How to Properly Set the Pole Piece Height on Humbuckers

[Big Monk]

Before any of us go off the deep end into physics and electrical engineering, let me just say that I have found the method proposed by @ErictheRed to be super useful for when I am tuning overall pickup height by ear.

By having the pole pieces individually adjusted for string to string volume, overall height adjustments then seem to have a clearer effect and help me to dial in the overall sound I want easier and more effectively.

 

[Red Planet]

Subscribed!

 

[frater106]

Humbuckers pull more on the strings than single-coils because you’ve got twice the magnets in it.

 

[JohnnyN]

Humbuckers pull more on the strings than single-coils because you’ve got twice the magnets in it.

Fender single coils with alnico rods pull more than humbuckers.

 

[AcVox]

.

 

[cooljuk]

Humbuckers pull more on the strings than single-coils because you’ve got twice the magnets in it.

Nonsense! Stop listening to whomever told you that piece of misinformation.

 

[Classicplayer]

I have pretty much completed my pole piece tweaking and they resemble soomewhat the settings 'Eric has in the diagram. I took my time with the process of listening intently to each string and the way the string played as volume goes up, and its effect on the amp's gain sections/stages. The trick' for me was to ensure the g,b,e unwound strings were the same volume (loudness) the the lower strings; throughout the guitar's volume range that I usually play at.

Any minor discrepancies in string volumes, I usually make up for or compensate by my picking pressure. Pick pressure knowledge has to be acquired as I experiment with a few different guitar volume levels….sort of the “mechanics” of what pressure to use and when to use it. It is amazing how much goes into acquiring the tone you shoot for and remembering how you got there.

Classicplayer

 

[Soulloud]

I used the diagram to set the pole piece height on my les paul and it actually sounds a little better and is a little more balanced. Thanks.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Had my Trad for 10 years and never made this adjustment, I've upgraded almost everything else! lol

Can't wait to try this, thanks!!

 

[cooljuk]

If you can’t hear a difference with your ears, you’re all set. Nobody is going to analyze your played music with elaborate electronics to determine the string volume balance of the guitar before deciding if they like the song or not.

 

[cooljuk]

That’s just not how it works. It’s a combination of the individual pickup, the guitar, the brand model and size of strings, the setup of the guitar and the rest of the rig.

If you can’t hear a difference, it could be that your rig is not capable of, or at least not set up to, reproducing the finer differences and details in sound.

For instance, if you’re playing a ‘57 Classic neck pickup, through a Tube Screamer, into a modern Orange amp, you’re just not going to hear the difference because it’s all heavily compressed muddy sound. Everything will sound the same.

 

[edro]

That’s just not how it works. It’s a combination of the individual pickup, the guitar, the brand model and size of strings, the setup of the guitar and the rest of the rig.

If you can’t hear a difference, it could be that your rig is not capable of, or at least not set up to, reproducing the finer differences and details in sound.

For instance, if you’re playing a ‘57 Classic neck pickup, through a Tube Screamer, into a modern Orange amp, you’re just not going to hear the difference because it’s all heavily compressed muddy sound. Everything will sound the same.

Tough when a bud asks, 'how does my guitar sound?' and you have to say 'dunno, can't hear your guitar through all that wet, warp, and dirt shit, you have piled on it....'

I firmly believe many folks have no clue what their guitar actually sounds like.....

 

[cooljuk]

This reminds me of compensated nuts and fanned frets.

 

[Zylo]

flipping hell...

what happened to the old rock n roll spirit

just plug a guitar into an amp and play..

 

[LeftyF2003]

I tend to set the pole pieces based on volume using a good VU meter (meters on my Pioneer RT-707 reel to reel). Different guitars and pickups can have quite different output string to string, but I'd say the diagram above is a good place to start.

YMMV

 

[LeftyF2003]

Thats cool, i do have a good multimeter.
May you can explain me further how exactly do you measure the voltage output ?

I measure the volume of each string using the VU as a guide (in the olden days we called these meters, but not to be confused with a multimeter). Adjust the pole pieces testing each string one at a time until the average volume of each string is close to equal.

 

[edro]

Amazing how well you can hear differences turning the amp AWAY from you..... Turn it at a right angle....

Beam ain't an issue then.... Directivity is directly proportional to freq. Take the directivity (beam path, ice pick, KILL ZONE) out of the picture... Listen outside the beam.... Aim it at the wall across the room.... Make it easier to hear difference....

 

[jwinger]

Its all a compromise. If you obsess over volume equality you'll likely end up with a different sort of tonal vibe between strings. I prefer it all a bit flatter to get a consistent tone between strings and let the compression of a louder amp do the evening out. Its easy to obsess about string to string volume listening at bedroom levels but for anyone playing with bands or recording through cooking amps, the home setup through a quiet amp really exaggerates the 'problem'

 

[Classicplayer]

Its all a compromise. If you obsess over volume equality you'll likely end up with a different sort of tonal vibe between strings. I prefer it all a bit flatter to get a consistent tone between strings and let the compression of a louder amp do the evening out. Its easy to obsess about string to string volume listening at bedroom levels but for anyone playing with bands or recording through cooking amps, the home setup through a quiet amp really exaggerates the 'problem'

I can vouch for that. I adjusted my neck pickup so that some of my chording work (triads) had a particular emphasis on the “B” string. Other than that, I tweak maybe one or two other pole screws that needed a touch more clarity or volume. I'm speaking of very small tweaks, at that.

Classicplayer

 

[Mookakian]

Another thing worth remembering, try not to line those screwdriver slots with your strings, i see that alot... best to angle them so the tone stays Consistent as you bend and release a bend