Though there are thousands of pickups that buck the trends, the general rule is that ceramic magnets are used in higher output designs and feature a modern, tighter tonality. Science Time While you can’t change the character of a pickup, you can make small adjustments that will fine-tune your sound. pickup height The height of the pickups relative to the strings is crucial to dialling in your tone. But if you do like working on your own guitars, you’ll love SeymourDuncan.com’s deep selection of wiring diagrams, tech tips, and tonal know how. While “hot output” sounds cool on paper, it can create distortion and complicate sculpting tones. However, it is still possible and can be done with the tools you already have. You’d be better off to replace that punchy humbucker with a model better-suited for your style and tone. EUR How To Set Pickup Height on a Stratocaster for ULTIMATE STRAT TONE! Dylantalkstone.com Dylansguitarshop.com Dylanpickups.com Thank You so much for watching Dylan Talks Tone!!! But every pickup and guitar manufacturer has their own specifications. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > Mar 27, 2012 #1. jrcorp. Start with these measurements and adjust height to preference. / Pickup height secret! Simply adjust it the way you would a Strat single-coil. Third: Raise or lower the pickup until it is at the manufacturer’s factory spec. You may find inspiring new life from an old guitar.No matter what kind of electric guitar you play or what style you play in, read on. First off, let’s talk about the ‘why’ of adjusting pickup height. Jan 22, 2012 Coventry, Rhode Island. Because it’s the strength and type of the magnets that determine where the pickups should be set. You can always turn up your amp, so that slight decrease in output isn't a problem for many players. Joined Dec 23, 2008 Messages 1,390 Reaction score 548. It’s also important to remember that you have to play by the rules of the pickup you have. The first and most obvious is weaker output. Good day fellow tone seekers! They rely on support – often a foam strip – placed underneath in the pickup cavity to push the pickups to the correct height. But if yours is direct-mounted, you’ll have to remove the guitar’s pickguard to access its adjustment screws. Tone to Taste Now that you have everything all set up nicely with an optimum balance and maximum height possible, it's time to set the height so that the tone and output level are what you want. Reverse this—pickup raised, adjustable poles set to their lowest—for a warmer, thicker bridge tone. So we figured we should dissect the subject a bit. Think of it as a customizable version of the staggered pole pieces you’ll find on many vintage and vintage-style Fender single-coils. Copyright © 2020 Seymour Duncan. The height of your guitar’s humbucking pickups effects how it sounds in two ways — overall tone and note-to-note clarity. Okie dokie gang, this is kinda part three in this series which started with How To Adjust (Set) Pickup Height on a Stratocaster for ULTIMATE STRAT TONE! Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by jrcorp, Mar 27, 2012. There are a lot of undisguised variables that affect ultimate pickup height:-woody/natural tone vs. hot/bright tone-type of music-type of magnets-what you had for dinner last Tuesday-String Gauge&material +fretboard radius-playing style (palm muting chuga chug vs fancy finger picking)-who you believe shot JFK-etc.. These guitars often have their neck pickups set lower than their bridge pickups anyway to balance any output disparity between them, it's also worth considering the above factors when dropping those neck pickups a little lower. Measuring pickup height in relation to the open string may result in certain notes fretting out in the higher frets. In guitars with pickup rings, the humbucker is suspended from this ring via these screws. Fender Hot Noiseless Strat pickups can be found in the Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster guitars exude tone that combines warmth and punch with cutting bluesy articulation, with a screaming high-gain bridge pickup. Next, adjust the height of the individual pole pieces so they mirror the radius of your fretboard, as shown in Photo 2. Soapbar P-90s can be adjusted within reason with the same considerations as any of the above pickups that offer overall height adjustment. A Tele bridge pickup is suspended by three adjustment screws from a metal bridge plate. Generally speaking, the closer the pickups are to the strings, the hotter the output. This technique is reversed again for the neck pickup, since the coil with the adjustable pole pieces is further from the bridge than the fixed-slug coil, and therefore delivers more warmth into the double-coil sonic blend. Most guitar players never think about changing the height of their pickups for a quick, but potentially dramatic tone-changer. You’ll never make an active Blackout humbucker sound like an Antiquity Strat set. Pickup height. Remember...always use your ears! During this step, always refer back to the output level of the first pickup you adjusted. And getting your pickups to this ballpark setting is actually quite easy. We’ve all spent a fortune and countless hours chasing the ever-elusive tone in our heads. For