Adjusting pickups & pole pieces - Video inside!

[Kenni]

Hey there, good MYL-people

I've recently recorded a video on how to adjust your pickups and its pole pieces as well.
I thought that it would be cool to post it here, and maybe someone will find it helpful

Here's the video:

Enjoy it, and feel free to ask questions, if you have any!

Cheers & Regards.

 

[Leña_Costoso]

What happened to staggered poles to account for varying string "strength" and relative tonality?

 

[Kenni]

What happened to staggered poles to account for varying string "strength" and relative tonality?

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to, @Leña_Costoso

I set the string action to the prefered specs, then match the pole pieces to the radius of the fretboard, and also the strings, basically giving each string its proper output. Of course you can do that pole pieces any way you want to, but I've used this method for years, and it has always been good

 

[Leña_Costoso]

Question: Do all guitar strings have the same relative output (magnetically speaking) and timbre?

Corollary question: Does adjusting the pole piece do more than just change the relative amplitude of each string?

Extra point bonus question: Do the type and gauge strings make any difference in the output of the pickup?

 

[LeftyF2003]

I like to plug the guitar into a tape deck with old fashioned VUs, then test one pickup at a time to check the relative output of each string. I'll then adjust the pole pieces and pick height so that the output is roughly equal on each string. I think getting the radius is a good starting point, but adjusting for output is the next step. Also note that a dark humbucker can be vastly improved my raising the pole pieces equally a turn or so and lowering the pickup.

 

[Leña_Costoso]

I know you can run pole pieces up quite a bit, and brighten up an otherwise dark toned humbucker. Maybe not scads of bright added, but enough to make a difference.

 

[charisjapan]

@Leña_Costoso, you make several good points. Simply adjusting polepieces in (half) a humbucker will only affect 50% of the issue of distance from strings to the pickup due to nut/bridge/frets radius. It could possibly balance the output ... but could also make things worse! (or, to be fair, different from the intent)

Another part of the formula would be would strings vs. solid ... by nature, solid strings have appreciably more "apparent" output. That's just plain physics. Vintage guitars usually had a wound 3rd string (G), so it's output was less than the 2nd (B) string, and that's why some Fenders had a radically lower 2nd polepiece. This would balance the 2nd-to-3rd output. These same vintage Fenders also had more radius, so the 3rd and 4th polepieces were really high, giving those pickups a wildly staggered polepiece look. When most electric guitars changed to three wound, three unwound strings, the big output change occurred between the 3rd and the 4th (G and D), so to balance string-to-string output the 3rd polepiece should be lower than the 4th.

There is probably a lot more to the "perfect balance" story, way beyond my knowledge, but when I picked up the guitar at age 50, even I noticed the output difference between D and G. Then when I wanted to try a vintage setup on a Tele using a wound 3rd, the culprit became the annoying B string. This is just to say that it's not only the technical knowledge, but to me it's anecdotal.

I appreciate the OP's video (except being pretty long for a relatively simple setup operation) to help newbs understand the ability for changing tone by adjusting polepieces. We should all gain something from it ... but the wound/unwound output is equally important to a good setup, IMHO.

Cheers!

 

[charisjapan]

Fender did this on some of their pickups. Not just matching the radius, but taking into account other factors.

I don't know how much difference all this makes when adjusting the pole-height of only half of the poles of a humbucker.


I do know that adjusting the pickup height makes a difference in sound, so it makes sense that adjusting individual poles changes things, as well.

FWIW, The top picture is "post-vintage" ... using an unwound 3rd string, and the following diagram is "true-vintage" setup using a wound 3rd string.

But you're certainly right that it's debatable how much difference this will make in a humbucker that is only half-adjustable.

That's why my Limba 6 build is using a fully adjustable pickup!! (just kidding, I simply like the looks of TV Jones Filter-Trons ... hope I can adjust it to my liking! )

 

[charisjapan]

I also appreciate @Kenni 's videos.

I like the length. Not everything works in a 4 minute video. The videos of Kenni's I watched were well done. Not fluff, or drawn out pauses filling time. Just good stuff.

I hope the intended audiences get to see these. Some teenage kid who gets a guitar, and heads to the sea of info on YouTube would be pretty well served by his SG setup series.

An old dude (like me) who got a guitar in his 40s is equally well-served.

You are absolutely right. I am sorry if I sounded callous toward OP @Kenni about the video. I guess being mechanically-inclined (and maybe a bit old and impatient) made me say that. Feeler gauges and tools and adjustments and measurements are second nature to me, but to some it’s not so obvious how stuff works.

My apologies.

(where is the grovel emoticon?)

