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mcphail
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:09 pm
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tdanb2003 wrote:
ranfla,
The closer you move the pup to the string the more sustain you lose because of the magnetic interference. Try Chet Feather's nickel method. 2 nickel depth on the bass side from the top of the magnet to the bottom of the 6th string. 1 nickel depth from the top of the magnet to the bottom of the 1st string. I used it on my vintage noiseless and it was a good compromise. You will never get the sustain or the "warmth" of a humbucker out of those pups. But you can't make a humbucker quack either. :wink:


+1

This is an excellent way to check height. I personally have my pickups lower (the treble side almost flush with the pickguard) but that's my personal taste. I'd start with the nickel method and go from there, making adjustments as you see fit.
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SlapChop
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:29 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:41 pm
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I believe I read a thread recently where Chet was surprised to find that his "nickel method" was not producing optimum results... he actually preferred them lower, i think.

But that's neither here nor etc. Here is the best method I've ever learned for setting pickup height on a Strat:

1. Set all three pickups flush with the pickguard.

2. Plug in the guitar, set your amp fairly flat and select the neck pickup.

3. Play, and raise the neck pickup slowly and slightly, and each time stop and play. You will find, without too much trouble, a "sweet spot" where it starts feeling real good to play, and it's working the amp in a nice way.

4. Take a minute to experiment with settings a bit higher and lower than the sweet spot to convince yourself, and then....

5. Set the bridge pickup to match the output of the neck, and set the middle either to match both of the others or to get max "quack" (depending on what you like).

It takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and you're guitar will sound better than ever.

Also, you should definitely sweat pickup height. Strat tone is utterly dependent on it, and no guitar I know of is more sensitive to it.
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HNSFury
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:14 pm
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Location: Berlin, Germany / Cairo, Egypt / Bethesda, MD
nikininja wrote:
Gotta say when i got my deluxe i initially thought oh yeah its a standard with a few extra bits that i'll never use. How wrong was I?.... Very.


.. in what way? .. I got a Deluxe ash meself....Give us your insights
Cheers
H

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HNSFury
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:38 pm
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Posts: 347
Location: Berlin, Germany / Cairo, Egypt / Bethesda, MD
nikininja wrote:
Gotta say when i got my deluxe i initially thought oh yeah its a standard with a few extra bits that i'll never use. How wrong was I?.... Very.


.. in what way? .. I got a Deluxe ash meself....Give us your insights
Cheers
H

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CAFeathers
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:00 pm
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SlapChop wrote:
I believe I read a thread recently where Chet was surprised to find that his "nickel method" was not producing optimum results... he actually preferred them lower, i think.

But that's neither here nor etc. Here is the best method I've ever learned for setting pickup height on a Strat:

1. Set all three pickups flush with the pickguard.

2. Plug in the guitar, set your amp fairly flat and select the neck pickup.

3. Play, and raise the neck pickup slowly and slightly, and each time stop and play. You will find, without too much trouble, a "sweet spot" where it starts feeling real good to play, and it's working the amp in a nice way.

4. Take a minute to experiment with settings a bit higher and lower than the sweet spot to convince yourself, and then....

5. Set the bridge pickup to match the output of the neck, and set the middle either to match both of the others or to get max "quack" (depending on what you like).

It takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and you're guitar will sound better than ever.

Also, you should definitely sweat pickup height. Strat tone is utterly dependent on it, and no guitar I know of is more sensitive to it.


I still highly recommend the "Nickel Method" as a starting point. Most will find it very close to what they want.

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cocteau
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PostPosted: Sun May 17, 2009 6:38 am
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Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 8:42 am
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Can anyone relate the nickel method? It would be much appreciated. And what does quack mean.
cheers
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