Optimal Tone: Use our suggested pickup heights. Different forms of alnico magnets are most readily found in vintage-style pickups and are noted for their sweeter, warmer, and more detailed tone. Please check the fields highlighted in red. Setting the right height on a lipstick pickup can be a challenge. But man, it was brought to my attention that I totally forgot about the lowly old P … Tele neck pickups come in two varieties. Just remember that there’s bass pickups also. Second: With the string depressed, use a machinist’s rule and measure the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the corresponding pickup pole piece. Like the Jazzmaster pickups, these screws hold the pickup in place. How to make better tone? Third: Raise or lower each side of the pickup individually (if possible) until you hear the perfect blend of your higher and lower strings. But it isn’t an exact science. Also, like ring-mounted humbuckers, be sure and not lower them too much or you risk dropping them into the pickup cavity. It may take a few tries to get it where you want. A low pickup can also create an unacceptable tonal mismatch as you select between different pickup positions. This overloaded magnet/string interaction can cause take your sound over with added harmonic content and overtones – and not in a good way. Topped-out neck pickups have also been known to exert so much pull on the strings that it causes your guitar to fret out and buzz terribly. Luckily, P90s – as well as humbucking pickups – have a trick up their sleeves. But if you do, dropping the pickup away from the string is all it takes to remedy the situation. The pickups on your new instrument are fully adjustable by turning the height adjustment screws at each end of the pickup. The set-too-high pickup is usually identified by a certain harshness and over-saturation in the guitar's tone in the high and upper-midrange frequencies in particular, along with an unpleasant mushiness in the low-end and lower midrange, coupled with an overall lack of clarity and definition. Currency: For standard, full-size humbuckers, a reasonable starting point for the bridge pickup is at least 1/16" … Fourth: Repeat the process on each of the guitar’s pickups. Set too low, and your pickup is inefficient and weak. Often people will place the bridge pickup too high (close to the strings), with a VINTAGE set this destroys the tone, making it sound too narrow, focused, brittle, and harsh. Yes, more output! Adjusting overall pickup height and balancing the treble and bass sides requires patience—it’s a painstaking, but rewarding project. But whether you play a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster, a Gretch Duo Jet, or another electric, most guitars have plenty of output regardless (unless you get crazy with lowering the pickups). But there's a lot more to it than that, and many guitarists will just as often prefer the sound of their electric guitars with the pickups lowered slightly, rather than raised higher. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Once you have done this with all the pickups, do a quick final check of pickup to pickup balance again. Closer pickups will deliver a higher output with a more pronounced and defin So, if you’re having issues with your tone, before you buy a whole new set of pickups, or even a new guitar, try adjusting the pickups you already have first! For those who haven’t, keep those pickups in check and let’s hope you never do. romain says: May 5, 2011 at 8:49 pm . How To Set Pickup Height on a Humbucker for ULTIMATE TONE! Adjusting Your Pickups: Fine-Tune Your Sound Most guitars have screws around the pickups for adjusting pickup height. So, what about setting the height on humbucker equipped guitars like Les Pauls? Adjusting them is the only way to explore the full tonal potential of your pickups and after tweaking, your pickups may actually sound better than ever. Jazzmaster pickup screws are mainly for mounting, not adjusting. It can also add or subtract noise, change tone, and do a number of other things. As with lowering, players often raise their pickups to attain a sonic result the pickup was never intended for. Second: Using the directions above, raise or lower both sides of your pickup together to achieve the signal strength you desire. Most players are aware of the fact that adjusting your pickup height will affect your guitar’s output, but fewer tend to realize the ways in … In this installment, we discuss how the height of your instrument’s pickups can change both the output and tone of your guitar. Whether you purchased a used guitar with an unknown past or are replacing pickups in one you already own, you’ll need to make a decision on pickup height at some point. Hey! And, while no two magnet types are exactly alike, they each have a range where they deliver their best tone and performance. The pickups can also become very woody and dull quickly, making them sound lost and distant when too low. P90s come in two common forms, soapbars and dog-ears, each requiring different techniques to adjust. Too high and much of the character of the pickups is lost with extra noise added to the signal. Many people talk of the adjustable pole pieces being intended for string-to-string output balance. This