up to pick up.
It is not predictable, or controllable enough to have an exact spec. Trial and error is the best way to determine this, starting with "the 2 quarters method" as a guideline.
Regards,
Bob [This message was edited by Bob Knight on 26 September 2005 at 10:33 AM.] |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 9:33 am
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The spacing (distance) between the pickup and the strings will vary, depending on the the type or brand of pickup.
With the Lawrence 705's (blade type) you can go as close as you want with those but generally 1 quarter is close enough. With the Lawrence 710 pickups it's 3/16" (I have my Lawrence 710's a "loose" 3/16" and Mr Franklin looked at mine and mentioned that I had the set correctly).
The George L's pickus are about 1 quarter as there is a plastic cover over the pickup and the distance the pickup magnets are from the string will actually be more than the width of a quarter and probably closer to 3/16".
Distance from the strings with pickups (and again it varies with the particular pickup) can affect tone, sustain and volume. e.g. the 710 pickups will lose sustain, tend to get too bright (lose lows or body) and can even have some peak distortion if too close to the strings.
One other thing to keep in mind, you need to use whatever measuring gauge you are using and gauge both the physically larger diameter bass string and the physically smaller diameter treble string. I have some long shaft allen wrenches and when I set my pickups, I placed the 3/16" allen wrench across the entire pickup and thus was able to set both ends of the pickup for the same distance. |
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Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 9:50 am
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| Thanks Bob & Jack,,wonder what a good starting point would be for a True Tone on my Emmons would be? |
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Bob Knight
From:
Bowling Green KY
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 10:01 am
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Disregard what I said Richard. Jack has a handle on it , as usual.  |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 12:28 pm
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Once upon a time, Ricky Davis suggested starting with the thickness of 3 quarters. That worked real well on my Mullen.
Lee |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 12:41 pm
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Richard; as Lee just pointed out....I do highly suggest 3/16" for the truetone; which is the thickness of 3 quarters. Then If you want a little more response; bring it back up a little to please your ear. But the closer it gets; the less amount of sustain you will have and a little more grainy-er it will become as some say the magent pull doesn't affect the vibration of the strings; but I HEAR it....and yes everyones ears are different; so it is a give and take on your part and not really set preference in what your asking.
Ricky[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 26 September 2005 at 01:44 PM.] |
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Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 12:47 pm
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Thanks Ricky & all you guys.
Im going to do a little spacing here with the 3 quarter setting & see what I get,,,
Thanks again  |
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Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 2:28 pm
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Well I used the three quarters to set the string spacing on my Emmons and I am getting slightly more sustain and a tone change to my ears
I am running my NV 112 out through my Tubefex using the Tube mode of the Tubefex through the Post EQ of the NV 112,,,,really gives it that tube amp tone with that Mid growel and bottom to spare.
It really takes some tweaking of the tube parameters but I think it really kicks!
thanks guys |
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Larry Hamilton
From:
Amarillo,Tx
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Posted 28 Sep 2005 9:14 am
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Richard, I play a LeGrandeII with TT P/U's.Use an Evans amp and now have added a ProfexII. I have experimented with various spacing and seem to always come back to 2 quarters loosely between pu and strings. Just my 50 cents worth.
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Keep pickin', Larry |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 28 Sep 2005 9:25 am
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Larry - Do you measure using the new Texas State Quarters? Don't forget that things are much bigger here in Texas!
Lee |
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Larry Hamilton
From:
Amarillo,Tx
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 5:31 pm
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Lee- absolutely. The Texas quarters are the best ones to use.
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Keep pickin', Larry |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Oct 2005 1:15 pm
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Richard, it's not necessary to be that precise, IMHO. In one of my guitars, I can actually vary the distance while I'm playing, and the differences are, for the most part, too little to worry about. I have found that by the time you get most pickups close enough to the strings to affect the sustain, the strings will be hitting the pickups when you rest your hand on the strings. Trying to be too precise with these adjustments is kinda like cutting firewood on a table-saw, when all you need is for it to fit in the stove.
Guys like Buddy and Paul can wring their hands and gnash their teeth over these adjustments, but for guys like most of us, it's really a moot point.
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 4 Oct 2005 2:26 pm
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| With single-coil pickups, the 60-cycle hum is a factor. The hum will be the same volume, no matter what the distance to the string is. But the musical signal will be louder the closer the string is to the pickup. Therefore, the signal-to-hum ratio is better, with the strings close to the pickup. This has to be balanced with causing the string to knock against the pickup if you get too close, as well as the vibration damping factor. Two quarters thickness is a good compromise, or one quarter if there is a cover. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Oct 2005 4:09 pm
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Straight guitar pickups (which are usually lower in output) are often set farther from the strings.  I've seen lots of them at 1/4" or more!
Little things like that that I notice (and most other people don't) help support my "it ain't no big deal" theory.
Look, watch, then observe, and you will see. |
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Billy Gilbert
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 4 Oct 2005 5:08 pm
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| Can anyone lend me 3 quaters? |
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