pickup height?

[kathyD]

my neck pickup sounds weak and I think it might be set low, but im not sure. The owners manual only talks about bridge pickup height. I thought the neck one should be lower than the bridge one for balance.

i have a EC500 with 81/60 pickups. When I measure Im fretting the 24th fret on low E string think this is correct way. Could anyone give me what theirs are set at?

[Gabaj]

The owner manual will tell you the suggested pickup heights. However, there is no hard and fast rule as to how high the pickups should be.

Also, the 60 might sound weak because you're comparing it to the 81.

What i suggest is simply to try and lift up the pickup till you're satisfied with the sound.

Although there are some minor technicalities involved with setting pickup height, this is usually done according to what sounds right.

On my ESP I have the bridge 81 set very close to the strings with both high and low ends set at the same height. The 81 in the neck is set at somewhere around the middle. However, the high side of the pickup is set lower so that its sloping down.

[idpmofo]

im not exactly sure, but the bridge pickup is set based on the numbers shown in manual, then the neck pickup is set so that it is just as loud as the bridge. Neck is almost always lower. If anything the pup should slope the other way(think it should be even from side to side but not sure). The thicker strings will be effected by the magnetic field more than the higher strings. As long as there's no interference, it doesnt matter.
Mine are still at factory settings, so Im not sure if you want me to measure mine. Maybe someone on here(with an EC) with more experience could measure theirs and give ya an estimate for where they should be.

[Thrashman]

Umm, PU height is all personal preference, IMO, my neck pickup is basically at the same height as the pickup ring, while my bridge one is not far away from the strings at all..

[synyster90]

both my EMG's are almost touching the strings.

[Gabaj]

I'm reading your replies and to be honest you've got me confused. I guess thats what you get for not touching a guitar in two years :(

[Duffy]

I had some problems with not getting enough volume out of a pickup once and I solved it by raising it up closer to the bottom of the strings.

You have to listen to it and find the best high spot. It might not sound best at the highest setting but then again it might. If it sounds crackly or distorted and uneven it might be too close and you might want to lower it just slightly. You will probably want to get the best volume with the best tone accompanying the height.

Another solution that you probably won't need to do is to get another eighty one in the neck. You probably only need to raise it up.

Raising it is easy with the two screws, one on each side of the pickup. Go slow so you get it moving up. You don't want to strip the screw. If it turns really hard try the other direction and watch to see if the pickup is coming up.
Some one probably knows offhand which way to turn the screws. Be careful, use two hands, one by the tip of the screwdriver to control it so it doesn't slip off and scratch or gouge you finish.

Duffy

[chevy Z 302]

if you fuck up raising or lowering a pickup, you should kill yourself right then and there. :|

[idpmofo]

if you fuck up raising or lowering a pickup, you should kill yourself right then and there. :|

:lol no sh!!

[R11GJH]

I have a few guitars with the 60/81 combo and all have the 60 set quite low, just above the pickup ring. Both my JH-3, Grynch and Truckster were delivered like this.

[skinnyb82]

I just raise it until I get a muddy sound, then lower it until it goes away. Then I fret the highest fret and check if any of the strings are hitting the pickup and lower it if I need to.