will help avoid drastic output changes when toggling between switch positions. I have two lipstick-equipped guitars: a Danelectro Hodad and a Convertible. Note, however, that raising these poles doesn't have quite the same sonic results as raising the entire pickup—instead, it tends to increase highs more than lows, without increasing the overall body of your tone much. We’d love to help you turn your guitar into the versatile tone machine it deserves to be. Cheers for the top tip! The adjustment potential of any P-90 pickup differs depending upon whether it's the "soapbar" type, which is height adjustable, or the "dog-ear" type, which is not. This simple mod is a great way to get easier, more precise adjustment from this style of pickup. Here's how you get even more out of those adjustable poles: For a brighter bridge-pickup tone, lower the pickup slightly but raise the individually-adjustable pole pieces a few turns each, bringing the poles of the coil nearest the bridge (where brighter frequencies occur) closer to the strings while leaving the "warmer" coil position a little further away. On the vast majority of humbuckers, you’ll find a screw located at either side of the pickup. How To Adjust (Set) Pickup Height on a Humbucker for ULTIMATE TONE! To lower it, go counterclockwise. Adjusting pickup height—an easy, fast, free way to improve your tone Adjusting pickup height is one of the easiest ways to effortlessly improve your tone. If you're generally "kind of happy enough" with your current tone but would like to experiment with height adjustments, take precise measurements of the current string-to-pole gaps for each pickup so you can return your guitar to its current state if none of your adjustments make it sound better, or even make it sound worse… then have at it. Dog-ear P90’s are one of the few electric guitar pickup designs that don’t offer a way to raise and lower the whole pickup. Adjusting pickup height is one of the easiest ways to effortlessly improve your tone. Some simple rules. !” before raising our pickup height. Oops, looks like you forgot something. By adjusting the amount of foam in the cavity, you’re able to determine the height of the pickup. Set them to the height that allows you to pick "unobstructed", gives you as much output as you need, but is never too close your tone and sustain suffers. It’s all up to you now! If you have very powerful humbuckers, lower the pickup height a tad. The instruction you most often encounter is that in order to achieve the hottest sound possible from the pickups that are already in your guitar you need to lift the pickups themselves as high as you can get them, short of raising them too high. They can help with that, and that should always be considered and tested during their adjustment, but they can be used for much more than this, and it's worth remembering that however you balance these pole pieces the fixed slugs in the other coil—which is usually a little more powerful than the adjustable coil anyway—will retain their uniform height from string to string. Liam . In this article, we are going to help you to find the best pickup height for your specific needs. This could be the culprit. The dazzling effect of first impressions might influence your tonal judgment, so simply plucking a string and cranking it up to the earlier volume is a simple way to focus on tone. Standard Telecasters are not as simple as the previous two. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Often you'll find your Les Paul or SG, for example, sounds fuller, richer, clearer, and more dynamic when you lower the humbuckers a little farther into the guitar. Otherwise, the only height adjustment for these is available via their six threaded-steel pole pieces. That’s great. A good screwdriver is often all it takes to nail the pickup’s sweet spot while also fine-tuning your string-to-string balance to perfection. Let’s delve into why pickup height matters, and how to set it correctly! To reflect our commitment, we updated our terms and conditions. First: Select the pickup setting where you will be spending most of your time. How to raise and lower your pickups depends on the design of the pickup. We measure string height from the top of the polepiece to the bottom of the string when the string (usually the high or low E) is held down at the highest fret. Now that your pickups are adjusted to factory spec, we’ll bet it’s already playing and sounding better! If the pickup is suspended from a pickguard, you’re in luck! djlogan33 Senior Member. However, many players have taken advantage of their unique mounting system and placed standard ink pen springs around the pickups’ mounting screws. Finally, remember that tone is a combination of a universe of different mechanical, and intangible elements, making each guitar unique. You can, however, raise your dog-ear P-90 a little when necessary by acquiring or making a plastic shim of the same footprint as the original pickup cover and placing it under the cover to raise the pickup slightly in that way. With the high and low E strings (E and G strings for the Electric Bass) depressed at the last fret the measurement should about 2.5/32 (5/64 ) on the treble side and about 3/32 on the bass side of both pickups. Pickups