Pick up distance

[Brian Gattis]

What is the optimal distance from the strings for a single coil Emmons PU on a Push Pull?

Thanks

[Dave Grafe]

Two quarters stacked works for me

[Patrick Timmins]

For 14-15k output pickups that come through the shop, I tend to set them at .125". If the bass is overpowering the treble, I will drop the bass side of the pickup a bit more. For hotter pickups that started becoming more popular beginning in the mid to late 70s, I start at .140 (two quarters) and lower it from there. Some pickups are so hot that they can be .200 away or more from the strings. The. benefit of being slightly further away from the strings is the reduced magnetic damping from the magnets. I stop lowering when the presence decreases then raise them back a hair. Had a guitar in the shop a couple of weeks ago that was so hot, it was picking up everything. It measured 25K ohms! it was all ready at .200 from the strings, but we just wound up swapping in new (less hot) pickups to get rid of the noise the pickups were producing.

[Brian Gattis]

I have it set at around 2 quarters distance. I believe the pu is wound around 18k. It sounds great. I was just curious if it should be a tad closer on the high strings. Thanks Dave and Patrick. I appreciate the response.


Brian Gattis

[Ricky Davis]

Single Coil pickup; those are exposed magnets pulling down on Strings and WILL inhibit the side to side movement when picking the strings. So best distance is 3-quarters...so that is 3/16". 2-quarters may do fine; but if you do hear a small distortion/and/or less sustain; then that is too close.
Ricky

[Brian Gattis]

Thanks Ricky

[Donny Hinson]

I'd go with no less than 1/8", or maybe even 3/16" to start. You can try these two measurements and see how it sounds, but many guitars see little or no improvement with more or less.

...The benefit of being slightly further away from the strings is the reduced magnetic damping from the magnets...

Although the pickup magnets could affect a regular guitar, which has multiple pickups, pickups nearer the center of the string, or pickups near nodal points, I've tested and found zero damping effect with pickups that are very close to the bridge, which is what we have on most all pedal steels.

[Ricky Davis]

Although the pickup magnets could affect a regular guitar, which has multiple pickups, pickups nearer the center of the string, or pickups near nodal points, I've tested and found zero damping effect with pickups that are very close to the bridge, which is what we have on most all pedal steels.

After working on and restoring and/or refurbishing over 100 sho~bud's; and I have "dog ears", I Hear a difference between pickup heights.
Ricky