Does Changing Pickup / Pickup Height Makes A Huige Difference In Tone?

[Jimmy25]

Does changing pickup make a huge difference in tone? I learned that it won't sound much different at all unless you're using a very decent big amp? I was originally planning on changing the pickup, but since I'm using a small Roland Micro Cube Amp most of the time for practicing (unless sometimes performing on stage or in a practice room where they have good quality big amp, which doesn't happen so often), I don't see the point of spending money to switch my Stractocaster's original pickups, esp when I'm on a limited budget. How about playing around with the pickup height and stuffs, can that make a huge if not huge quite noticable change in tone? I've never done this before, if I'm planning on turning the screws of my pickups the get a better tone I wanted, is there anything I need to watch out for? Or I can just turn it any way I want till I get the tone? And how do I know turning which way gives me what tone? Also, how do I make sure they have equal volume?

[sammyreynolds01]

Yes changing the pickups make a difference in the tone. How are your current pickups from the strings? Raising the pickups will increase output. But to answer your question changing pickups will definitely change your tone.

[Doctor Morbius]

With that amp and given a limited budget, try adjusting the height first. I prefer my Strat pickups very low.

[larry50]

I would probably start with Fender's recommended pickup heights and go from there.

[McManus]

Start with the pickups at the normal height, then:

 

1) use your tone controls

2) raise / lower one side of the pickup a little or adjust the polepieces in the centre (ignore second part for Strat)

3) try playing a bunch of different guitars at the store

4) decide what sound you like and order a similarly voiced replacement pickup / trade your guitar

5) repeat for the next 30 years

 

Seriously though, have your guitar teacher look at it or take it in to a good guitar tech for a setup. If you don't like any of the pickups in your Strat you may be a humbucker guy. Ironically, if you had another guitar you'd probably find yourself liking the Strat alot more for what it offers.

[DaleH]

What model stratocaster and what don't you like about the tone?

[Jimmy25]

Here's my current pickup height,

despite arranging it myself to get the tone I prefer,

is there any of these pickup just way too low / too high at first glance?

Bass side view:

Treble side view:

[csm]

Pickup height CAN make a major difference!

 

When switching between a Strat and my Epi Jr with Bareknuckle Mississippi Queen HB-sized P90 (into a Super Reverb), the P90 was sounding both much louder and much bassier than the Strat's PUs, requiring amp tweaking with each change (not that practical during a gig) ... until I lowered the P90, which both reduced the volume and brought back the highs. Happy bunny-ness then ensued.

[timmyfirst]

Pick-up heights are a crucial part of balancing any guitars tone. i always raise the treble side up a little because i'm a very dark sounding player but it all comes down to taste and what you have experienced.

[Mo' Cowbell]

You were contemplating changing out the pickups before trying to adjust them? Really? That's like buying a new TV to adjust the volume of a show. It would take me less than 5 seconds with a screw driver to adjust pickup height, would cost me nothing more than 5 seconds and is completely reversible. It would take me over an hour to replace a pickup with soldering and all, plus the cost of the pickup and a pack of strings and I'd still have to adjust the pickup height. I would think adjusting the height of a pickup would be a no brainer.

[Grantus]

Pickup height can make a substantial difference. Swapping out pickups can also make a huge difference. I just swapped a fairly low output Strat-style Tex Mex pickup on my Fender Cyclone for a hotter BG Pickup. Major change.

[mrbrown49]

 

Pickup height CAN make a major difference! When switching between a Strat and my Epi Jr with Bareknuckle Mississippi Queen HB-sized P90 (into a Super Reverb), the P90 was sounding both much louder and much bassier than the Strat's PUs, requiring amp tweaking with each change (not that practical during a gig) ... until I lowered the P90, which both reduced the volume and brought back the highs. Happy bunny-ness then ensued.

 

 

I had the same experience with my two main guitars, one a strat and the other an ibanez artit with BG H90s. Small height Adjustments make a huge difference with p90s. Higher up you tend to get a fuller (more highs and lows) tone and a sharper attack. Drop them down and the EQ and dymanics even out some. Same applies to strat pups but they are typically less sensitive to small height adjustments.

 

To the OP, there really is no right or wrong here. For strat pups I generally set the height at 5/64ths and go from there, usually down. (Measure from the top of the pole to the bottom of the string while depressing the string at the last fret) The only issue you can run into is having the pups too high. That kills sustain and can cause wolf tones or other odd effects to the tone. It's usually fairly obvious with strat pups if you have them too close.

[JohnnyDD]

How does one adjust pole pieces? I only know how to adjust the pickup on treble and bass sides.

[Mr Songwriter]

How does one adjust pole pieces? I only know how to adjust the pickup on treble and bass sides

 

Unfortunately, unless the pole pieces have a screw on them (usually just Humbuckers (see below) P90's and some ceramic single coils) you won't be able to.

 

[BoneNut]

 

Does changing pickup make a huge difference in tone? I learned that it won't sound much different at all unless you're using a very decent big amp? I was originally planning on changing the pickup, but since I'm using a small Roland Micro Cube Amp most of the time for practicing (unless sometimes performing on stage or in a practice room where they have good quality big amp, which doesn't happen so often), I don't see the point of spending money to switch my Stractocaster's original pickups, esp when I'm on a limited budget. How about playing around with the pickup height and stuffs, can that make a huge if not huge quite noticable change in tone? I've never done this before, if I'm planning on turning the screws of my pickups the get a better tone I wanted, is there anything I need to watch out for? Or I can just turn it any way I want till I get the tone? And how do I know turning which way gives me what tone? Also, how do I make sure they have equal volume?

