Pickup adjustment & honk

[martinman]

Ok, so strange title for a thread - but I think you know what I mean . On my s2 mira I can get this great sounding midrange / honk at various points on the neck when in middle position (both coil tapped and regular). Right now, the pickups are essentially buried - way far away from factory spec. Both the neck and bridge humbucker are nearly 5mm (13/64ths). When I adjust the pickups to factory spec it nearly disappears. So, how can I get the same tonal response with the pickups being closer to factory? ... or am I just hearing things?! Thanks!

 

[Birdsofprey]

I don’t think you’re just hearing things, I think your hearing is picking up on the adjustments you made. And speaking of picking try raising the pickups back and adjust your picking position over the fwd side of the treble pickup. This little trick can definitely change the honk of any guitar but i think very noticeable on a two humbucker guitar.

 

[martinman]

Ah good info -- I only had them raised for a bit while was playing, then put them back. Makes total sense that pick position makes a difference.

Wondering if what I'm hearing is also due to the lower output with the PUs being so low?

 

[Birdsofprey]

Yup agree by having the pickups so low that can only pickup so much of the string vibration. The pickup output (its microphone like feature) never changes just the setup or string height of a particular guitar. Food for thought the number one way to change tone in an electric guitar is by changing or adjusting the pickups. The number one way to change the tone on an acoustic guitar (where the guitar is in fact the microphone ) is to change guitars to a different tone wood! My 02 cents.

 

[Rider1260]

On most humbucker guitars I run the neck pickup at or below the pickup ring , pickups should be adjusted to work with your rig and playing style.

 

[SinSir]

On most humbucker guitars I run the neck pickup at or below the pickup ring , pickups should be adjusted to work with your rig and playing style.

Same here. It always sounds best there to my ears. More dynamic

 

[Glide-bpm]

I go by distance from the strings and then adjust to taste on the bass and treble side and then the screw poles if any strings aren't playing nice!

 

[Rod/]

Do you guys raise your bridge pickups close to the strings or have them further away to keep a balanced tone that’s not to bright? ?

 

[SinSir]

Do you guys raise your bridge pickups close to the strings or have them further away to keep a balanced tone that’s not to bright? ?

Depends on the pickup. Most of mine are pretty low. Some as low as the neck.

 

[László]

Do you guys raise your bridge pickups close to the strings or have them further away to keep a balanced tone that’s not to bright? ?

I'm boring. I usually find the factory settings best.

The honk you're describing comes from resonant peaks and their harmonics that occur at different frequencies and their multiples. That'll always depend on where you are on the neck, the particular guitar, and the pickups.