Purpose of pick up plane?

155 · 04-03-2012, 03:21 PM

What. Is the reason for the pickup plane? If the neck plane is 4.4 and the pups are routed to that why a 1.2 pup plane? Not grasping why it's necessary...

'59_Standard · 04-03-2012, 03:36 PM

Have you not seen this diagram:

JRo · 04-03-2012, 03:44 PM

Someone correct me if I'm wrong; I think it's to better line up the pickups with the string path.

155 · 04-03-2012, 03:45 PM

I have seen the diagram I just dont see the reason for it...what am I missing? why cant it be flat?

TravisW · 04-03-2012, 04:02 PM

As far as I'm aware, it's to give the bridge room to exist.

MojoMonster · 04-03-2012, 05:33 PM

You can have it flat if you recess the bridge/tailpiece to keep the break angle intact.

nuance97 · 04-03-2012, 05:39 PM

If you skipped the pu plane then you'd end up with the neck pickup in the 4 degree (+/-) neck plane, and the bridge pickup would be flat (zero degrees). The pickup plane puts the pickups flat relative to one another.

155 · 04-03-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuance97

If you skipped the pu plane then you'd end up with the neck pickup in the 4 degree (+/-) neck plane, and the bridge pickup would be flat (zero degrees). The pickup plane puts the pickups flat relative to one another.

ok that makes sense,, if the neck plane goes through the neck pup...but what if there is no neck pup and the neck plane ends at the end of the fingerboard? seems to me it would be fine if it was flat for the bridge pup? no?

nuance97 · 04-03-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 155

ok that makes sense,, if the neck plane goes through the neck pup...but what if there is no neck pup and the neck plane ends at the end of the fingerboard? seems to me it would be fine if it was flat for the bridge pup? no?

It could be made to be functional, but you'd see a hump at the point where the neck plane intersects the flat plane of the top. The hump would be somewhat obscured by the strings, but it would be better to just do the pu plane.

155 · 04-03-2012, 06:07 PM

well in my particular case its not a carve top so the neck plane will be feathered into the "flat top" hence no real hump as i will be using body contours rather then a carve top and Id rather not do the pup plane as it would create yet another "hump" on the top as it is flat...sorry for the confusion here just want to make sure im not missing something here...thx

nuance97 · 04-03-2012, 06:33 PM

Juniors, Speicals, and SGs have the neck angle routed in the neck mortice, and the whole top is flat. The pickup plane is needed on a carved top like a LP Standard.

dougk · 04-03-2012, 08:19 PM

BTW you dont NEED the PUP plane. Lots of guitars don't have them and its fine.

Its on an LP to make the pup's (between angled rings and the pup plane) sit parallel to the strings. Long as you have enough neck angle for your TOM bridge the rest is purely up to what and how you design.

emoney · 04-03-2012, 08:26 PM

And you could always angle your pickup routes if you needed to in order to get the
p'ups flatter in relationship to the strings.

TKOjams · 04-03-2012, 09:42 PM

I have found if you don't rout a pup plane, the neck pup sits too high and the pup ring hits the strings unless you sand the bottom of the pup ring. Don't ask me how I know.

155 · 04-03-2012, 10:13 PM

thanks guys!

04-03-2012, 03:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
155 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ct,usa Posts: 1,365 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Purpose of pick up plane? What. Is the reason for the pickup plane? If the neck plane is 4.4 and the pups are routed to that why a 1.2 pup plane? Not grasping why it's necessary...

04-03-2012, 03:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
JRo Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vancouver Posts: 277 Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? Someone correct me if I'm wrong; I think it's to better line up the pickups with the string path.

04-03-2012, 03:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
155 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ct,usa Posts: 1,365 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? I have seen the diagram I just dont see the reason for it...what am I missing? why cant it be flat?

04-03-2012, 04:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
TravisW Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 498 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? As far as I'm aware, it's to give the bridge room to exist. __________________ http://www.reverbnation.com/rule17 My Build Thread

04-03-2012, 05:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
MojoMonster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 727 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? You can have it flat if you recess the bridge/tailpiece to keep the break angle intact. __________________ MM 2009 Gibson LP Standard Trad Pro Heritage Cherry Sunburst, 2007 Edwards LP-130LTS/RE-LMD, 2010 Gibson LP 50's Tribute Studio Goldtop w/Bigsby, 2006 Gibson LP Special DC Faded Cherry, 1989 Carvin DC135T, 1988 Carvin SH225, 1998 MIJ Squier Vista Venus, 2005 MIA Squier Affinity Telecaster, 2006 Ibanez Artcore AS83VLS, ShredStrat w/FR, SwampStrat w/ StraBro90's, Carvin V3 & V30 412, Egnater Rebel 30, Dave Hunter Two-Stroke, 2xCarvin 212CE, 2xCarvin 212 Classic

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04-03-2012, 03:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
'59_Standard Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Who GAF Posts: 1,275 Thanks: 3 Thanked 14 Times in 7 Posts	Have you not seen this diagram:

04-03-2012, 05:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
nuance97 Bartlett Retrospec Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,448 Thanks: 98 Thanked 46 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? If you skipped the pu plane then you'd end up with the neck pickup in the 4 degree (+/-) neck plane, and the bridge pickup would be flat (zero degrees). The pickup plane puts the pickups flat relative to one another.

04-03-2012, 06:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
155 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ct,usa Posts: 1,365 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? well in my particular case its not a carve top so the neck plane will be feathered into the "flat top" hence no real hump as i will be using body contours rather then a carve top and Id rather not do the pup plane as it would create yet another "hump" on the top as it is flat...sorry for the confusion here just want to make sure im not missing something here...thx

04-03-2012, 06:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
nuance97 Bartlett Retrospec Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,448 Thanks: 98 Thanked 46 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? Juniors, Speicals, and SGs have the neck angle routed in the neck mortice, and the whole top is flat. The pickup plane is needed on a carved top like a LP Standard.

04-03-2012, 08:26 PM	#13 (permalink)
emoney Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Best weather in US--Clearwater, FL Posts: 3,462 Thanks: 14 Thanked 17 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? And you could always angle your pickup routes if you needed to in order to get the p'ups flatter in relationship to the strings.

04-03-2012, 09:42 PM	#14 (permalink)
TKOjams Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 9,548 Thanks: 92 Thanked 177 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? I have found if you don't rout a pup plane, the neck pup sits too high and the pup ring hits the strings unless you sand the bottom of the pup ring. Don't ask me how I know. __________________ Flametop Special Build - Carvetop Doublecut Build - '57 Custom BB Replica Build - '56-ish Flame Top Build - Boudreau Celia build - Lefty Walnut Les Paul Build

04-03-2012, 10:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
155 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ct,usa Posts: 1,365 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Purpose of pick up plane? thanks guys!

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