 

 

Changing pup height can make a huge difference in tone. Changing the pups, even more so.

 

Suggest you start at Fender's specs and go down slowly from there. Actually, just go ape {censored} and move them up and down so you can hear for yourself how big a difference it can make. Try different heights on the treble and bass sides as well. You won't hurt anything and it's easy enough to bring them back to spec height.

 

Keep in mind that on a Strat, if the pups are too close to the strings, it will cause tunning and intonation problems, with some pretty awful wolf tones thrown in for good measure.

[Grantus]

 

How does one adjust pole pieces? I only know how to adjust the pickup on treble and bass sides.

 

 

You can raise one side more than the other. That can help emphasize treble over bass, or vice versa.

[WRGKMC]

You want to be sure you dont adjust pickups too close to the strings or the magnets can pull down on the strings

when they vibrate abnd cause buzzing and intonation issues. Pickups do have a proxcimity effect like a stage mic

does where the sound gets louder and bassier. Whether thats good for your to or not is going to depend on your amp.

Bigger tone does not equate to better tone. Theres may reasons you would adjust the pickups farther away from the strings.

if you want cleaner tone, more jangle or less drive, backing off the pickups can help. It can also allow you to use your amp

tone knobs differently. If an amp sounds basy and farty, backing off the pups can make for less bass and more mid drive.

 

 

How does one adjust pole pieces? I only know how to adjust the pickup on treble and bass sides.

 

 

You usually adjust them to follow the neck/string radius with guitars that have an unwound third. If the third is wound you can adjust them

like a vintage fender pickup has staggered poles to make up for the weaker strings.

[Pope on a Rope]

 

Here's my current pickup height, despite arranging it myself to get the tone I prefer, is there any of these pickup just way too low / too high at first glance? Bass side view: Treble side view:

 

 

It's hard to tell if the the pickups are too high or too low just by looking. You'll have to trust your ears. If they sound good where they are, then they are at the right height.

[ashasha]

You want to be sure you dont adjust pickups too close to the strings or the magnets can pull down on the strings when they vibrate abnd cause buzzing and intonation issues. Pickups do have a proxcimity effect like a stage mic does where the sound gets louder and bassier. Whether thats good for your to or not is going to depend on your amp. Bigger tone does not equate to better tone. Theres may reasons you would adjust the pickups farther away from the strings. if you want cleaner tone, more jangle or less drive, backing off the pickups can help. It can also allow you to use your amp tone knobs differently. If an amp sounds basy and farty, backing off the pups can make for less bass and more mid drive. You usually adjust them to follow the neck/string radius with guitars that have an unwound third. If the third is wound you can adjust them like a vintage fender pickup has staggered poles to make up for the weaker strings.

What these guys said. Stratitis is a big problem with getting too close to the strings. When you get too high you'll know because it sounds like something is wrong.

 

What has worked for me is to take a nickel and put it on the treble side of the pickup, fret the string at the last fret and adjust the height so that it barely touches. Do the same thing on the bass side with two nickels. Then from there you can dial them in by ear, but it's a good starting point IMHO. The big thing to me is that you get the 2 and 4 positions so that they sound right....of course I'm on the neck pickup about 99% of the time so I don't know why I care so much about them.

[McManus]

Leaving the guitar in a full bathtub overnight can help even out the mids.

[HarpBoy]

 

Does changing pickup make a huge difference in tone? I learned that it won't sound much different at all unless you're using a very decent big amp? I was originally planning on changing the pickup, but since I'm using a small Roland Micro Cube Amp most of the time for practicing (unless sometimes performing on stage or in a practice room where they have good quality big amp, which doesn't happen so often), I don't see the point of spending money to switch my Stractocaster's original pickups, esp when I'm on a limited budget. How about playing around with the pickup height and stuffs, can that make a huge if not huge quite noticable change in tone? I've never done this before, if I'm planning on turning the screws of my pickups the get a better tone I wanted, is there anything I need to watch out for? Or I can just turn it any way I want till I get the tone? And how do I know turning which way gives me what tone? Also, how do I make sure they have equal volume?

 

 

In general, I don't think there's a lot to be gained by swapping out pickups. I think people do it more because they like to tinker than that there is a real compelling need to do so. Unless you're going from say, a single coil to a humbucker (a dramatic change) I don't see the practical value in swapping stuff out. I'm assuming you're generally a bedroom player, like 90% of the members here and in most other forums; I'd say, fool around with what you have until you know it really, really well, then decide whether there is a real reason why you need to change something out. There are tons of digital modellers that will provide dramatic changes in the capabilities of your stock guitar, especially if you're playing through a clean, solid state amp, available very reasonably. Adjusting pole or pickup height provides some latitude, and doesn't cost anything. Doing so also helps you to understand better how guitars work, which is never a bad thing. I think, based on your question, you're a relatively new player (very experienced players don't spend time on forums asking these kinds of questions), so I'd say save your money and get to know your guitar really, really well before you consider spending more money. It's hard to come by, and you still may not get what you think you are looking for.

 

Just my opinion, of course.