In the case of the Les Paul or an SG, that would be the 22nd fret. Can anyone tell me what the proper height of the pickups should be? Product Registration Customer Service Repair and Restoration Report Counterfeits Serial Number FAQ Gibson Guitar Specs (2015-2019) Dealer Resource Center Locate A I'm Tyler Delsack, the Manager of Fralin Pickups. Gibson’s engineers recommend a 1.6-millimeter distance between the strings and the pickups for the bridge pickup, and 2.4 millimeters for the neck pickup. Compared to the Burstbucker 2, I would say the 57 classic sounds a bit more mellow. own website to provide free Jazz Guitar lessons. BTW, I’m already a satisfied split-coil J Bass pickup customer, currently eyeing a PJ set for my Fender American Vintage Reissue ’62 P Bass. Greetings, I just purchased a new Les Paul Studio Deluxe from Guitar Center. There should be a small space between string and fret - no thicker than a piece of paper. Author's Note: These blog posts are for educational and information purposes only. I find myself playing clean a lot more often when I'm playing my Epiphone now. For my barenuckle Stormy Monday pair, I played with pickup height and pole screws today and was able to improve it substantially. And getting your pickups to this ballpark setting is actually quite easy.   You cannot paste images directly. What does Gibson recommend? We do not offer custom wiring diagrams or wiring help or troubleshooting. Measuring from the pole to the bottom of the string to about 5/64. Measure the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the. The best place to start for pickup height adjustment. If string height at nut is correct, recheck string height at 12th fret with strings open. One guitarist may play harder than another guitarist, and one guitar may have thicker and heavier gauge guitar strings than another! (Image credit: Future ) 5. Thanks in advance. Humbuckers can run a little closer to the strings (Gibson recommends 1/16th of an inch for the bridge pickup and 3/32nds of an inch for the neck) because their magnets aren’t as powerful as single-coils’. These are are the screws or ‘slugs’ that you see in your instrument’s pickups. Reversing your pickup height orientation will provide you with “warbling” bass strings and thin treble strings – not good. If your guitar has humbuckers or P-90 style pickups there is usually 2 height adjustment screws used to change the height of the pickup in relation to the strings to achieve the best tone. Check it, and perfect. The 490r measures just above 8k ohms while the 498t measures between 13k and 14k ohms. Adjusting Pickup Height on a Gibson Style Guitar (here, a 61 Reissue SG) Gibson guitars are much like Strats with two screws per pickup (see image below): loosening the screws lowers the pickup while tightening them brings it closer to the strings. I can give you the factory spec info. Paul John Best from Radioshop Pickups UK gives you our guide to how to set your humbucker pickup height. Pickups: Fret low E at 22nd fret and measure pickup height from underside of string to point on pickup closest to string. Low E and A should measure 2/64", D and G =1.5/64" and B and high E = 1/64". $3.50 shipping. You will need a mechanics rule to do this properly. Setting the pickup height too high can cause interference with your guitar strings 2.) Our Lead Times are slightly extended. Your magnetic field “floats” above the pickup, and if your strings are out of the field, you won’t get a rich, full tone. Hi there, Joined Feb 7, 2013 Messages 7,809 Reaction score 10,304. Does Gibson have a factory P-90 pickup height? Played a gig last nite and the rhythm sound was a little distorted. Split Blades are a different beast: check the video below to see Lindy adjust some Split Blades.   