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Post subject: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:28 am
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Found these numbers on a website:

It says these are the distances from the string to the top of the pickup with the string pressed against the last fret. My question is: Should you measure from the bottom of the string or the top.

Bridge pickup
• Low-E string: 2.5 mm/0.0984"
• High-E string: 2.0 mm/0.0787"
Middle pickup
• Low-E string: 3.0 mm/0.1181"
• High-E string: 2.5 mm/0.0984"
Neck pickup
• Low-E string: 3.5 mm/0.1378"
• High-E string: 3.0 mm/0.1181"

And does anyone agree with these numbers.
And what are the effects of the strings being too high or too low?


Last edited by rupertmja on Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat sting height
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 4:10 am
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Measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pickup pole (or the highest point on top of the pickup, if they are e.g. Lace Sensors). Place a ruler on top of the pickup, and you'll see the measure line from the side of the guitar. (Or use a caliper, or a set of feeler gauges if you're more comfortable with these.)
Generally speaking, measures for a guitar setup are given for a gap between two closest points.

Pickup too close to the strings: may cause buzzing, or the magnetic pull can cause all kinds of funny things.
Pickups too far from the strings: low volume, sustain etc.

Both of those can cause overall poor sound, sustain, and/or volume differences between different pickups - and so on.

I don't agree or disagree with those numbers, they should be considered recommendations and not exact measures. They're the starting point for the final adjustment, which is done by ear.
Stratocaster Setup Guide gives several recommendations for different pickup types, so I'd start on those.


Last edited by jmattis on Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat sting height
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 4:57 am
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I just got new pickups in my Strat and followed those measurements to begin with, but my action is on the high side so when I fretted notes on the higher frets the strings got too close to the pickups so I had to lower the PUs a bit. Every guitar is different, so those measurements are a good starting point but you want to tweak them by ear after that. Also make sure that all 5 settings a relatively consistent volume wise.

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Post subject: Re: Strat sting height
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:04 am
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String height and pickup height are two different things. Set your string height to where you like the feel and you don't get too much buzzing. THEN, set your pickup height. Don't set the strings to the pickups. Set the pickups to the strings.

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Post subject: Re: Strat sting height
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:52 am
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rupertmja wrote:
Found these numbers on a website:

My question is: Should you measure from the bottom of the string or the top.

[ ?



Always from the bottom .


For same height ( mesure from the bottom ) high E string and a big gauge low E won't be at same height if mesure from the top because of diameter . :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Strat sting height
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:36 pm
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Drew365 wrote:
String height and pickup height are two different things. Set your string height to where you like the feel and you don't get too much buzzing. THEN, set your pickup height. Don't set the strings to the pickups. Set the pickups to the strings.


+1.. I didn't notice first time around you were asking about string height but quoting the numbers suggested for pickup height. Adjust your string height for playability first, then adjust the pickups relative to the strings.

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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:16 am
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Sorry - yes - I did mean from the pickups. Just altered the header to make it clearer.


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:57 am
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That didn't clear thing up for me at all... :roll:

Now, what are you trying to adjust,
the string height (in other words, action), or
the pickup height?

Like said above, you first adjust the string height, then you raise or lower the pickups according to that.
See the Strat setup guide, it also gives instructions on what to do first, what last.


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:44 am
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Maybe this will clear things up. The OP said, "with the string pressed against the last fret." Obviously talking about adjusting pickups, not string height. How could anyone adjust string height "with the string pressed against the last fret?" :wink:
Robert


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:50 am
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robert_p43 wrote:
Maybe this will clear things up. The OP said, "with the string pressed against the last fret." Obviously talking about adjusting pickups, not string height. How could anyone adjust string height "with the string pressed against the last fret?" :wink:
Robert



+1


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:57 am
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robert_p43 wrote:
Maybe this will clear things up. The OP said, "with the string pressed against the last fret." Obviously talking about adjusting pickups, not string height. How could anyone adjust string height "with the string pressed against the last fret?" :wink:
Robert

That's how I understood it in the first place. Then things got a bit hazy... :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:21 am
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All good. Thanks for the info guys.


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:39 am
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jmattis wrote:
robert_p43 wrote:
Maybe this will clear things up. The OP said, "with the string pressed against the last fret." Obviously talking about adjusting pickups, not string height. How could anyone adjust string height "with the string pressed against the last fret?" :wink:
Robert

That's how I understood it in the first place. Then things got a bit hazy... :mrgreen:

I know what you mean, the more I read, the more I got confused. That's when I thought, just what was the question? Ha Ha! It's all good. :)


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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:05 pm
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Just to add to the confusion (sorry!) what about if the pickups have staggered pole pieces? I assume you still just measure from the pickup itself, not the pole piece, is that correct?
:?

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Post subject: Re: Strat string height - from pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 8:01 pm
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You always want to measure from the pole piece.. regardless of whether the poles are staggered or not.
Reference points are still the High E and Low E strings

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