Floating pickup question...

[lammie200]

I have an ES-165 that is the floating pickup variety. The top edge of the pickup butts right up against (and is in contact with) the bottom heal edge of the neck. Shouldn't floating pickups literally float? The guitar sounds and plays great as is but it seems like there should be a tiny gap between the butt edge of the neck and the pickup to get the full floating pickup sound/effect. Any thoughts?

[ccroft]

I think the idea behind a floater is that it doesn't dampen or deaden the top plate. OTOH the pickup on mine is not in contact with the fingerboard. But if it was, that's floating over the top anyway.

And then there's the question of the neck mounted floater to consider. Doesn't seem to be a problem with Peter B's Zeidler.

[lammie200]

That's a good point. Neck mounted floaters are kinda integral with the neck anyway. I think that I will leave good enough alone.

[Max405]

That's a good point. Neck mounted floaters are kinda integral with the neck anyway. I think that I will leave good enough alone.

Hey Lammie,
I just took a look at my 165. It does not come in contact with the neck. There is a tiny sliver of space. The same sliver of space exists on my Solid Formed.
The BJB on your 165 is a GREAT pickup. The 165 is a GREAT guitar too.
Some times I just play it acoustically, because I LOVE the smooth sound it has. Its volume is capped, but it has a DEEPER bottom end than my other guitars. I love my 165!
JD

[lammie200]

Thanks Joe. I love the BNB. I also like the 490R that is in my other ES-165HE. Not sure why they get grief. I am very happy to have both guitars. Very solid professional instruments and even though I am not a professional player I have been playing consistently for over 4 decades now. I don’t know if professional instruments like these make me a better player, but they don’t hurt. Sure makes playing enjoyable.

[Roy Boy]

The pickup picks up electromagnetic fluctuations from the strings. I wouldn't think that acoustic vibrations absorbed from the neck heel would have any effect on the sound of the pickup. Then again, I have been wrong before (once or twice)

[KirkP]

“Floating” simply means that there’s not a hole cut in the top and it’s not screwed to the top. If attaching the pickup to the end of the neck has any effect I think it would be in transmitting some vibration to a microphonic pickup, but if your pickup has been properly potted I doubt you’d hear it. This is just conjecture based on messing around on my own guitars.

[lammie200]

I don't think that I can hear anything that is affected by the top edge of the pickup right up against the heel of the fretboard. I was just curious to see if there was a preference from a build perspective.

[Ray175]

Unless you’re into Eddie van Halen tapping techniques in the very high register AND the pickup is VERY microphonic, I don’t think there are grounds to worry ;-)