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Post subject: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:09 am
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I keep hitting the pickup when I play my Epi Nighthawk. I have never had this problem with my strat.
I think I have stripped the pickup screw by hitting the pickup. Should a screw really strip like this from a plastic pick in less than 3 months?


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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:13 am
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yodacaster wrote:
I keep hitting the pickup when I play my Epi Nighthawk. I have never had this problem with my strat.
I think I have stripped the pickup screw by hitting the pickup. Should a screw really strip like this from a plastic pick in less than 3 months?


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Recall that Robbie Robertson changed the pickup positioning on his Strats because the middle pickup interfered with his playing style. Moral of the story.....Either relocate the pickup or sell it :!: :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:28 am
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Move it or take it out. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:37 am
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How do I move it? Lower it?
I don't want to remove it. I like the sound of it with the neck pup and it will look funny with a hole in the middle.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:42 am
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That looks more like the result of acidic corrosion from you playing and sweating on that screw.
That screw is probably substandard metal..
I would remove both screws, got to a hardware store, Not Lowe's or Home Depot. A real hardware store that carries Stainless Steel screws, have the threads measured and replace with appropriate SS screws....

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:52 am
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53magnatone wrote:
That looks more like the result of acidic corrosion from you playing and sweating on that screw.
That screw is probably substandard metal..
I would remove both screws, got to a hardware store, Not Lowe's or Home Depot. A real hardware store that carries Stainless Steel screws, have the threads measured and replace with appropriate SS screws....

+1
Yep, that's what it looks like to me.
I've never had a prob with the middle pup on my Strat, but from what I understand, this guitar has a totally different setup.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:05 am
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If those screws are designed to lower the pickup, that could be your first trial and error, but it might alter your tone. Next trial and error is changing the position of your hand or your picking style for that guitar if you are aware that you are actully physically hitting the pickup. Of course, you can always ask yourself...'What would Yoda do':?: :wink:

Interesting problem. Keep us updated and may the Schwartz be with you.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:28 am
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I try to keep my hand on the bridge, which lets me pick between the middle and bridge pup, but my hand instinctively moves forward a couple of inches and I end up hitting it.
In my research, I read that one guy had the same issue and said there is a piece of foam or something under the pickup. He removed it and no more problem and no tone loss.
I am a little reluctant to do anything like that seeing as it is still under warranty, but I don't want to have issues for the next 9 months either!

Here is the body for pickup placement.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:29 am
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
53magnatone wrote:
That looks more like the result of acidic corrosion from you playing and sweating on that screw.
That screw is probably substandard metal..
I would remove both screws, got to a hardware store, Not Lowe's or Home Depot. A real hardware store that carries Stainless Steel screws, have the threads measured and replace with appropriate SS screws....

+1
Yep, that's what it looks like to me.
I've never had a prob with the middle pup on my Strat, but from what I understand, this guitar has a totally different setup.


I have no issues with my strat either. I wonder if this pickup is taller than the strats pickups?

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:07 am
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You definitely need to attend to that problem before the screw head disintegrates to the point that removing an replacing that screw will affect the pickup.
Replacing those scres with stainless steel screws should have no effect on warranty.
You wouldn't be altering anything other than replacing a failed screw..

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:26 am
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I used to find that my 3 pup Les Paul Custom's middle pickup was more intrusive to my playing style than that of my Strats but over time I just became used to it and adapted my strumming and picking whenever I played that guitar and after a pretty short while,it didn't pose a problem at all.Rather than alter the sound of the guitar by removing of lowering or altering the pickup,just becoming used to its little bothersome idiosyncrasies and adapting to them is the best solution-or at least the least damaging to the instrument.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:46 am
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Damage wasn't done from picking. Damage would be visible on the poles, plastic cover, and sides of the screw, not just the middle, and that would be if you use a metal pick. Are you sure someone (luthier) didn't replace the original screw with an old one in their parts box for some reason?


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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:53 am
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Hi Yoda: no way has a plastic pick done that to the screw, and definitely not in three months! It normally takes aggressive work with a screwdriver on a screw made from cheap metal to achieve that effect. Are you sure it wasn't like that when you got the guitar? I can't imagine how you've done that unless you treat your guitar amazingly badly - and I'm sure you don't.

53mag's suggestion is a wise one: swap that screw out while you still can.

Far as picking is concerned, I suspect many of us pick between Strat pickups, exactly to avoid annoyingly colliding with them sometimes. However, the pickup layout of your Epi does make that hard - there's not a lot of free space between them.

As well as Robbie Robertson, I seem to recall Ritchie Blackmore also had an issue with hitting his middle pickup, which he solved by lowering it right down into the pickguard. (Do I remember that Ritchie's middle pup was a dummy as well?)

If you want to try it I'd suggest that lowering just your middle pickup will change the balance of your set in a way you probably won't like, as Guitslinger says. But you could try lowering all three pickups a bit: a lot of players find they like that adjustment, since though it produces a slight drop in output (addressed easily by turning your amp volume up proportionately) it also results in a slight increase in perceived sustain. Which you just might find is something you like from an HSH guitar.

Otherwise... you just have to learn to place your picking differently. After all, we often play different guitars in different ways. That's all part of the ride.

Good luck - C

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:25 am
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Ceri wrote:
Hi Yoda: no way has a plastic pick done that to the screw, and definitely not in three months! It normally takes aggressive work with a screwdriver on a screw made from cheap metal to achieve that effect. Are you sure it wasn't like that when you got the guitar? I can't imagine how you've done that unless you treat your guitar amazingly badly - and I'm sure you don't.


I honestly don't remember if it was like that when i bought it or not. The guitar was boxed in the back room when I bought it, so I'd like to think it wasn't. Maybe its just cheap. Either way, I will attempt to remove it before its too late and find a replacement.
Maybe I'll try to lower them while I'm at it.
Thanks for the replies.

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Post subject: Re: Middle Pickup in the way
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:54 pm
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Yep you'd be going through strings at about a set every hour if the pick you were using caused that Yoda, I don't see a star screwdriver making much impact on the removal, maybe a flat head or a torx screwdriver would bite on whats left of that screwhead, hope it doesn't give you too much grief.


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