 

[Kenni]

@Leña_Costoso, you make several good points. Simply adjusting polepieces in (half) a humbucker will only affect 50% of the issue of distance from strings to the pickup due to nut/bridge/frets radius. It could possibly balance the output ... but could also make things worse! (or, to be fair, different from the intent)

Thanks for the great knowledge, @charisjapan
It's always nice to hear from people with great background knowledge!

Well, if the humbucker is only 50% adjustable, where would the remainin 50% adjustment be then?
You know, if the other six pole pieces isn't adjustable...

Another part of the formula would be would strings vs. solid ... by nature, solid strings have appreciably more "apparent" output. That's just plain physics. Vintage guitars usually had a wound 3rd string (G), so it's output was less than the 2nd (B) string, and that's why some Fenders had a radically lower 2nd polepiece. This would balance the 2nd-to-3rd output. These same vintage Fenders also had more radius, so the 3rd and 4th polepieces were really high, giving those pickups a wildly staggered polepiece look. When most electric guitars changed to three wound, three unwound strings, the big output change occurred between the 3rd and the 4th (G and D), so to balance string-to-string output the 3rd polepiece should be lower than the 4th.

Thanks for clearing that up, @charisjapan
I see the general aspect here, and it makes perfectly sense!

There is probably a lot more to the "perfect balance" story, way beyond my knowledge, but when I picked up the guitar at age 50, even I noticed the output difference between D and G. Then when I wanted to try a vintage setup on a Tele using a wound 3rd, the culprit became the annoying B string. This is just to say that it's not only the technical knowledge, but to me it's anecdotal.

Alright, I get that, and I've noticed the same thing. Though, I've never really had any problems with adjust the pickups, and their pole pieces, like shown in the video. But again, as you also say, there's more than one way to skin a cat, right?

I appreciate the OP's video (except being pretty long for a relatively simple setup operation) to help newbs understand the ability for changing tone by adjusting polepieces. We should all gain something from it ... but the wound/unwound output is equally important to a good setup, IMHO.

Thank you, @charisjapan
I appreciate you taking the time, both to watch, but also to share your knowledge
Well, in my videos I like to make it as detailed as I possibly can... of course without getting too much off topic.. that's why the video ended up being the way it is For beginners it might be a good way to start learning how to adjust their pickups, hehe.

Cheers!

 

[Kenni]

I also appreciate @Kenni 's videos.

I like the length. Not everything works in a 4 minute video. The videos of Kenni's I watched were well done. Not fluff, or drawn out pauses filling time. Just good stuff.

Thank you very much, @Who
I truly appreciate that!
Well yeah, not everything works in a 4 minute video, that's right.

I hope the intended audiences get to see these. Some teenage kid who gets a guitar, and heads to the sea of info on YouTube would be pretty well served by his SG setup series.


An old dude (like me) who got a guitar in his 40s is equally well-served.

Thanks again, that's very kind of you!
Yeah, the purpose of my videos is to inform and show people how they can easily learn guitar setups.
I'm glad that the SG series go around here, hehe

Cheers, @Who
Have a good one!

 

[Kenni]

You are absolutely right. I am sorry if I sounded callous toward OP @Kenni about the video. I guess being mechanically-inclined (and maybe a bit old and impatient) made me say that. Feeler gauges and tools and adjustments and measurements are second nature to me, but to some it’s not so obvious how stuff works.

My apologies.

(where is the grovel emoticon?)

No worries, @charisjapan
I appreciate your knowledge and the time your took to post it here.
Well, we all have different ways of doing things, and there's no wrong in that!

Don't think about it, @charisjapan
We're all good!

Cheers!

 

[Kaicho8888]

Wish your video was not as long for a simple principle of how you adjust a humbucker. I'm sure it's very helpful to a lot of newbies!

None of my many humbucker equiped guitars have screw poles following the fretboard radius. I always adjust pickups at gig level when practicing with the band. Sometimes, tweaking a little at a gig during song breaks. Just be cognizant of ear fatigue... for me it's usually a maximum of one minute of tweaking.

To get a general starting point, I've also used equalizing the volume of each string using a smart phone app (db level). However, it's never sounds right unless you strum all strings and hear the relative level of every string...so tweak, tweak, and tweak.

Tone wise, lowering the whole humbucker and increasing the screw pole heights does make less muffled/dark. But then, there's the treble knob on the amp that can be increased to take care of a dark tone.

For single coils, I do the same method adjusting the poles... push in or out of the plastic bobbins... cumbersome. Just make sure it's a plastic bobbin; otherwise the coil wire could be wrapped directly on the magnetic poles. Moving these poles can easily cut the coils.

Very subjective, I know...but once set...I haven't adjusted for decades.

Darn this post is too long...LOL.