HRW adjustment on archtop- thanks Ted Greene

[MartyGrass]

Ted Greene was one of the best guitarists. He died young and only had one album. I was listening to interviews of him on YouTube yesterday. One of them was on humbucker pickup height. For decades he buried the neck pickup to the same level as the pickup ring. He explained that this maximizes clarity.

 

I have kept the neck pickup low on my Super Eagle. Last night I dropped it further so that it was flush with the ring. The clarity really did improve. The muddy thunking of the 5th and 6th strings disappeared.

 

The HRW will never sound like a PAF. But it sounds as good with a little chiminess thrown in.

 

In case you don't know Ted Greene, please take a moment and listen. He played this on a Tele and used harmonics a lot. If you are busy, at least see the last video. It's a hoot.

 

 

Ted Greene's version of Clowns. First, here's the recording.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHD5WBAETM

 

 

Here it's played in the real world. Funny.

 

[Gitfiddler]

+1 on lowering HRW's into the pickup ring for best results...even with semi-hollow and solid body gits!

 

I'll check out the video as time permits. It looks like a good one.

[Keith7940236]

I was experimenting with that same idea yesterday. I was getting annoyed with the "boomy" sound and couldn't get it under control with the amp controls. I lowered the pickup until it was around 1/4" from the strings and it improved things tremendously. Any thoughts on adjusting the screws on the face of the pickup?

[MartyGrass]

My pickup is even lower. It's about flush.

 

It's a thrill to drop the pickup to that low level because at any time the screw could disengage and the pickup would have to be removed and reinstalled.

 

I'll bet that many won't side with me on this, but I've found that pole piece adjustments make for only subtle changes. I've tinkered with them when either the 6th string is too loud but the 5th isn't or when the transitions strings between wound and unwound have uneven volume.

[yoslate]

Any thoughts on adjusting the screws on the face of the pickup?

 

Flush with the pickup cover....

[SouthpawGuy]

I've also found that with HRWs on two of my Heritage guitars, none are arch tops though, the pickups are screwed right down into the pickup rings.

 

Visible on this shot of the VIP2 ( about as far from an arch top as is possible )

 

 

 

.

[MartyGrass]

 

Flush with the pickup cover....

 

As good a place as any.

[MartyGrass]

I've also found that with HRWs on two of my Heritage guitars, none are arch tops though, the pickups are screwed right down into the pickup rings.

 

Visible on this shot of the VIP2 ( about as far from an arch top as is possible )

 

 

.

 

Looks like mine!

 

How did this affect your tone?

[SouthpawGuy]

 

Looks like mine!

 

How did this affect your tone?

 

It wasn't so much about the tone as the output level. I found the HRWs were overdriving the JC120 setting on a Cube 30x, couldn't get a clean tone without harsh clipping so I dropped them way down, and also did the same on the Millie.