• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Jackson JS2/3 Pickup height

FLV

FLV

Sep 14, 2013
150
182
#1
Hello!

I've been using a Jackson JS2 for quite a long time now, and I'm very satisfied with it, save for one little thing: I can't get the pickup height right. It seems that the high output humbucking pickups really live up to their name and when it came to me brand new from the shop they were set up pretty high (probably 5mm from the string) which resulted in a strong, nearly monstrous tone. And it wouldnt be a problem, but after a while it occured to me that the gain is so high it simply distorts the tone beyond recognition. I've tried to set them a little further from the strings (especially the neck pickup) but it resulted in a massive drop in output, especially noticeable in a passive bass.

Does anyone know what should be the recommended pickup height for those pickups? As far as I know the JS3 model has the same and on all the photos they seem to be set pretty high.
 
#2
This is really a matter of preference with no particular right answer and only one wrong answer: if the pickups are too close to your strings you will experience a phenomenon known as 'magnetic string pull' (guitarists call it strat-itis) which sounds like a wobbling, pulsing effect when you play in the higher frets.

Here's how I set pickup height:
  1. solo the bridge pickup
  2. raise the bridge pickup to a nominal starting point (for passive pickups I start with 1/8" from the string measured when pressing down the string at the last fret. For active pickups, I go even closer. Your bass has strong humbucking pickups so you may need to start a little lower)
  3. plug into your amp at a reasonable volume (not whisper quiet) and play the E & A strings from the 15th to the last fret and listen for the wobbling string pull sound. If you hear wobbling, lower the pickup in very small increments (a ruler that measures in 1/32 or 1/64" is very useful for this). If you don't hear wobble, raise the pickup in very small increments until you do hear it, then lower it just to the point where the wobble goes away. This is the optimal height in terms of signal strength.
  4. Next play passages across all 4 strings and listen to the volume balance between the E/A and the D/G strings. If the D/G strings seem lower in output, raise the treble side of the pickup slightly to compensate.

Now for the neck pickup. You have two choices here: you can solo the neck pickup and use the exact same procedure so the neck pickup is set for optimum signal strength without string pull. OR, if you tend to play a lot with both pickups on full, you can set the neck pickup to the position that yields the best blend between the two pickups as follows:
  1. Lower the neck pickup to a starting point that is obviously too low (like 1/4" lower than the bridge pickup)
  2. Turn both pickups on full and play a passage you are familiar with.
  3. Raise the neck pickup in small increments until you hear the best blend between neck and bridge (this is a matter of preference so it may not be 50/50)
  4. Once you've found the blend, play in the upper register on the E & A strings and make sure you don't have any string pull wobble sounds
  5. Now solo the neck pickup and play across all four strings listening for the E/A string volumes compared to the D/G volumes. Adjust the treble side of the pickup as needed.
  6. You're almost done: now that you've set your pickups just the way you like them take your handy ruler and measure the pickup height on the bass and treble side of each pickup and WRITE IT DOWN for future reference.

Cheers!
 
#4
Thank you for the extensive reply testing1two, I've been messing around with the pickups and I think I'm almost there. What especially mattered to me is the part of the guide regarding the neck pickup, since it's the one that ends up having a lot of gain.

@maturanesa - yes, I know it sounds pretty simple, the problem was just getting to this sweet spot, since I usually ended getting too much gain or too big drop in volume. Thanks to this guide I was able to finally find the middle ground I think :)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back