I would agree with this. I think that a hotter output gives the amp more to work with.
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Does pickup height affect tone?
- Thread starter monkeyfinger
- Start date
I've got the EMG GZR's in my Cheapo Squier, there are a hot pup. I like setting them a bit on the lower side, evens out the tone a bit, there is a little room to move with them, but if I get into that chorus effect, I know they're to high. It really is about using your ears to adjust to taste. But some seem to go overboard and you get the thread about my bass sounds like crap stuff.
I find that raising the pickups seems to produce more mids....especially on the P pickup of a P/J.
It also seems to make the pickup "hotter".
Lowering the J pickup on my P/J's significantly seems to make them pretty anemic.
Whereas lowering the pickup on the P seems to produce a lush midscoopesque-type tone.....but at the expense of volume.
If I raise the P pickup a lot I get a more mid-driven boomy tone.
I like the idea of adjustable pole pieces on a pickup (but none of my current basses have that).
I have to use the "tilt" method on the fixed pickup. Which works to a point.
It also seems to make the pickup "hotter".
Lowering the J pickup on my P/J's significantly seems to make them pretty anemic.
Whereas lowering the pickup on the P seems to produce a lush midscoopesque-type tone.....but at the expense of volume.
If I raise the P pickup a lot I get a more mid-driven boomy tone.
I like the idea of adjustable pole pieces on a pickup (but none of my current basses have that).
I have to use the "tilt" method on the fixed pickup. Which works to a point.
I agree with this. ^ It is human perception which is the wild card. Think of your beloved component stereo system ( or for you youngsters, your Dad's). There was often a "loudness" toggle switch to boost bass and treble when the volume knob was adjusted too low. Bottom line is I have my custom P pickup height adjusted as close to the strings just before undesired interaction occurs. To quantify this, it usually works out to be slightly closer than the Fender suggested distance of 1/8" (.125" or 2.1mm).
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Rickenbackers are so so dependend on the right pickup height.
My rule of thumb:
- the lower the pickup (more distance between string and pole piece: rounder, softer, broader tone
- the higher the pickup (closer to the strings): more direct and mid focused tone, also honkier.
My rule of thumb:
- the lower the pickup (more distance between string and pole piece: rounder, softer, broader tone
- the higher the pickup (closer to the strings): more direct and mid focused tone, also honkier.
Finding the sweet spot takes some time. For me anyway. As a matter of fact, when I get home from work, going to check out what it sounds like with a fresh set of ears. Was working on it last night, I knew I wasn't done.
Exactly! I chalk up a lot of the raves and rants that people post after changing their pickups to the new pickups being higher/lower (or more/less balanced across strings) than the pickups they removed.
That and the new pickup being a little higher/lower output than the old pickup and they didn't adjust the gain on their amp to make it a fair comparison.
As others have said, this does make a difference and is often overlooked. IME the pickup height changes are most noticeable on my passive Fenders. I have a P bass that I was not 100% happy with the tone, it was a bit boomy, thin and just not getting the "P Bass" sound I was after. I lowered the pickups somewhat and really noticed the difference, for me it sounds a bit tighter.
You'll get a stronger pure fundamental with lower highs and less harmonic content with a lower pickup. Raise it up, and you will get more highs, raise it too high and the increased harmonic content will start to make the tone go to mush and your bass will develop unsavory intonation issues. Some will say this is due to the closer magnet pulling the string out of tune, but I believe it's due to greater harmonic content fighting for dominance with the fundamental causing the worst kind of chorus effect.
Use the volume knob on your amp to increase volume, not pickup height. Height is all about getting a good even sound with the tone/frequency content you prefer. Low=lows, high=highs... simple.
The first time I was introduced to this was getting an up close in hand look at a couple of Tommy Shannon's P basses in the early 80s. Tommy had his pickups screwed down flush with the pickguard. Great big deep tone. Boom!
Use the volume knob on your amp to increase volume, not pickup height. Height is all about getting a good even sound with the tone/frequency content you prefer. Low=lows, high=highs... simple.
