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Post subject: Highway One Tinkering
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:23 pm
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The Highway One I got about a month ago is a real good guitar. Only two problems were the bridge pickup dropped off and was weaker than the bridge/middle, with the neck was in between. The only other thing that was imperfect was the factory setting on the tremolo was the three-spring set up for a lot of vibrato. Too loose for my taste and tendency to put vibrato where none was needed from like guitar movement, body movement etc.

I opened up my old Squier Strat and grabbed a couple of the springs. It had four springs instead of the standard 3 for a Squier. Then I opened up the back of the Highway One Stratocaster I got about a month ago and I put in two extra springs for a total of 5.

Now the bridge was tight with no accidental vibrato. With the bridge brought low, the bridge pickup came alive. However, I noticed a couple of problems.

First, I couldn't use the trem for vibrato, and I want the option, because the trem was down at the body. Second, with the bridge that low, fret buzz became a problem. Maybe on an Am Dx or a Beck or Custom Shop the frets would be so smooth that the bridge could be flush to the body, but not on mine. I think my frets are pretty good though, because even at the lowest setting my Highway One never frets out while bending even on the 17th or lower fret.

So I opened up the back again and I used the claw screws to raise the bridge near the factory setting. Then I used the adjustable pickup screws to raise the bridge pickup and the neck pickup, while lowering the middle pickup for better balance.

I ran into a problem. The manual does not have a pickup setting specifically listed for Highway One pickups. I used the American/Mexican standard as a guideline, but with the bridge at the factory recommended height, the bridge pickup adjustment maxed out too low. So, I set all the pickups at the same distance from the strings to avoid volume surges from the middle pickup.

Playing, after tuning up, it had the same great sound, but more balanced. However, the action was too high for my taste. I backed down the bridge by ear and feel until it was exactly where I wanted it, as low as possible with no fret buzz from the g string at the seventh fret down from the tuners. Checking measurements, the bridge was below the 1/8" factory setting, the action was lower than when I bought it, and now all the pickups were within a hair of the same distance from the strings and had uniform volume. Also the bridge is now stable.

No factory setting can get the guitar set up exactly like you want it. A great thing about the Fender Stratocaster (unlike my old Squier Strat) is that everything adjusts so that you can personalize it.


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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:33 pm
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Did you make sure you got each pickup volume balanced between E and e?

I use factory specs as a starting point and personalize it from there.

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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:01 pm
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Chet thanks for that comment I learned a lot from reading the comments here before I did it. Yeah, I did check both sides of the pickups on both the E and the e, holding down the string on the fret like the manual says to do.


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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:06 pm
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Without holding the string down, guitar volume all the way up, amp set on clean at a medium volume. Set the guitar on bridge pickup alone, strike the E and e strings with the same amount of attack, the volume should be equal. Repeat for middle pickup and neck pickup.

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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:16 am
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These are not really problems. This is just standard setup stuff. A well setup guitar is like a whole new super guitar. It plays much better and sounds much better. Knowing how to adjust your truss rod and action is the most critical to getting good buzz free action. Knowing what to do for pickup height is VERY important to getting great tone. Most people do not know how to do either, and I would bet they are putting down fine guitars because of these minor issues. Factory setups are very general. Do not expect it to be optimal. Sometimes you get lucky, but I have been able to improve every guitar I have purchased...and my friends love it when I set them up as well.

Concerning pickup height...there is a "tone zone" that you can hear if you listen close with the right type of natural tube distortion and good nutural voiced speakers. When you get the pickup in the zone, the fullness and harmonic clarity come through. This is often a 1/4 turn area that you need to locate and then balance between top and bottom strings. You can continue to make fine adjustments so the voicing is equal and pronounced on all strings. It gets to a point where you can't get it any better. This makes a HUGE difference in how you sound. People have tried many a fine guitar on my system with "standard" hap hazzard setups and have heard the difference. In most cases it is not the wood or pickups, but the setup. I know good wood and great pickups for that wood do make a difference, but often a general guitar can be improved with an optimal setup.

I can't even imagine how many guitars were sold off or passed up because of bad setups. I can tell you that I have had my own setup issues...like when I clean the neck and loose the bridge settings, and have to dial the bridge and pickups in again. This happened not long ago on my Les Paul and the sound really sucked until I got back in the zone. My band noticed it in a BIG way...so it makes a big difference!

Using the pickup height for volume balance between other pickups is not a good idea. You will not get the best tone. It would be better to choose different (hotter or softer) pickups to do that. I noticed my Highway One pickups are measuring 12.1K Ohms to 12.5K Ohms, so I too get a sofetr sound in my Bridge pup even though I put the strongest one there. I am thinking of removing some windings from my mid and neck pups to get the volume more balanced. I DO love the tone I'm getting now, so maybe it is not worth messing with. I found these pickups VERY EASY to balance for tone. The "tone zone" was easy to locate and dial in...in just minutes the whole guitar was done.

