New to single coil. Is the silver sky's factory setting's pickup height too high?

[waltuh]

Got this from PRS' website:
Treble Pickup
2/32" [1.6 mm] on the treble side.
4/32" [3.2 mm] on the bass side.

Middle Pickup
3.5/32" [2.8 mm] on the treble side.
4/32" [3.2 mm] on the bass side.

Bass Pickup
2.5/32" [2 mm] on the treble side.
4/32" [3.2 mm] on the bass side.

Not that i want to copy the exact specs, i just want to find a middle ground for single coil to dial my amp and pedals to based on the guitar, not the other way around. Since i'm new to single coil, i don't know my "middle ground" guitar sound unlike what i do with humbuckers.

Can anyone help me with a pickup height setting? Particularly on a silver sky SE.

 

[Birdsofprey]

My .02 cents, i always start with new strings even if the guitar is new. Amp should be clean settings. Ruler what’s that! I use my ears and just like humbuckers I start by adjusting the pickups so that there is balance between all three when using the switch. Same output, then if you want to fine tune you can add/subtract bass or treble by just adjusting one side like the slant thing. Finally output would most likely be based on how close the pickups are to the strings. This one probably changes the sound/ output the most of all the adjustments. Play with the adjustments as in the end if you don’t like what you’ve done can always set it up to factory specs. I’ve never and do not own a guitar setup to factory specs, though I’m sure they’re a good starting point. Oh and lastly you’ll learn a lot by messing with setup. Bonus .03 cents on your humbucker guitar setups after all your adjustments are done again clean amp settings adjust the pole pieces for string balance sitting there one string at a time listening for volume and balance across a picked chord. Sorry to ramble and good luck.

 

[Lewguitar]

Been playing Strats since the 1960's and for me the STARTING POINT is all about the distance from the underside of the strings to the polepieces of the pickups when the strings are held down at the the highest fret.

So first adjust your action and intonation and get it perfect. Then adjust your pickups to sound good with that.

I hold down the low E string at the highest fret and adjust the pickups so the polepieces are about 1/8" to 3/16" away from the underside of the strings for the low E string.

I can usually adjust the bridge pickup a little closer.

Then I hold down the high E string at the highest fret and adjust the neck and middle pickups about 1/16" to 1/8" away from the underside of the strings. You might be able to get away with adjusting the bridge pickup closer on the treble side, to 1/16".

Plug in and play up high on the wound strings, especially the low E.

Are the pickups too close to the strings so the polepiece magnet is pulling the low E out of tune when you fret up high?

If so, adjust the neck and middle pickup further away on the low E side in increments of about 1/16".

You might be able to leave the bridge pickup as is. If not, move it a little further away too but you might not have to.

That's how I do it. By eye and by ear. That's my starting point from where I tweak.

And you can always go back to the beginning and start over.

Eventually you'll find the right setting for YOU.

 

[László]

You have my admiration, pickup height tweakers and adjusters!

I usually just go with the factory settings, and am happy.

Once I start tweaking setups I eventually end up somewhere I don't want to be, and wonder what the heck I was thinking.

The same thing happens when setting up studio monitors. Last time the process took me about two years to get right. Distance from front and back walls, height, distance from side walls, acoustical treatment, stands, angle of speakers, distance between speakers, distance from computer desk, and on and on.

Change one thing, and everything else needs to change. I mean, it's VERY right now, but getting there was a chore.

I don't have the patience to do it with guitars. Not that I'm proud of my extreme lack of skills or laziness!

 

[Drew]

I apply a video I watched a long time ago about truss rods and apply it to pickups. The conclusion of the vid was don't be afraid of your truss rod, as the guy was turning it all sorts of directions and showing the affects of doing so. Same thing applies to pickguard mounted pickups. Get your screwdriver and go through the whole range of decking them to having them close to the strings. There will be a sweet spot you'll like. Factory specs are based on someone else's preference and may not be best for you.

 

[waltuh]

I apply a video I watched a long time ago about truss rods and apply it to pickups. The conclusion of the vid was don't be afraid of your truss rod, as the guy was turning it all sorts of directions and showing the affects of doing so. Same thing applies to pickguard mounted pickups. Get your screwdriver and go through the whole range of decking them to having them close to the strings. There will be a sweet spot you'll like. Factory specs are based on someone else's preference and may not be best for you.

Turns out the factory setup actually works for me. I thought it will be too hot because it's very close the strings but it's not.
Cheers

 

[Lewguitar]

Turns out the factory setup actually works for me. I thought it will be too hot because it's very close the strings but it's not.
Cheers

I tend to like my pickups closer to the strings than most people.

Remember tho that those polepieces are actual alnico 5 magnets on the Silver Sky.

Just like vintage strat pickups they'll pull on the steel strings like magnets do...and cause a warbling, out of tune affect on the low E string especially when I'm playing chords high on the neck.

It's almost always caused by the neck pickup being being too close to the low E string.

You might have to move the middle pickup 1/16" further away too.

The bridge pickup can be closer because the string doesn't move much over the bridge pickups because it's anchored to the actual bridge.

 

[dogrocketp]

After you've had the guitar for a while, Go to Youtube and look up Lindy Fralon's video on adjusting single coil pickup height. It's the best one I've seen.

 

[Rider1260]

I run my pickups lower ( I think ) I set mine without fretting any notes , I'm closer to 4-5/ 32nds
I have it written down , ill have to look again But yes I lowered the pickups when I got my 2018