That's what I do,I'll play for awhile and then use the screwdriver to adjust the pup and play some more and see what it sounds like.

All I know is some years back, my 78 p-bass's pickup was set parallel to the pickguardand almost flush with it, that's the way it was when I got it and never thought about changing it until I read about adjusting the height to achieve the best sound. I adjusted the height to Fender's own factory specs and the improvement in tone, volume, and string balance was amazing! (well, it was noticeably better at least) What was a good sounding bass before, now sounded great.It seems to me if a pup too low, it won't sound good, and if it's too high it wll kill your sustain. To me the safest bet is to set them at Fender's reccomended specs.

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'08 Fender Am. Std. Jazz bass, maple fretboard, charcoal frost metallic finish
'10 Squier VM Jazz bass, maple fretboard, natural finish
Ampeg BA115
'09 MIM standard Strat, maple fretboard, sunburst finish
Fender Super Champ XD

Amen!

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Blues Ya?

On all my guitars each individual pickup is adjusted separately and I seriously doubt if any two are adjusted identically. It's a process that I will go through for the first several months of owning a guitar. I will play and listen and adjust. I look for more than just good tone. I also try to achieve the best balance I can find. To answer the original question I do tend to go lower than stock spec but it varies. There are so many variables that I don't have a hard and fast rule or even a guideline. Different woods, different pups, they all factor in. Also not all my pickups are adjusted evenly either. Sometimes I will lower or raise one end of the pup a screw turn or two more than the other end, also in the interest of balance.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I set mine like chet almost level with the pick guard. All my pickups are 60s vintage type. I love that sound.

For me, I just have to use my ears for this kind of thing. I have a certain feel and response that I just know I like. And on every guitar it just seems to be different. I don't have a set preference by measurement. I just find a sweet-spot that I like.

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HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com

I like this explanation!

I currently have used the Nickel Method on my Highway 1 and my CV 60. I may have raised them up on the treble side jut a bit, and I like the way the pickup sound. My American Special is still at the same positions I bought it with; however, I am considering lowering them using the Nickel Method and raising as needed.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head