The first time I was introduced to this was getting an up close in hand look at a couple of Tommy Shannon's P basses in the early 80s. Tommy had his pickups screwed down flush with the pickguard. Great big deep tone. Boom!
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
I don't think that getting your pickups near the strings makes the tone too hot. This is what I prefer with my pickup height, and I've never had a problem with distortion, except one bass out of over 100 that I've gone through. It was an '06 Carvin Icon with those first-gen soapbars of theirs. Tonality-wise, they sounded AWESOME, but just waaaaaaay too hot.. Who knows, the culprit could've been the preamp. Nevertheless, I've pretty much always been able to attenuate an increase in magnet pull, by simply eq'ing and controlling both the bass' and amp's volumes. Of course, this is easier (or seems to be) with single coils, being significantly lower output than a big ol' humbucker, especially from an alnico sc to a ceramic humbucker.
Finally, a question where we can all agree on the answer.
Yes, pickup height is one of the biggest setup aspects.
In fact, one of my biggest pet peeves about modern basses, which are otherwise very well worked out, is that the height adjustment systems for pickups on most instruments is still 1960's Neanderthal technology.
How can it be that one of the MOST important and critical setup adjustments requires removing the strings and pickups, adding or subtracting foam inserts (which lose their elasticity and start collapsing within a year or so) and then replacing pickups and strings blah blah blah. Check and then maybe have to do it all again. You've GOT to be joking. Really?
Huge missed opportunity for instrument manufacturers and probably the biggest remaining design gap. IMO EOR
Yes, pickup height is one of the biggest setup aspects.
In fact, one of my biggest pet peeves about modern basses, which are otherwise very well worked out, is that the height adjustment systems for pickups on most instruments is still 1960's Neanderthal technology.
How can it be that one of the MOST important and critical setup adjustments requires removing the strings and pickups, adding or subtracting foam inserts (which lose their elasticity and start collapsing within a year or so) and then replacing pickups and strings blah blah blah. Check and then maybe have to do it all again. You've GOT to be joking. Really?
Huge missed opportunity for instrument manufacturers and probably the biggest remaining design gap. IMO EOR
For this and other starting points based on string to pickup measurements, are those numbers based on an open string?
The magnetic field of a pickup pulls on the strings. The closer you get to the string the less it vibrates. this effect varies with different magnet types as well as how many pickups. It seems the closer to the string you get the mids get a bit more honk and fade quicker, low end tightens up. the farther you get the more the string resonates and seems to sound deeper bass and less present mids with more sustain. just my opinion. 
^This! This!! A thousand times this!!!
I've been arguing the very same thing for years. People can get so bogged down with things that make a barely (or most times no) audible difference - yet paradoxically be totally blind to something that's simple and easy to adjust (like you action or pickups) which can make a huge difference.
(Thx SL.
)
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I did a bunch of study on this very thing with laboratory equipment and my engineering conclusion is that it is indeed the magnetic pull on the strings that causes that "chorusing" effect. The actual frequencies change with magnetic pull, more so than the ratio of frequencies, though the ratio changes, too.
Yes, PUP height makes a significant difference in the sound quality. It is not because of the output level, it is because the closer the magnets in the PUP are to the strings, the more they dampen the strings.
Basic Physics tells us that the magnetic field of a magnetic dipole is approximately proportional to the inverse cube of the distance from the dipole. Therefore, if you double the distance from the magnet, the magnetic field strength will be reduced (roughly) by a factor of 8.
So, for us Bass Players, a "little" adjustment in the distance, makes a very disproportional change to the "pull" on the string. Thats why you can hear the difference. The closer the strings are to the PUP, the less they vibrate.
Simple.
Basic Physics tells us that the magnetic field of a magnetic dipole is approximately proportional to the inverse cube of the distance from the dipole. Therefore, if you double the distance from the magnet, the magnetic field strength will be reduced (roughly) by a factor of 8.
So, for us Bass Players, a "little" adjustment in the distance, makes a very disproportional change to the "pull" on the string. Thats why you can hear the difference. The closer the strings are to the PUP, the less they vibrate.
Simple.
