Getting the "muddy" sound out of neck pickup

[astroshagger]

Hey all:

I noticed that the neck pickup in my LP can sound "muddy" on the lower strings with distortion (custom bucker stock pups). Is this sort of thing adjustable with pickup height/polepieces? I've heard lowering the pole pieces on the lower strings can take some mud out, is this true?

Thanks

 

[Mark V Guitars]

Yep. Or just try lowering your neck pup a little.

 

[TheX]

Best answer, try it and find out for yourself.

 

[JHMvP]

I lowered the pickup and *raised* the polepieces a little, to get more top end.

 

[Iron Blimp]

I put in a P-90. Fixed.

 

[guysmiley]

I put in a P-90. Fixed.

Actaully I did that to my tele, and it did fix the problem. You could also change the pot values or add a bass cut tone knob. But try the cheapest fix first and work up from there.

 

[El Kabong]

.015 Cap...

 

[RambleFX]

Bigger pots or new pickup.

 

[astroshagger]

Ok. The pups are covered, so I adjust the pole pieces individually by turning the "screw" looking part (with the flat-head tip) showing through the nickel cover?

(sorry stupid question but I'm new to this)

So let me get this straight:

1.) Lower the neck pickup on the side that sits below the heavier strings (where the mud is coming from)
2.) Raise the pole-pieces for the lower strings?

How is that different than just raising the entire pickup then? Do pole-piece positions have a greater effect on tone relative to the entire pickup's position?

 

[korus]

Steel studs for tailpiece (instead of the brass ones).

( and nylon 6.6 nut, and aluminum tailpiece, and brass wheels, and brass posts, and proper ABR-1, and 500k pots, and... but let's keep it simple/to the point)

As long as studs are brass, either neck will be muddy or bridge will be shrill, no matter what pickups and what pickups' setup tweaking is deployed, no matter what strings and what amp and what amp settings.

And do keep in mind that pair of steel studs cost 19$ Faber, 25$ Retrospec, $36 Pigtail (with bushings).

Or even better steel studs at Bridge and Tailpieces - Tailpieces(and Wraparound Tailpieces) - Tailpiece parts - Philadelphia Luthier Tools & Supplies, LLC - just pick nickel or chrome, SAE or metric thread. Check the thickness of the 'ears' on your tailpiece to be 5/16"(8mm) and under. They do not sound as good as those 3 above, but they are steel and they work as steel - neck is not muddy, bridge is not shrill.

BUT and this is a huge but - these cost $5. FIVE DOLLARS. A cost of a set of strings. Now, if someone could tell me, how wise is to solder, let alone buy, any other pickup(s) before even trying them? 5$? Even if I do not know what I am talking about (which obviously is not very likely to be the case here).

(Some are out of stock, but check with them. Also, I have no affiliation with any of the brands mentioned. Just a happy customer of all.)

 

[David Mccarroll]

And if you want to delve further into the esoterica of materials (and not afraid to spend a fair bit of money doing so) - all of my Gibson solid body guitars end up sooner or later with Callahams milled steel ABRs and tailpieces - instant end of muddiness - with new strings you will have a little Mahogany piano in your hands.

 

[astroshagger]

So then you're saying pole-pieces offer more precise control over tone than just adjusting the pickup?

The problem I have right now is that when I hit the lower strings on the NECK pickup (for example an A minor 7 barre chord on the 5th fret) all I hear is a bassy rumble. There's no clear cut distinction between each tone. On higher strings this manifests itself as a sort of intense oscillation, like the tones are interfering with each other.

Also, when I fret the high E string at the 8th fret (C) and pluck with the BRIDGE pickup, the note rings and I hear a harmonic of a different note kick in a few seconds after I pluck.

 

[Zipslack]

Lowering the pickup reduces the overall volume (strength) of the magnetic signal. This will often "clean up" the muddiness, but then you need some volume back. Raising the individual pole-screws will allow you to fine-tune the volume on each string. This also has a magnetic affect since you are adjusting how much "core" there is in the magnetic "coil". Seems strange, but there it is. Try it.

 

[rem22]

Are you sure it's not just a matter of amp EQ ?
LP neck humbuckers are usually fat sounding.

 

[GitFiddle]

Ok. The pups are covered, so I adjust the pole pieces individually by turning the "screw" looking part (with the flat-head tip) showing through the nickel cover?

(sorry stupid question but I'm new to this)

So let me get this straight:

1.) Lower the neck pickup on the side that sits below the heavier strings (where the mud is coming from)
2.) Raise the pole-pieces for the lower strings?

How is that different than just raising the entire pickup then? Do pole-piece positions have a greater effect on tone relative to the entire pickup's position?

Welcome to MLP.

Not a stupid question at all.

Try lowering the entire pickup about even with the pickup ring. Then raise each individual pole piece to taste.

The individual pole piece adjustments are more or less to balance the string volumes relative to each other.

You usually want your neck pickup a little bit lower from the strings than the bridge pickup. If the neck pickup is too close to the strings, the magnets can actually affect (deaden) the oscillation of the strings. Since the bridge pickup is close to the bridge, the strings don't oscillate as much near the saddles. Thus, the pickup can be closer to the strings without affecting their vibration as much as the neck pickup.

There are many DIY clips and sites describing how to adjust humbucker pickup heights. Just look around and experiment. Its not much different than adjusting the seat in your car, to your particular taste. It won't be the same for many people.

 

[eddie_bowers]

Keep in mind that a humbucker is essentially two single coil pickups. Raising the polepieces only affects the one coil, so it's different than raising the whole pickup. In some ways raising the polepieces gives you more of a single coil sound (which has more treble and definition. Another option is adding a .047 or.033 cap in series with the neck pickup. This will cut some of the low end.

 

[Classicplayer]

I have had a similar problem with my neck pickups on a couple of males Paul's. Before getting into changing pots of caps, or buying new pickups, try this technique. Lower each side of the neck pickup and leave enough space between both e-strings and the top of the pole screw so that when each e-string is fretted at the last fret, you can slide two nickels between them easily. On the bridge pickup, use one nickel's height. Fire up your amp and listen closely to make any minor adjustments to the pickup heights to get your tone the way you think it should sound.

This is only a guide and a starting point, but is quicker and far less expensive than new parts or paying a guitar technician.

Classicplayer

 

[donlumber]

Do you have 300k or 500k pots?

 

[JHMvP]

Oh, just to be sure... start with getting a good CLEAN tone first!

 

[astroshagger]

Do you have 300k or 500k pots?

What comes stock?

I reckon 500k would clean it up.