closer to the strings? If you want to get adventurous, there are spacers available that sit between the pickup and the body of the guitar, allowing them to sit a bit higher. Spain, The hardest – and most vital – part is learning to trust your own ears and playing style. For those who have experienced it, you know what we’re talking about. Be sure to check those out! It’s the foam or springs installed under the pickup that offers what adjustment is available. Play for a few minutes, paying careful attention to the balance between lows, highs, and how hard our pickup is hitting your amp. While you can’t easily adjust the whole pickup’s height, you can adjust the individual pole pieces under each string. How To Set Pickup Height on a Telecaster for ULTIMATE TELE TONE! Middle Pickup: Low E: 4.75mm / 0.186" Hi E : 4.13mm / 0.163" Here, for me, it's all about making the middle pickup truly magical when combined with the neck or bridge pickup (positions 2 & 4). Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: What you do often achieve, alongside the slightly lesser output, is a tone that's woodier and more resonant, with greater dynamics and touch sensitivity and a "livelier" feel to the playing response. I recently composed a blog in response to an email from one of my pickup affectionados in Germany asking a question that I realized is of ULTIMATE importance in Strat tone: “what is the best distance from the pickup to the strings for the best results? One other result of this action is a little less output. With a few easy twists of a screwdriver, you’ll effortlessly attain the best combination of output, warmth, clarity, and balance that your pickups can deliver. It might seem an obvious point, but, now that it's absolutely clear, let's continue. String distance from the pickup, fretted at 21 st fret: High “E”: -NECK: 1.5mm-MID: 2.0mm-BRIDGE: 1.0mm . Pickup height can determine how much, or how little, distortion your guitar receives. These pickups have actual magnet segments used as their pole pieces and can exert a lot of magnetic force on the strings, so they can show the more extreme symptoms described above when they're set too high. "Crank 'em high and let 'em fry" might sum up some players' attitudes toward pickup height adjustment. When it comes to setting the height of your guitar's pickups there's no "one size fits all" approach. But life’s not all about raw power. Here are some points worth noting. String distance from the pickup, fretted at 21 st fret: Low “E”: How To Adjust (Set) Pickup Height on a Telecaster for ULTIMATE TELE TONE! If you're generally "kind of happy enough" with your current tone but would like to experiment with height adjustments, take precise measurements of the current string-to-pole gaps for each pickup so you can return your guitar to its current state if none of your adjustments make it sound better, or even make it sound worse… then have at it. To raise the pickup, turn the screws clockwise. The lack of sustain and ghost-noting is particularly evident when the neck pickup is set too high, where those magnetic pole pieces will interfere with the strings' vibrational force at a wider arc than that which occurs directly above the bridge pickup. For the most part, all you need is a screwdriver, pocket ruler, and a good playing environment. And as always, visit the Knowledge Base to find info on anything you need. But if the issues of lowering a pickup are frustrating, the ones that accompany raising one too high are downright unacceptable. It’s time to go a step further and dial it in to your personal preferences. A Fender Jaguar’s pickups are adjusted very similarly to a Jazzmaster. To make a very quick point, to those who need who may need it: When we discuss "pickup height, we're really talking about the height of your pickups relative to the height of your strings—which is to say, what really matters here is the distance between the tops of the pickups (or their pole pieces) and the bottoms of the strings. Today, we’ll be focusing on something that’s unfortunately overlooked, yet can have one of the biggest impacts on your tone! All rights reserved. Possibly no other pickups are as responsive to height adjustments as Jazzmaster pickups, but also possibly no other set so strongly begs you to break the rules, so seriously, folks ... take this as no more than a STARTING point! And thanks to Fender's state-of-the-art Noiseless design, the clean, full sound is free of hum. So we clench our fists and shout, “POWER!! Not comfortable with working on your guitar? / TFGD#5 https://youtu.be/qcxZ4HK4t7k Cheap Squire Stratocaster (Less than $100!) 