POLL: What height do you have your bridge pick up?

[Max Dread]

Hi guys

Ive always wondered how other folk set up there guitars with regard to pick up height and so thought a poll was in order.

So that we are all singing/rocking from the same hymn sheet:

- measurment is for bridge pick up only
- measure the lowest string on the guitar only (ie - B on a 7)
- measure the distance from the pole piece to the bottom of the string.
- take the measurement with the string open/unfretted
- round up or down as necessary

Cheers

Max

 

[WhiteShadow]

It depends on the pickup, but on average, my bridge pickups in all my guitars are around about 3.5mm - 4mm, from top of poles to bottom of strings.

 

[Elysian]

mines around the 6mm range, but its an X2N, its not supposed to be close.

 

[Sroth Saraiel]

I think 3 mm...

 

[sami]

I don't have a measurement tool for this unfortunately. I just go by ear. Don't take that the wrong way, I really want a tool to measure the distance.

 

[jymellis]

i go by sound not length, this is about sound isnt it and isnt it supposed to be based when freted on the highest fret (22,24,etc..) technically the string is closer when fretted to the pole pieces. so if there is no magnetic inteference open , there may be when fretted due to the string being closer. so wouldnt the point be to fret at the highest fret and the adjust the pole piece so that the magnetic pull doesnt kill sustain?

 

[Max Dread]

Yeah I agree with all that. And the string should not be closer than 2mm at any stage, so you're right - measure fretted at the 24th fret.

But the question/poll was more like: once you've used your ears to determine the best height, and you've checked it while fretting at the 24th to ensure there will be no magnetic interference......what height is you r pick up?

 

[Kagami]

where's the 'string thickness' option lol

For lower output pickups I try to get as high as I can...on my MH-307 w/blackouts bridge it's about 2mm and 2-3mm on the 707 in the neck on the low A string (7th). 1mm on the high E on both pickups. On my X2N/LWHMET guitars I've got the pickup about 2-3-4mm from the strings.

like jymellis above I go by ear though, I just measured the closest they were. EMGs/BOs are supposed to be as close as you can get them as far as I remember which is why I always have them jacked up so far.

 

[Max Dread]

But what about the 2mm minimum rule.....I thought anything less than 2mm causes problems because the strings are too close to the magnets? Or is this not the case with certain pick-ups?

BTW, I'm using Lundgrens on my main guitar.........

 

[Elysian]

But what about the 2mm minimum rule.....I thought anything less than 2mm causes problems because the strings are too close to the magnets? Or is this not the case with certain pick-ups?

BTW, I'm using Lundgrens on my main guitar.........

EMG's can be almost touching the strings.

 

[Scali]

I put them as close they can go, which depends on the guitar...
I want free tremolo movement without the strings ever touching the pickups.

 

[Harry]

I've never properly measured exactly, because I go by ear rather than that actual measurement, but it's around 3.5 mm.

 

[MFB]

Since most of mine are direct mounted with foam underneath, I have them as low as they can go; not to mention the Invader has a good output so it can get noisy, and the D-Activators will be the same for my 7321

 

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

I have wildly different heights for different pickups. I just amp up and adjust with a screwdriver until I like the tone.

Rock on!

 

[Filip S]

my blackouts are around 3-3.5 away. im not all about djent and like them clean sometimes, but i have to agree thats a bit too far for them, i should go change it a bit.