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Topic: Pickup position |
Michael Douchette
From:
Gallatin, TN (deceased)
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Posted 9 Jan 2007 6:03 am |
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After all these years... well, the old dog here got a surprise yesterday. This may not be "news" to ANYbody else, but it was to me.
I took both my Emmons and my old Franklin to the studio yesterday; I figured all day would give me some A-B experiment time. Ever since I got the P/P, everyone raved about the improvement in my tone and sound. Ok... that old Franklin can't possibly be that bad, c'mon. (Tele's and Les Paul's don't sound the same, but they both sound good. They're just different!) So, I started with the Franklin. Nice and clean, not as much sustain, and not the low end I've grown accustomed to, but still fine. Switched over to the P/P, and the bottom was so present, clarity in the high end, etc. After two sessions doing this, I asked the engineer what he thought. He said the P/P had a really nice sound, but a tad more "harmonic distortion" than the Franklin had, but the presence of the low end on the P/P was definitely there. Then he did something I hadn't thought about. He looked at the position of the two pickups. He asked me if I'd noticed how much farther away from the strings the pickup was on the Franklin. He said the Emmons pickup was really close to them, and that might make a difference. (More presence of lows when a singer is closer to the mic.) So, I cranked the pickup on the Franklin up close like the P/P pickup. Third session... and there was my bottom end and richness of tone with the Franklin. Surprised me...
_________________
Mikey D... H.S.P.
Music hath the charm to soothe a savage beast, but I'd try a 10mm first.
http://www.steelharp.com
http://www.thesessionplayers.com/douchette.html
(other things you can ask about here)
http://s117.photobucket.com/albums/o54/Steelharp/ |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 9 Jan 2007 6:13 am
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| There is a big difference in spacing, especially with the Lawrence pickups. My (late) 81 Franklin came with Lawrence 705's and they were about a quarter thickness away from the strings. I switched over to Lawrence 710's about 4 years ago and set them a "loose" 3/16" from the strings. Paul, Sr looked at it and told me I have them at the correct distance. |
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John LeMaster
From:
North Florida
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Posted 9 Jan 2007 6:38 am
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Michael, I have read "rules of thumb" that say a humbucker is generally "hotter" (more output) than a single coil, and also that pickups with exposed pole pieces, such as a 710, should be spaced further from the strings than a pickup with enclosed pole pieces, such as an E-66.
....which leads me to ask, would you share which type pickups you have on your guitars?
John L.
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Magnum D10, Emmons D10 push-pull |
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Michael Douchette
From:
Gallatin, TN (deceased)
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2007 7:36 am Pickups
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| Ain't it great when a plan comes together? For the sake of clarity- the E-66 is a blade-type humbucking pickup- not pole piece. |
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John LeMaster
From:
North Florida
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Posted 9 Jan 2007 10:07 am
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Michael, thanks for the reply.
Jim, thanks for the info on the E-66. Didn't realize it was a blade type.
John L.
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Magnum D10, Emmons D10 push-pull |
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