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Hey. My neck pickup on my Joe pass emperor is tilted towards the neck. Is this an adjustment thing? Also I can see it brings problems when I later on experiment with pickup height, raising it will make the corner hit the strings coz its tilted
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10-30-2023 08:12 PM
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I'd say it's not a problem if you can't hear a problem and your strings aren't hitting the pickup at any point but why don't you include a photo just for kicks. It's a good way to assess what the issue is and it'll certainly encourage people here to help you if they see something that seems out of order.
Originally Posted by jazzpazz
Please.
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Will add photo tomorrow. So in general, tilted pickups dosent affect sound?
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In the real world, no. The magnetic field it's picking up is theoretically the tiniest micro smidge between one of the bobbins and the other but no. The only issue is, if tangled in lead wires underneath, it may effect your lowering or raising the pickup if you wanted. But no. I see nothing adversely effecting anything real. Originally Posted by jazzpazz
As a matter of fact, when I see that, I just give the higher end a little push and even it out. If it's the issue I think it is. (That's why I asked for a photo). If your pickup set screws in the pickup collar are flush, the pickup is hanging just fine and you can give it a gentle nudge and even it out. It'll be OK and your neat sensibilities should give you a nice "thank you". No biggie.
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Hard to tell without photos, but one solution is to set the pickup ring the other side (if yours is thinner the neck side) so that the pickup is now higher on the neck side.
This works on most HB Gibson style guitars, I've done it quite a few times on Ibanez semi hollows.
Pictures needed!
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Sorry for the late reply guys. Here are the pictures!
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Pickup tilts a little, when I try to push it gently down. But it seems to just move back again
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The pickup ring is installed backwards. It should be turned 180 degrees, with the thicker side next to the neck. It won't hurt anything being the way it is, if it sounds okay to you, but rotating the pickup ring will make it look better.
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Yeah I saw that too. But really refused to belive its been mounted the wrong way at the factory. Its simple just screw it out and turn it I assume? Originally Posted by sgosnell
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That's an easy one. Thanks for the photos. Easy peazy in a few steps:
If you want, take measurements of the distance between the string and the top of the pickup cover, for 1st and 6th string. Loosen the strings, remove the pickup corner screws, take the pickup out and unscrew the pickup height securing screws (the two with the springs. Turn the pickup mounting collar 180 degrees and put everything together again in reverse order.
You may want to tape down the bridge in case it shifts with the lessened tension or better yet change your strings at this point and clean things up because you have the opportunity.
After the pickup is in, take it up to tension, check your intonation, plug it in and set the pickup height with those measurements you took AND BY EAR. Don't do that thing where you just go by measurements. Your pickup should be aligned closer to perpendicular so fine tune "the zone" so you get the mixture of warmth (lower) and clarity (closer to strings).
There you go! Play music and love your guitar.
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Depending on the springs, it's not always as easy as it might appear to get things back together. I've seen springs that were too long and too strong, and it required a lot of effort to compress them enough to get the adjustment screws started. I think StewMac sells a tool for this, but I've never bothered to buy one. I've wished for one a few times, though. One possible workaround is using latex or silicone tubing instead of screws. They work well for killing buzzing caused by the screws, one of the known sources of buzzes from electric archtops. It can take a few tries to get the tubing cut to the correct length, but once it's sized right it works well. The springs should go back in place, but don't be amazed if they're difficult.
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From what I know that slant is from the factory and turning the ring 180 degrees will not solve the geometry problem. You would think that it will but it probably won't. I had the same issue on my Gibson ES-390. I think that Gibson justifies it as having something to do with the balance of output from the bridge and neck pick ups. Hard to believe. I sanded a ring down to make the pickup parallel with the strings. I didn't notice any issues with output balancing.
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Looks like pickup ring needs to be level. ie. not tapered. Originally Posted by jazzpazz
The guitar top looks near enough parallel to the strings at that location.
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The top probably stills falls off a bit. If you are really after totally parallel you probably have sand the bottom at least a small amount.
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Why are all the polepieces' screwdriver slots lined up (photos 2 & 3)?
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Just for comparison my EEJP '92. Bridge is around 1" overall height. No apparent dip in top. Maybe a slightly greater neck angle? Or simply just the wrong ring on yours.
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I don't believe that having the pickup at an angle like that has any noticeable effect on sound. But some people's OCD requires the slant to be removed. The pickup height can be adjusted so that the strings don't hit the edge, and the polepieces can be adjusted up to compensate for the slant. Having the pickup flat is only a visual requirement, more important for some than others. The need for a slanted ring depends on the neck and top geometry, and on some guitars a flat ring looks better. Whether it's worth the effort to rotate the ring is up to the owner/player. I tend to do it just because I sort of enjoy doing the work. YMMV.
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OCD. It just looks better. Originally Posted by dconeill
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