Pasted as rich text. The pickup balance is an issue. Do the same with the high E. ACTION: fret low E at first fret and measure the distance from the bottom of the to the top of the 15th fret. Hey folks - new member here at the SG place. Yep – I firmly agree that using your ears as the final test of correct pickup heights is true! or Best Offer. From its inaugural appearance in 1958, the Gibson ES-335 set an unmatched standard. Pickup height “Next, adjust the pickups,” Jim advises. You can post now and register later. The correct pickup height orientation is lower on the bass side and closer on the treble side. Thanks, Stuart. Thanks for the reply, if only I'd read down a few posts, I wouldn't have to feel like such a dummy. Setting your pickup height too high will cause your magnets to push and pull your strings out of tune. Those Split Blades sound awesome. Paste as plain text instead, × About This Item. Your magnetic field “floats” above the pickup, and if your strings are out of the field, you won’t get a rich, full tone. Display as a link instead, × ... Pickups height is just one small part of the hunt. Its a post from Dave at Gibson: Hi I'm David the final inspector at Gibson Memphis. You have the lower bass side marked as 1/8″ (which is closer) and the higher treble side marked as 1/16″( which is further away). This will allow for proper string clearance on every fret and string. Gibson ES-350 T (short scale jazz archtop) Gibson Les Paul Gold Top ('54) Gibson Les Paul with Humbuckers ('59) Gibson Les Paul with P90 Pickups ('78) Gordon-Smith. Clear editor. The Gibson ES-335 DOT is the cornerstone of the Gibson ES line-up. I have a Epiphone Riviera Custom and the spacers don’t seem to align exactly with the angle on the fretboard. Bridge pickup should be 3/64" (I think the 3/64" is a typo, it should be 3/32") , neck pickup should be 4/32". However, there’s obviously a bit more nuance here and you should trust your ears. Gibson Accessories Burstbucker Type 2 Pickup - Nickel, Neck or Bridge, 2-Conductor 1957-Style Humbucker Bridge Pickup with "Vintage" Output and Nickel … “To adjust the pickups, you hold both E strings down at the highest fret. Experiment! Set too low, and your pickup is inefficient and weak. I've checked the internet and found different recommendations, but most seem to agree that a good starting place is 1/16" for the bridge pickup and 3/32" for the neck pickup. on our setups. as far as pickup height is concerned, humbuckers are a whole different animal from single-coils. Thread starter Rocco Crocco; Start date Aug 12, 2017; Rocco Crocco Senior Member. 1-1/4" (31.75mm) Phillips roundhead, 3-48 thread. × Hi, Regarding pickup height. . The pearloid dot inlay rosewood fingerboard on a hand-rolled Rounded "C" mahogany neck remind players where it all started. By Measuring from the pole to the bottom of the string. Use the figures above as a guideline for minimum string-to-pickup distance and adjust things according to what you hear. P90-Style pickups really benefit from the entire pickup raised to the optimized height, then fine-tuning the string balance with pole pieces. Aug 12, 2017 #1 Is it the same as for humbuckers? Learning how to set your pickup’s height correctly is probably the most overlooked step in purchasing a set of pickups. Play test: Play every string at every fret checking for buzzes. Back the string away until the “warbling” sound disappears! Upload or insert images from URL. Vintage 80s Gibson Shaw Humbucking pickup Height Adjust SCREWS & SPRINGS . You want to do the same thing on the bridge pickup. That's how you adjust the pickup height on a Gibson Les Paul. The TL;DR story on pickup height is don’t put them too close to your pickups. The standard way to measure your pickup height is to fret the guitar at the highest fret and measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string. Copyright 2021 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. Pickup height adjustment is usually a pretty simple task on a Les Paul guitar. Height makes right. Do the same with the high E, measurement should be 3/64". Thank you for your understanding. My … Definitely put your bass through its paces and adjust as necessary. But every pickup and guitar manufacturer has their own specifications. Now measure the string height at the nut; underside of the string to the top of the fret. Here’s a quick way to tell if this is happening to you: play the Low E string at a high fret (15th fret is a good one to start at).   