Pickups...

Loads of accumulated experience

Moderators: David Martin, dave robinson, Iain Purdon, George Geddes

Re: Pickups...

Postby Tab » Sat Oct 19, 2019 11:28 am

Pole adjustment is, probably. most important on the G string. Pickups are normally set for a plain third string. I use a wound third and my 12-52s come with a wound third but with 11s they come with a plain 18 which I swap for a wound 20. The heavier string, I find, is needed to maintain the volume balance.
User avatar
Tab
 
Posts: 624
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:22 pm
Location: East Sussex
Full Real Name: Terry Bryant

Re: Pickups...

Postby abstamaria » Sat Oct 19, 2019 11:48 am

in all of this I am reminded of a hearing test that went around on the net several years ago. I took it in my quiet office and then had my secretary, 28 years old, take it as well. She began to hear the lower range before me and could hear the higher tone several thousand Hz beyond what I could hear. And that was on a laptop.

I plugged my iPhone just now into my P.A. system to take a similar test. I could not hear beyond 10,500 Hz. Our two staff here, both 49 years old, could hear up to 13,500 Hz. My young secretary before could hear up to the higher teens.

It’s perhaps no wonder that comparing pickups on my iPhone is difficult for me.

I am also reminded of Roberto Pistolesi , a sweet man from all accounts but who I never met,who was able to come close to the holy grail on a Gretch.

Perhaps a conclusion might be that, as with the Camiño de Santiago, many roads lead to Compostela. Or should I say the ballpark.

Best,

Andy
User avatar
abstamaria
 
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:27 am
Full Real Name: Andres Sta. Maria

Re: Pickups...

Postby Uncle Fiesta » Sat Oct 19, 2019 12:03 pm

Tab wrote:Pole adjustment is, probably. most important on the G string. Pickups are normally set for a plain third string …


This is interesting, because my main Strat (with 57/62s) has the G pole no higher than the D, and I refuse to put a wound 3rd on it, as it makes that string noticeably quieter than the rest.

Having said that I think pole height affect us less than others, because we tend to set our pickups quite low. Indeed I once bought a Classic Player Strat to which someone had fitted a set of left-handed pickups. I changed the stagger to right-handed, but in all honesty they sounded just fine as they were.
Last edited by Uncle Fiesta on Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Uncle Fiesta
 
Posts: 1187
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: near Gainsborough, England
Full Real Name: Steve Tebble

Re: Pickups...

Postby JimN » Sat Oct 19, 2019 12:44 pm

There's got to be a PhD awaiting someone who can be bothered to do the research on pickup inter-string balance.

I would say the start point is a model of string response in a situation where there is no string / fretboard / bridge camber and the pickup is either a single flat bar magnet or has six polepieces of exactly the same height. If such an instrument were fitted with what has now become a standard electric set (10 / 13 / 17 / 26w / 36 / 46) and played clean (no distortion or other compressing effect), the G string - a plain 0.017" - would be noticeably louder than either of the adjacent strings.

If an old school medium gauge set (13 / 17 / 26w / 36 / 46 / 56) were fitted, the G string - a wound 0.026" - would be noticeably quieter than the adjacent strings.

In either case, the high E would also sound quiet by comparison with the B string. After that, real-world considerations include staggered (or adjustable) polepieces and cambered fretboards.

This is just physics. There is no non-adjustable pickup which can possibly be in correct balance with a range of string sets and using a clean tone with no added compression. That is why makers have been at such pains to make their better-known pickups either fully adjustable (Gretsch Filtertron, Gibson humbucker) or optimally adjusted in manufacture for a compromise string balance (Fender Stratocaster - some of 'em).

Certain famous pickups have never been adjustable except for height and tilt. Examples include the Jazzmaster, the Gibson Firebird and even the original Gibson Charlie Christian unit.
Last edited by JimN on Sat Oct 19, 2019 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
JimN
 
Posts: 4781
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:39 pm
Full Real Name: Jim Nugent

Re: Pickups...

Postby JimN » Sat Oct 19, 2019 12:47 pm

Uncle Fiesta wrote:...I once bought a Classic Player Strat to which someone had fitted a set of left-handed pickups. I changed the stagger to right-handed, but in all honesty they sounded just fine as they were.


A clean trebly tone masks string imbalance to an extent. A better test of string balance is the use a warm tone such as jazz guitarists usually favour. That soon sorts out the loud strings from the quieter. Trust me, I have fifty years experience of striving for perfect balance...
User avatar
JimN
 
Posts: 4781
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:39 pm
Full Real Name: Jim Nugent

Re: Pickups...

Postby Tab » Sat Oct 19, 2019 1:00 pm

You're quite right Steve. Fitting a wound third is noticeably quieter that is why I substitute a heavier string (20 for 18) to correct the imbalance.
User avatar
Tab
 
Posts: 624
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:22 pm
Location: East Sussex
Full Real Name: Terry Bryant

Re: Pickups...

Postby abstamaria » Sat Oct 19, 2019 1:14 pm

A basic video on stagger, but instructive to me.

https://youtu.be/CcytLp-VzCg

And thanks for the explanation, Jim.

Andy
User avatar
abstamaria
 
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:27 am
Full Real Name: Andres Sta. Maria

Re: Pickups...

Postby abstamaria » Sat Oct 19, 2019 1:55 pm

The pickups on my “modern” Strat, suited for an unwound G string and a weak high E, relative to the B string, which Jim mentions. That would not suit my fat flatwounds.

FD67730B-E9E7-4BB3-AC36-BB34D05C5784.jpeg
FD67730B-E9E7-4BB3-AC36-BB34D05C5784.jpeg (24.58 KiB) Viewed 148129 times
User avatar
abstamaria
 
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:27 am
Full Real Name: Andres Sta. Maria

Re: Pickups...

Postby abstamaria » Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:13 pm

CACCE0F2-50E6-4028-9B8F-9BAF3B0B7F05.jpeg
(51.38 KiB) Downloaded 10463 times


This is a pickup on the “Marvin” Strat I mentioned that Fender built for me. This I suppose is the “vintage” stagger.
User avatar
abstamaria
 
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:27 am
Full Real Name: Andres Sta. Maria

Re: Pickups...

Postby bor64 » Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:39 pm

Nice one Jim, I couldn't explain it better!

The thing is Andy wrote he asked Fender CS to make him a 34346 as close as possible....errrr they didn't, because if they have done that they would make him a Oasis 59 strat. ;)

That's why I asked him about the G pole height....
As we all well aware the genuine old lady 343436 has 3 pu's with the lower G pole!
The balance issues Jim revering to are incorporated in the original hits.
Some will say "you can't hear that"....well you can, if you (can) listen closely!
Like Dave and some others here, I've quiet few brands of single coil pu's laying around and/or on a guitar.
Not one of my strats has a humbucker so I'm condemned to the SSS configuration ;)
I've tried with my pre-cbs(and all HM signature) strats to get close as possible to the sound-balance of the 34346...nope...always the wrong volume balance on the G,B and high E string.
Longs story short, a friend of mine made me a set with my desired specifications and after a few prototypes...presto holy grail balance, response and sound with a 13-56 set full nickel strings ! :mrgreen:

Cheers Rob
"afterwards everyone is clairvoyant"
User avatar
bor64
 
Posts: 529
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:22 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Full Real Name: Rob Aartsen

PreviousNext

Return to How To Get "That Sound"

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests

Ads by Google
These advertisements are selected and placed by Google to assist with the cost of site maintenance.
ShadowMusic is not responsible for the content of external advertisements.