String height?

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

This has probably been brought up before, but what are some of you using for distance between the pickup and the strings? A US quarter is what I have and was wondering if that's too close. Would that create some distortion? I just can't seem to get a good clean sound for some reason on either of my steels - one is Carter and the other a Willy.

It's deffinatly not the amp or cords.

Geo

Mitch Adelman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Hi George,
I had a very similar situation with my Carter. For a year I had my carter strings exactly a quarter from the strings.The tone was good but a bit harsh and not as clear as I would like Last week, I lowered the pickup to about 1 1/2 quarters and the differences was amazing. Much better note separation. Some folks lower it to 2 quarters. Experiment but try lowering the pickup some. I think it will solve your problem as it did mine!!I shouldn't have waited so long!

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thanks Mitch, I'll try that.

Geo

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

On my shobuds, I use 3 quarters, whether I use Truetones BL 710's or original 'bud pickups. Good enough for Ricky Davis, good enough for me. Cool

Lewis John Foote · From: Dorset, UK

howdy, whats that in yards and miles, lew.
_________________
pro1,s two round fronts, one square front, sho-bud, S12, LDG,1977, built by paul franklin sen, [THE PROFESSIONAL]nice all original, bandit65, nash, 400, profex 11,match-box, 7A,DD3, delay,various accoustic guitars, amps, and other necessitys,

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Peter Freiberger · From: California, USA

Anyone have a recommendation for Tonealigners?

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

I'd just give Bob Hofnar ( I believe he makes the tonealighners?) a call or email and see what he recommends for your brand of guitar. Or just try a few of these above mentioned positions and see what sounds best to you.

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

George for starting this thread and James for setting me streight. Some time in the past, I had gotten into my head that a Nickels Width was the correct hight above magnets distance, maybe even read it on the forum. After reading James post above and remembering, Nickeling Mine Up, about the same time I was having an amp problem, I went back and checked it. Sure enough, exactly one nickles width above the magnets. Just adjusted it to three quarters width and my steal is new again. Sustain and string separation to the max. Will this work on yours, who knows, but it did mine. James your right, Ricky be the man. Oh, I'm playing a Marlen S10, probably older pickup, but now sounding like it once did. Still having Amp problems, but my steals right. Dick Sexton

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Hey it's great it worked for you. All's well that ends well!! YEE HAWW!! Cool

Hey Dick, could you send me a pic of your Marlen?? The Marlen was the first pedal steel I had to start on. Kick myself for selling it!! Whoa!

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

OK! Youse guys 3 quarters equal about 3/16" or .1875

Roger

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Lew, it would be about 1 mile or 5280' minus 5279' 11 & 13/16" or as Rodger has stated about 3/16". Then in meters, well you know, about three US Quarters width. Wish I could see those magnetic lines of flux, then I'd know when each string was cutting the most of them and adjust accordingly. Some of the pick up builders have probably done this and know exactly what hight is optimal. To get over the biggest stumps. And as David would say DYK..

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

George,
When I made my steel I was told (by Ed Fulawka) that the spacing is supposed to be a 50-cent piece. That is when the magnets are exposed.

With the magnets covered with the plastic (GeorgeL), go with a quarter for starters.Then try different settings...one turn at a time on the screws.

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thank you all for the tips. I tried lowering the pickup on my Willy, but the best I could do was 2 25¢'s. There is a metal piece under the ends of the pickup so it couldn't go any lower. It did seem to help some. BTW, these are George L 10-1's.

Do any of you notice any differance between nickle and SS strings as far as clear sound (sound not tone)? I'm using SIT SS and have ordered a set of Jagwire stainless to see if by some quirk it could be the strings causing this.

I had my NV400 gone thru by Ken Fox and it's as clean as they get with any of my six string guitars. #$%^&* this is frustrating.

Geo

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

George, You might look for a spacer or springs under your pickups, and replace them with shorter versions, and maybe you can drop your pickups a little more. I use the Jagwire nickel strings--they are a touch more mellow that the stainless. I do like the crisp sound of stainless, too, though. I doubt if that has anything to do with your issue at hand, though.

Bo Legg · Posted 31 Jan 2008 5:03 pm

One quarter in and raise you three quarters and a Nickel up to a half dallar. Seems like there's no limit on this game. I'll have to fold.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I suspect you're running the amp volume too low. Try turning the amp up (yeah, like all the way up), and controling your volume with the foot pedal.

Running the amp volume too low makes you use more foot pedal, and that sometimes overloads the preamp.

(The same thing can happen if you use a powered volume pedal, if it's gain is set too high.)

What are your tone settings?

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Bo, your bluffing us again---------- I have to call ya on that one!! Evil Twisted

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Donny, there's something I hadn't thought of. I'm using a Hilton. I took all the strings off last night and really gave the rollers a good lube (they were rolling freely to begin with) and checked for burrs on the changer - both ends were fine. I'll restring it when the Jagwires get here and try up-ing the amp volume and cutting back the volume setting on the Hilton.

Geo

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

I set up my Carter and backed off on the volume and shut off screws on my Hilton pedal. That cleared up most of it. My 4th "E" string still has an unwanted sound (for lack of a better word) but at least I can put up with it. That could even be not enough presure on the damping side of my bar. I did crank the volume up on the post - 12 O'clock and 10 O'clock on the pre. Way too loud for in the house practicing, but it did make a differance also.

Thanks to all of you for your input.

Geo

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