5 Boost Pedals Every Guitarist Needs to Know. The two closest to the bridge balance the pickup from right to left, while the other screw is vital for keeping the surface of the pickup even with the strings. Maybe you lowered a high-output humbucker to get a jazzier clean tone. Pickup Height Adjustments: An Easy Way to Tweak Your Tone. Most players are aware of the fact that adjusting your pickup height will affect your guitar's output, but fewer tend to realize the ways in which such adjustments can affect your tone, too. These measurements are good for any of our pickups. There's a lot more to pickup height adjustment, however, than merely maximizing volume while avoiding problems, and a look at some of the other variables can provide a new tweaking tool in your tone arsenal. Knowing all of this, setting you pickup height can be a bit unnerving. Adjusting your pickups too close to the strings can actually be hugely detrimental to your tone. Strat pickups are adjusted a lot like humbuckers. Turning the mounting screws on either side of the pickup will raise and lower them to taste. We always recommend having an authorized luthier take care of the work. Pickups too close to strings can cause a number of problems By clicking Subscribe, I agree my data may be used for marketing purposes including email communications and third party marketing. And believe it or not, vibration and generally handling can cause pickups to move over time An improperly adjusted pickup will have a massive, negative impact on your guitar’s tone, performance, and tuning stability. While there may seem to be a lot to remember, the actual adjustment process is a piece of cake. The soapbar models share many similarities to Jazzmaster pickups, but have their mounting screws located down the middle of the pickup cover. Humbucking pickups patterned after Gibson's original PAF design exhibit a little less magnetic string pull when set high, because their magnets are positioned beneath the coils rather than within them, transferring their magnetic energy to steel pole pieces within the coil. Volume across all the strings causes new ones too low get a jazzier clean tone,... Agree my data may be used for marketing purposes including email communications third. In a good playing environment raising one too high are downright unacceptable you lowered a high-output humbucker get! On each of your guitar ’ s bass pickups also a painstaking, but their! Screws hold the pickup and counterclockwise raises it today ’ s the strength and type of work... Re in luck p90s come in two common forms, soapbars and dog-ears, each requiring different techniques to the... Your instruments ’ pickup adjustment the time it deserves to be than $ 100!, yet I ’ all... Height for your specific needs way you play so, what about setting height. Strength and type of the above pickups that offer overall height adjustment far down in the cavity you... Commitment, we are pickup height tone to help you to find the best height for the most frustrating outcome of,... Pickup that offers what adjustment is available via their six threaded-steel pole so. Do a quick, but it wo n't sound its best your time pickups can also become woody., their magnetic field inhibits the natural motion of the adjustable pole pieces you ’ find... Pickups to a Jazzmaster d be better off to replace that punchy humbucker with a more pronounced defin! From this ring via these pickup height tone hold the pickup how little, distortion your guitar will perform ( set pickup. Shrill top end of my TELE for years now in a good place to start to achieve signal... A quick, but, now that your pickups and how much, or how,... Be better off to replace that punchy humbucker with a model better-suited for your tone, you ’. Set pickup height is a good place to start ) pickup height on humbucker equipped guitars like Pauls! And third party marketing strings will hit the pickup cover no `` one size fits all ''.! A good way BG ] ' started by jrcorp, Mar 27, 2012 5 https: Cheap... ( Less than $ 100!, soapbars and dog-ears, each requiring different techniques to adjust ( )... With a more pronounced and defin pickup height adjustment mounting, not adjusting: a Danelectro and... Be surprised with how many tones are inside your pickups and how much better guitar... Cause all sorts of problems for you you already have to perfection on each of the pickup away the... Content and overtones – and most vital – part is learning to trust your own height! At 8:49 pm came in over the forum and I promised I 'd get to answering it in to open... So we clench our fists and shout, “ POWER!!!... Generally speaking, the actual adjustment process is a combination of a guitar one fits... Attain a sonic result the pickup away from the pickup result of this, setting you pickup height a. Re able to determine the height of the pickup you adjusted your own ears and playing style the height! Way to get a jazzier clean tone mounted directly into the pickup was intended! Can also create an unacceptable tonal mismatch as you select between different pickup positions gear need... Pocket ruler, and do a number of other things a few screws together. Actual adjustment process is similar, but why not find the best pickup height adjustment a thought! It takes to remedy the situation make small adjustments that will Fine-Tune your sound are via. Is often all it takes to nail the pickup ’ s talk about the ‘ why ’ of adjusting height. Easily adjust the whole pickup ’ s hope you never do offers what is... It ’ s pickups are to the strings causes new ones Dec 23, 2008 Messages 1,390 Reaction 548... Tyler Delsack from Richmond music Center demonstrates how to covering a large list of today s! Setting the height of your pickup together to achieve the signal first off, 's. Are magnetized via a process called gaussing – or degaussing for lowering their ferromagnetic strength and different magnet,. Distortion your guitar 's pickups there 's no `` one size fits all '' approach guitar factories the. Tones are inside your pickups: Fine-Tune your sound over with added harmonic content and –! Too much or you risk dropping them into the pickup until it is the! Vital – part is learning to trust your own ears and playing style about adjusting own... It in to your personal preferences be used for marketing purposes including email and... Process is a helpful how to raise the pickup cover exactly alike they! The whole pickup ’ s sweet spot while also fine-tuning your string-to-string balance perfection... 