It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:00 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 3:56 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
I recently found out that the specs for pickup height on fenders website is only relevant if you use the 1.6mm string height they specify too.
my strings are currently at 2.5mm which I find easier to bend, and I think it gives a better tone.
can anyone tell me how far my pickups should be from the strings?
I'm using fender 150L's (9-42 pure nickle)

Thanks in advance for any help.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:03 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
If you think that 2.5 mm yields the best tone then they're optimized for your particular sonic parameters. Fender's recommended specs are merely a guideline.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:24 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
My string height is 2.5mm at the 17th fret. my pickups are currently set as per the texas special specs. 3.2mm bass and 2.4mm treble. this is because my strings are a bit higher than normal. I'm wondering if the measurements I have given will get the most out of the fat 50's.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:33 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
Easy enough to find out -- got a phillips screwdriver?

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:51 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
Yeah, but my amp isn't very good. so I'm not sure whether I'm making things worse or better. I have a gorilla TC-80 tube cruncher.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:37 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
kiss nation wrote:
I recently found out that the specs for pickup height on fenders website is only relevant if you use the 1.6mm string height they specify too.
my strings are currently at 2.5mm which I find easier to bend, and I think it gives a better tone.
can anyone tell me how far my pickups should be from the strings?
I'm using fender 150L's (9-42 pure nickle)

Thanks in advance for any help.


Pickup height is measured from the top of the pickup pole piece to the bottom of the associated string. How high your strings are off the fret board is irrelevant. Assume your high E string is 4/64" (Sorry. I don't do metric.) off the fretboard (at 17th fret or wherever you like to measure) and you like the sound with the pickup pole 6/64" from the high E. If you raise the string to 5/64" off the fretboard, just raise the high E end of the pickup 1/64". It will still then be 6/64" from the string.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:41 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
Thanks for the help :-)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:13 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
bluesky636 wrote:
Pickup height is measured from the top of the pickup pole piece to the bottom of the associated string. How high your strings are off the fret board is irrelevant. Assume your high E string is 4/64" (Sorry. I don't do metric.) off the fretboard (at 17th fret or wherever you like to measure) and you like the sound with the pickup pole 6/64" from the high E. If you raise the string to 5/64" off the fretboard, just raise the high E end of the pickup 1/64". It will still then be 6/64" from the string.


Clearly there is going to be a problem with doing that.
if all the strings are set at the same height at the 17th fret then they will match the curve of the fretboard. the pole pieces on the fat 50's pickups are staggered. but they aren't staggered to match the curve of the fretboard like the strings are.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:44 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
kiss nation wrote:
bluesky636 wrote:
Pickup height is measured from the top of the pickup pole piece to the bottom of the associated string. How high your strings are off the fret board is irrelevant. Assume your high E string is 4/64" (Sorry. I don't do metric.) off the fretboard (at 17th fret or wherever you like to measure) and you like the sound with the pickup pole 6/64" from the high E. If you raise the string to 5/64" off the fretboard, just raise the high E end of the pickup 1/64". It will still then be 6/64" from the string.


Clearly there is going to be a problem with doing that.
if all the strings are set at the same height at the 17th fret then they will match the curve of the fretboard. the pole pieces on the fat 50's pickups are staggered. but they aren't staggered to match the curve of the fretboard like the strings are.


String to pickup distance is measured at the high and low E pole pieces. The other pole pieces are set to compensate for the different string gauges and magnetic properties of each string.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 7:12 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm
Posts: 60
Clearly I'm worrying over nothing.
thanks again for the help :-)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:14 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:27 pm
Posts: 3448
Location: Connecticut
bluesky636 wrote:
kiss nation wrote:
I recently found out that the specs for pickup height on fenders website is only relevant if you use the 1.6mm string height they specify too.
my strings are currently at 2.5mm which I find easier to bend, and I think it gives a better tone.
can anyone tell me how far my pickups should be from the strings?
I'm using fender 150L's (9-42 pure nickle)

Thanks in advance for any help.


Pickup height is measured from the top of the pickup pole piece to the bottom of the associated string. How high your strings are off the fret board is irrelevant. Assume your high E string is 4/64" (Sorry. I don't do metric.) off the fretboard (at 17th fret or wherever you like to measure) and you like the sound with the pickup pole 6/64" from the high E. If you raise the string to 5/64" off the fretboard, just raise the high E end of the pickup 1/64". It will still then be 6/64" from the string.


^^ This times + 10

_________________
"C'est parti mon Kiki "


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender fat 50's pickup height?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 1:16 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
kiss nation wrote:
Clearly I'm worrying over nothing.
thanks again for the help :-)


You're welcome.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: