HOW CLOSE CAN YOU GET THE PICKUP TO THE STRINGS

[rymiraflores]

Is there an optimum gap between passive pickups and strings? I have EMG Hz and want to know how close it´s ok to have the bridge Pu to the strings without it interfering with the signal....I have raised mine until it´s almost touching and it seems to be fine. Any opinion from experts?

[SGD Lutherie]

With EMGs you can have the string so close that's it's hitting the pickup and it wont affect anything, except scratching up the pickup.

[IntrepidCellist]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

With EMGs you can have the string so close that's it's hitting the pickup and it wont affect anything, except scratching up the pickup.

EMG-Hzs are different though; they have more string pull since they lack the internal preamp that regular EMGs have.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by IntrepidCellist

EMG-Hzs are different though; they have more string pull since they lack the internal preamp that regular EMGs have.

The preamp has nothing to do with the magnets. EMG uses regular bar magnets in the pickups. They aren't weaker than any other bar magnet, but they do pull less than Fender style pickups with the double rod magnets.

I use neodymium magnets in my pickups, and even though they are quite a bit stronger than what you would find in a Jazz bass pickup, because of the way they are used, I get 400 Gauss at the poles, while a Jazz pickup might be about 800 G. I can get my pickups right up against the strings with no warbling, and mine are passive.

All the preamp does in the EMGs is to sum the two parallel connected coils, and because it's a differential input, it also cancels out electrical field noise, along with the magnetic field noise that the hum bucking coils cancel out. This is why they are so quiet, along with them being fully shielded.

EMG HZ pickups are pretty much the same as the active pickup without the preamp.

[rymiraflores]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

The preamp has nothing to do with the magnets. EMG uses regular bar magnets in the pickups. They aren't weaker than any other bar magnet, but they do pull less than Fender style pickups with the double rod magnets.

I use neodymium magnets in my pickups, and even though they are quite a bit stronger than what you would find in a Jazz bass pickup, because of the way they are used, I get 400 Gauss at the poles, while a Jazz pickup might be about 800 G. I can get my pickups right up against the strings with no warbling, and mine are passive.

All the preamp does in the EMGs is to sum the two parallel connected coils, and because it's a differential input, it also cancels out electrical field noise, along with the magnetic field noise that the hum bucking coils cancel out. This is why they are so quiet, along with them being fully shielded.

EMG HZ pickups are pretty much the same as the active pickup without the preamp.

Thanks, that´s good to know.

[walterw]

get yourself a little flat steel ruler or a screwdriver and lay it on top of the pickup in question; you'll quickly get an idea how close you can get it.

EMGs have little pull, music man stingrays have a lot.