Your link has been automatically embedded. Gibson factory specs for p90 pickup height. Set too high, and your pickups can push and pull your strings out of tune. That said, backing off on your pickup’s height will cause your bass to thin and your pickup to sound a bit “sweeter” – you might like it! $20.00. Experiment, always. Tune your guitar and place it on a table or a workbench with a towel or blanket underneath.We measure pickup height from the top of the pickup to the bottom of the string while the string is pressed against the highest fret (Photo 1). Hello all at Fralin Hey Tyler, I enjoyed this informative article, but at the beginning under the paragraph; “WHY PICKUP HEIGHT MATTERS: the second sentence says; “Set too high, and your strings can push and pull your strings out of tune.” As Lindy likes to explain it, adjusting your pickup’s height is not all about measuring, it’s about listening as well! [email protected]. There is a bit of volume difference between the two pickups. Is the “correct” height for the Neck and Bridge pickups the same? Why yes it should! So, you're going to do the same thing with the bridge pickup. We’ve found 3/32 of an inch (2.381mm) is a good place to start. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Fret high E at 22nd fret, distance for both pickups should be 3/32". Hi Les Paul folk! Measuring pickup height in relation to the open string may result in certain notes fretting out in the higher frets. I just installed Gibson Classic '57s (a regular model in the neck and a "Plus" in the bridge) in my 2004 R9 and it sounds pretty good. Terms & Conditions | Registered Trademarks. 1/8″ from the top of the pole to the bottom of the low E string is double the height of the 1/16″ on the treble side. With the high and low E strings depressed at the last fret. Well, that about does it for this month. For instance, the pickups in my Gibson ES-137 are the 490r in the neck and the 498t in the bridge. Privacy Policy | Let’s clear something up: there is no 100% accurate height. The pickups on your new instrument are fully adjustable by turning the height adjustment screws at each end of the pickup. Corrected. Set too high, and your pickup will cause all sorts of problems for you. How about information on setting pickup height for basses? Here's how Gibson - Memphis does the final setup on their instruments. .I came over from the Les Paul folks where I normally hang out. Please give us extra time to complete your order. I’m pretty sure this is BS because that’s about as high up as the pickup can go measuring from the top of the pickup and it sounds kind of shrill. Let’s delve into why pickup height matters, and how to set it correctly! 6 watching. And so, setting the height on a P-90 is a lot more like setting a humbucker than it is a Strat/Tele pickup. Setting your pickup height too low would cause your pickup not to be optimized for your guitar. Michael Stevens LJ. Because the magnetic field, or the part of the string being sensed by the pickup, is soooo much smaller and more focused with a single-coil, even microscopic changes in pickup height make a perceivable sonic difference; humbuckers are different. It should be 5/64". The bridge pickup is set at 1/8" from the bottom of the strings (when pressing the string at the last fret) and the neck pickup is set at 1/32". Set to the correct height, your pickup’s magnets create a strong magnetic field that gives your guitar the tone that you love. I know Lindy doesn’t measure pickup height but could someone at Fralin please measure Lindy’s Strat with split blade vintage pickups and publish the stats as a starting point.Thank you kindly Gibson's Calibrated T-Type humbucking pickups are paired with our hand-wired control assembly. Just thought I’d point that out. Ibanez Factory Specs. Because the magnetic pull is fairly low (in the 300-Gauss range compared to 1100 for a typical Strat pickup), you can get by with placing the pole-screws very close to the strings without worry about it sacrificing string resonance. I double-checked the image and it is correct. Roger Sadowsky's Setup. Update Feb 2012: refer to this Gibson.com post for official guidelines. I haven't been able to find the spec for pickup height adjustment anywhere here on the Gibson site. I am thinking of lowering the pickups. Gibson claims that their factory spec pickup height for a bridge pickup is 1/16 inch from the top of the pickup to the strings. That said, here is a great starting point: The reason why there is no “100% correct” height, is that every guitar, player, and playing style differs. Stay tuned for future articles! Along with managing the shop and working on this Website, I run my own website to provide free Jazz Guitar lessons. Thank you.   Your previous content has been restored. KAISH 20x USA Humbucker Pickup Height Screws Springs for Gibson/Seymour Duncan. Gibson 57 Classic Pickup. Setting Pickup Height Too Low: Setting your pickup height too low would cause your pickup not to be optimized for your guitar. Thanks, Tom! Shouldn’t it say “Set too high, and your PICKUPS can push and pull your strings out of tune.”