If you would like...I could give you some rough measurements to get close. I use Elixir 9's and it would be a little different with other strings. Let me know if you want the specs I'm at right now. My Strat is sounding so optimal right now!

Phil 8)


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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:36 am
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I appreciate all the great suggestions and advice. Definitely will use everything I'm hearing. Chet, I'm going to use your method to balance the E and e, especially since it sounds like something I can do. Also, other guys if you have measurements about what makes it shine more brightly, that sounds real helpful, and I'll use them to check out my pickups. I have to keep everything simple or I can screw it up pretty quickly, which is why I haven't messed with the truss rod.


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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:48 am
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I start my pup adjustments using the "Nickel Method" I learned from Bill Lawrence ( www.billlawrence.com )
Fretting the E string at the last fret, Use 2 nickels sitting on top of the pole piece for that string, adjust that side of the pup until the nickels touch the bottom of the string. Do that for each pup on that side. Then use the same method for the e string, but use only 1 nickel.
Then I adjust each pup so the volume level is equal for the E and e strings.
I use a T bar screw driver when I make the fine tuning adjustments. One end of the T bar handle has a red tip. If I make one turn on the e side of the pup I make the same one turn on the E side that way the volume balance stays even.
Adjusting a pup closer to the strings will give you more volume, more distortion/crunch, but less sustain.

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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 4:28 pm
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...and bad tone!

Here are my rough measurements (as close as I can measure):

BRIDGE 1ST 3/32"
BRIDGE 6TH 5/32"

MIDDLE 1ST 7/64"
MIDDLE 6TH 3/32"

NECK 1ST 5/32"
NECK 6TH 3/16"

This is from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string. That should get you close. Use your ears to fine tune it in. Make very small changes. Play open G chords and open E and D cords. Listen for the tone to jump out between all the strings. That is how I do it.

Good luck!

Phil 8)


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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:10 pm
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PHILBERT wrote:
...and bad tone!

Here are my rough measurements (as close as I can measure):

BRIDGE 1ST 3/32"
BRIDGE 6TH 5/32"

MIDDLE 1ST 7/64"
MIDDLE 6TH 3/32"

NECK 1ST 5/32"
NECK 6TH 3/16"

This is from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string. That should get you close. Use your ears to fine tune it in. Make very small changes. Play open G chords and open E and D cords. Listen for the tone to jump out between all the strings. That is how I do it.

Good luck!

Phil 8)



And bad tone?

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:25 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
Adjusting a pup closer to the strings will give you more volume, more distortion/crunch, but less sustain.


...and bad tone!


Just a tag onto the end of what you said.

I have been reading allot around here and I think you are one of the guys who has much good to say. Sorry if it looked otherwise. :oops:

Phil 8)


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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:28 pm
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PHILBERT wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
Adjusting a pup closer to the strings will give you more volume, more distortion/crunch, but less sustain.


...and bad tone!


Just a tag onto the end of what you said.

I have been reading allot around here and I think you are one of the guys who has much good to say. Sorry if it looked otherwise. :oops:

Phil 8)


Aah, OK. I was giving an example of a pup setting and what results to expect.

Thank You, I do try to pass on some of my experience/knowledge.

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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:02 am
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Thanks for all tips both guys. I admit that I don't have a lot of equipment and basically I set it up using a tape measure, the manual, and my thumb which actually works really well as a measuring instrument, and most of all my ears. Using your tips, I checked everything out and it's all good. I was playing BB King, who wrote and arranged most of his own stuff unlike some other famous blues band leaders who also sometimes did not play guitar on their records if they were feeling like not. BB's a tremendous composer of guitar music with every note flowing beautifully, which may follow from his ability to read and write music, or just an innate gift. Playing some older Clapton, in contrast, you'll see he's very blues based style but has a tendency to go for some dissonance and a harder sound - hard rock. Anyway, the Highway One sounds fantastic and with the low action I'm toning down my thrashing that I was doing from playing a beat up acoustic and a old Squier with a high action. Great guitar, and it must be idiot proof.


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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:01 pm
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strat-cat,

Glad it all worked out for you. These guitars are a good value. The pickups alone are a real deal. They have the roundness and clarity to work with about any amp. I am very pleased with mine. :D Now if only I could get that Wilkinson WVP6SB I paid for on evil-Bay. I got stiffed! :x Never ever buy anything from "bigfishforever158" or "Eden Music". :?

Rock on! :o

Phil 8)


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