Optimising humbucker position

[rojaros]

Hi there, I wonder, what distance from the strings would be a good starting point for optimising the positions of humbuckers in an archtop guitar (neck and bridge PU) in your experience?

thanks
Robert

[John A.]

Hi there, I wonder, what distance from the strings would be a good starting point for optimising the positions of humbuckers in an archtop guitar (neck and bridge PU) in your experience?

thanks
Robert

Most sources say that the spec for humbucker height is 1/16" below the bottom of the two E-strings with the string pressed down at the last fret. Where to go from there depends on the specific guitar. I usually wind up going lower than this with the neck pickup, and I also usually find that the bass side of the neck pickup needs to be lower then the treble side. On 2-pickup guitars I usually wind up setting the bridge pickup closer to the strings than the neck pickup. I couldn't tell you the exact numbers, though because it's something I figure out by ear. If I change string gauge or type or action, I might fiddle with pickup heights (or pole pieces), but only if things sound off to me.

[DawgBone]

It's 100% specific to your guitar and playing style and must be adjusted carefully using your ears.

I usually start with the pickup lower, nearly flush, with the ring and then raise up the pole pieces and adjust things to taste but that isn't the end all be all of setting a pickup. It can take time to fine tune things.

Your sound might be raising the pickup in the ring and keeping the pole pieces low but each pole piece must be tuned so that you don't have wolf tones or a louder string cause it's too high, or so low you have a weak sounding string. I find these settings to be as critical as your pickup choice itself. Good luck.

[SOLR]

Hi there, I wonder, what distance from the strings would be a good starting point for optimising the positions of humbuckers in an archtop guitar (neck and bridge PU) in your experience?

thanks
Robert

From Gerry Haze of Haze guitars

Problems due to pickup height — Haze Guitars

and this is good too

How to set pickup pole-piece height — Haze Guitars

S

[garybaldy]

The magnetic pull with a humbucker is nothing like one would have with say a strat pickup with magnetic slugs so a humbucker pickup can be pretty close in that respect. With my 2xHB solid guitars I set the bridge pup very high and then balance the neck pup to it.
An archtop is a more fussy beast.

[customxke]

I usually set my 6th/E polepiece so it's just barely proud of the pickup cover, and then raise the pickup until that E sounds good...not thin, and not boomy. I set the rest of the polepieces to balance (by ear) with that. In my experience, there are too many variables between guitars, strings, and pickups to say that 7/364" or whatever is optimal.

[rojaros]

Thanks to all for the advices. It's clear to me that in the end I have to go by ear, but it's helpful to have a starting point, and I wanted to hear about it from people who play jazz guitars and not hot rock...

[rojaros]

Some of you mentioned rising the individual polepieces.

I ask myself, how far can they be raised without strongly inhibiting the function of the humbucker - I guess, they still have to somehow be within the whole width of the coil?

What's your experience with that?

[SOLR]

Some of you mentioned rising the individual polepieces.

I ask myself, how far can they be raised without strongly inhibiting the function of the humbucker - I guess, they still have to somehow be within the whole width of the coil?

What's your experience with that?

Here's an entire thread dedicated to this with a video demonstrating Herb Ellis' approach.
Demonstration of the Herb Ellis method of neck pickup pole adjustment

S

[sgosnell]

When the polepiece is raised above the pickup cover, most of it is still within the bobbin. In most humbuckers (as well as single-coils) the polepiece is longer than the depth of the pickup, and when the end is down within the cover the other end is well outside the bottom. There is no need to be concerned about raising the polepieces, they're designed for that.

[Strat-itis]

It's all preference, there are no rules. Although there are guidelines to get where you want.

For the general pickup height, higher is punchier. (Purists call this 'compressed' sounding.)
Lower is more vintage sounding.

Adjust each side of the pickup independently to tune bass and treble balance.

Pole pieces are a balancing act. Because you can raise them individually to improve string balance, but as you do this it makes the pickup sound more hollow and bitey. Which is great for rock, but not jazz. 2 basic starting points are completely flat and flush, or a low curve for good string balance. If you keep the curve low to the pickup face, it won't screw up the jazz tone. You have to experiment with what you like. But you're not going to end up with the poles super high with a perfect arc for epic string balance.

[vintagelove]

IMO, it's all about string volume/balance. That very much depends on you string gauge. Suffice to say, drop the bass side way down, and raise the high E pole until it sings out. Dynamically, it should (again IMO) sound like a trumpet. High E notes should pop, and then mellow as you descend.

This setup will also keep you from being overly muddy, and stepping on the bass's toes when comping.

[rojaros]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's a wide field for experimentation, and I already started. Especially the raised e-1 polepiece helps a lot without the need to go for a higher e-1 string gauge. Also the d-4 is now better balanced. I'll stay there for a while until I hear some need for change.