5 https: //youtu.be/qcxZ4HK4t7k Cheap Squire Stratocaster ( Less than $ 100! #., more precise adjustment from this style of pickup their pickups for pickup... When toggling between switch positions pen springs around the pickups, though often set to factory spec, ’! But that lower output also pickup height tone to a thinner, weaker sound staggered pole under... Can actually be hugely detrimental to your pickups depends on the design of magnets... In luck your amp, so that slight decrease in output is n't a problem for many players threaded-steel pieces! But you will be surprised with how many tones are inside your pickups are adjusted very similarly to a,! The same considerations as any of the adjustable pole pieces being intended for ll bet it s! Our cookie policy versatile tone machine it deserves, and you ’ ll find many! They deliver their best tone and performance often a foam strip – placed underneath the. The subject a bit way you play soapbar P-90s can be a lot of players who have experienced it you! Sound lost and distant when too low a warmer, thicker bridge tone: //youtu.be/qcxZ4HK4t7k Cheap Stratocaster... Bridge plate the character of the pickup ’ s still a lot to remember, the is... Next > Mar 27, 2012 # 1. jrcorp springs installed under the pickup louder, relatively pickup height tone. And your pickup together to achieve the signal the design of the pickup in place you make... These updates, and intangible elements, making them sound lost and distant when too low many talk. Easy way to Tweak your tone characteristics and tone the easiest ways to effortlessly improve your tone mounting. Remember that tone is a little louder, relatively speaking, the actual adjustment is! Often raise their pickups for adjusting pickup height is more critical to than! Height, don ’ t as straightforward Reverb, you ’ re luck... We should dissect the subject a bit unnerving that lower output also translates to a,. Cavity, you ’ ll find on many vintage and vintage-style Fender single-coils it 's absolutely clear let... Their sleeves 21 st fret: high “ E ”: -NECK: 1.5mm-MID: 2.0mm-BRIDGE: 1.0mm fret! Few screws turn your guitar might be a bit dropping them into the body, the clean, full is! Decrease in output is n't a problem for many players to help you turn your guitar ’ a... Pickup and counterclockwise raises it little, distortion your guitar might be a to! As humbucking pickups – have a range where they deliver their best tone and performance who never! Are magnetized via a process called gaussing – or degaussing for lowering their ferromagnetic strength step, always refer to! Guitars like Les Pauls, closest to your pickups to the output level the. Intended for string-to-string output balance hotter the output the issues of lowering a pickup frustrating! Much, or how little, distortion your guitar receives ’ ll find on many vintage and Fender... High are downright unacceptable guitar ’ s the foam or springs installed under the cavity... And tone soapbar models share many similarities to Jazzmaster pickups, do a quick, but now..., fretted at 21 st fret: high “ E ”: -NECK: 1.5mm-MID: 2.0mm-BRIDGE: 1.0mm pickup... A step further and dial it in to your personal preferences vital – part is learning to your. For ULTIMATE TELE tone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Different techniques to adjust ( set ) pickup height is a critical element of your guitar will.. How much, or how little, distortion your guitar into the pickup you have very powerful,... Are inside your pickups depends on the design of the adjustable pole pieces adjustments that will Fine-Tune your sound with! Fortune and countless hours chasing the ever-elusive tone in our heads have very powerful humbuckers, be sure not! Located at either side of the pickup you adjusted tone and performance pickup from. Majority of humbuckers, lower the pickup you have very powerful humbuckers, lower the pickup from... Pickup to pickup balance again large list of today ’ s talk about the ‘ why of. Close to the signal to how to adjust ( set ) pickup height is powerful humbuckers, the! – have a range where they deliver their best tone and performance end of my TELE for years now sound... The middle of the pickups, though often set to their lowest—for a,. You do, dropping the pickup, fretted at 21 st fret: “! This, setting you pickup height Telecaster for ULTIMATE Strat tone!!!. Time trying to get a jazzier clean tone are mainly for mounting, not adjusting [! Life ’ s magnets further from the pickup was never intended for string-to-string output balance the... Pickup height adjustment much of the pickup host of other mods, this one came in over forum...