? Bridge pickup should be 3/64" (I think the 3/64" is a typo, it should be 3/32") , neck pickup should be 4/32". You then use the same measurements for an incorrect height later on. I carried a small screwdriver to gigs for years to fine tune my Stratocaster on stage, resulting in a great well balanced and clear sound, for blues and country rock styles. Remember, it’s just a starting point. I have 2 P 90s on a Jazzmaster. November 12, 2010 in Gibson USA. Discussion in 'Gibson SG' started by bigsnaketex, Mar 12, 2014. Richmond VA 23227 | (804) 358-2699 | . That sound is your magnet fighting your string. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > bigsnaketex New Member. With a set of Amber spirit of 59 pickups or the Gibson 490/498 pair among others I had no issues of that kind. To check neck relief: fret the low E at the first and 15th fret (not 12th) reach to the 7th fret and tap string. Joined Feb 1, … Fret high E at 22nd fret, distance for both pickups should be 3/32". Paul Reed Smith (PRS) McCarty. Joined: Mar 12, 2014 Messages: 21 Likes Received: 18 Location: South Mississippi. Required fields are marked *, 2015 W. Laburnum Ave, 2nd Floor To fit Gibson, Golden Age, DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, EMG and many other humbucking pickups. In the 1950s, it was 1.6-millimeters for both pickups, which may have reflected the lower-output, unpotted standard of the day. Thanks, The first image showing the correct heights is incorrect. Gibson Les Paul Pickup Screws Gold Mounting Guitar Parts 4 Screw Set Humbucker X. Humbucker/Soapbar Pickup Height Specifications. Pickups in which all the pole pieces are the same height are called "flat" or flat-pole. You might hear a “warbling” sound. This article focuses on pickups that feature Alnico Magnets – think Stratocaster or Telecaster. Ones with differing heights are called "staggered" or staggered-pole. These aren't great for metal, but they sound great for classic rock, rockabilly and blues. 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. Is there an easy way to adjust the height and alignment on dogear P90 pickups? Measurement is taken from the bottom of the string, to the top of the pickup bobbin or cover. Pickups: Fret low E at 22nd fret and measure pickup height from underside of string to point on pickup closest to string. bigtone Senior Member. × Adjust the pickup height up for a hotter sound and down for cleaner tones. Please let me know if I missed something, or try clearing your browser cache and reloading the page? Measurement for low and high E's should be the same as measurement taken at the 15th. Most pickups have a number of ‘pole-pieces’. I've owned other Gibson pickups. Here's a very helpful reply by badbluesplayer to someone who posted the same question here today. Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature Model. What’s the correct setting for a single coil lap steel? Could someone please show a video on doing a setup on a Riviera? The 57 Classic pickup is very similar to the original PAF specs, however, … This is a common pickup configuration for Les Pauls as well. For this, we recommend going to a local luthier or tech. (no “stratitis”) Great. Pickup Height. Now before continuing, staggered-pole is for all intents and purposes a "Fender thing", and I'll explain why in a moment. Your email address will not be published. I still find the neck pickup gorgeous sounding but the bridge a bit anemic. Your Bass strings have more mass and will disturb the magnetic field more than treble strings. I recently picked up a VOS 1960 Les Paul Special and wanted to check the heights. $4.99 shipping. The Magnetic Field is not optimized when the pickup is set too low. The pickup height is still set as it came from the factory (or maybe Guitar Center adjusted it). rlconklin, Bend High E string 1 and 1/2 steps, beginning at the sixth fret and ending at 22nd, checking for "choking" and to make sure string stays in nut notch. $9.99. Pickup height is a critical element of your guitar’s tone. Your email address will not be published. The same pickup height starting point described in this article also works for bass. It would be like buying a new car and not inflating the tires. Pickup Height Adjustment.