Balancing Humbucker pickups volumes

[Abe]

So on my PRS SE Hollowbody II the neck pickup seems significantly louder than the bridge pickup. I'd like to adjust the pickup heights to make it so the volume could be pretty equal between the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, and both of them combined.

Do you think I should start by raising the bridge pickup or start by lowering the neck pickup?

Any suggestions as to how to best achieve what I'm after?

Thanks.

 

[FatFingerBlues]

It depends
LOL
Big help right?

It depends on your tone
if you think it would benefit to bring the highs down a hair then lower the neck pick up
if you like the highs raise the bridge
personally I would begin with lowering as generally I find lowering pickups to mellow out the tone more to my liking

 

[Birdsofprey]

Start by lowering the neck pickup flush with the pickup ring. Then adjust your bridge pickup for balance (middle switch position)…….then only through the clean setting in your amp adjust the pickup pole piece heights for a nice balanced strum. Raise the pole for more volume on that string otherwise lower it. Oh and did I mention this all after you have adjusted the neck relief and bridge height.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Unless they're bottomed out for some reason, I tend to lower both bridge and neck, with the neck usually
lower than the bridge relative to the strings.

 

[Abe]

So in the video below the PRS guy says all humbucker equipped PRS guitars are standard set to 2.5/32nds between pickups and bass strings, and 2/32nds between pickups and treble strings.

But my guitar came with them quite a bit further away.

 

[SinSir]

The PRS specs provided are just a guideline. Season to taste. I never look at any of them and instead use my ears.

Start at ground zero. Flush with the pickup ring. Up/down 1/4, 1/2, and full turns until one sounds the best. Move to the other. Switch between the two and check to see if balance is where you want it. Check middle tones. Rinse and repeat until dialed in. Check again with fresh ears the next day. There is no wrong or right answer. Only what sounds best to you with your playing through your rig on that guitar.

Personally, I think equal usually sounds like crap. I want the best I can get out of all positions without being too far outta whack. My neck is usually around ring height and the bridge higher to wherever it has some bite but not overpowering.

 

[theDeepender]

So on my PRS SE Hollowbody II the neck pickup seems significantly louder than the bridge pickup. I'd like to adjust the pickup heights to make it so the volume could be pretty equal between the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, and both of them combined.

Do you think I should start by raising the bridge pickup or start by lowering the neck pickup?

Any suggestions as to how to best achieve what I'm after?

Thanks.

Depending on the current measurements, both.

 

[Glide-bpm]

I won't even get into what I do to the screw pole pieces after setting the overall height. LoL!!!

 

[SinSir]

I won't even get into what I do to the screw pole pieces after setting the overall height. LoL!!!

Right!??! I don't recommend the pole pieces either to people that learning about adjusting pickup height. It can really alter the voicing. Went through a nightmare dial in for a used covered 5909 I picked up. I don't know what they were doing with the pole pieces but it didn't surprise me they sold the pickup. All sorts of jacked tone. Sounds incredible now.. good thing guitars are my therapy or I'd have PTSD.

 

[Zoot Allures]

My process is to adjust the bridge pickup by ear to the optimal sound then adjust the neck pickup to match the bridge pickup volume. YMMV.

 

[Abe]

So below is what I measured my humbuckers to be at as the SE PRS came to me new. It doesn't seem to match what this guy said was standard for all humbucker equipped PRSs.



PRS SE Hollowbody II Pickup Height : As came New:

High E - Neck - Bridge
2.75mm - 2mm


Low E - Neck - Bridge
2.5mm - 2.75mm

 

[theDeepender]

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the pickup height. You’ve already completed the first step; measuring the current height so you cann go back to that if needed. Get your screwdriver and give each screw 1/4 turn at a time. Then play it to see if the tone is getting better or worse. Remember that too close often causes the note to stray, so getting closer than the recommended height gets dicey. That said, there are those who love a closer setting.

 

[SinSir]

So below is what I measured my humbuckers to be at as the SE PRS came to me new. It doesn't seem to match what this guy said was standard for all humbucker equipped PRSs.



PRS SE Hollowbody II Pickup Height : As came New:

High E - Neck - Bridge
2.75mm - 2mm


Low E - Neck - Bridge
2.5mm - 2.75mm

Pretty close to spec besides the bass side of the neck. Maybe this will help.

https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408310400667-Pickup-Heights-and-Pickup-Height-Adjustment

Grab a screw driver and experiment.. don't be scared

 

[Abe]

I still have yet to raise my pickups closer to the strings, but I think I will soon.

One main thing that comes to mind is while some electric guitars' sound can be considered "bright" when they have a lot of treble, I'd say this SE Hollowbody II is "dark". I find myself forgetting I have the bridge pickup selected, like when I've already been playing on the bridge pickup I find myself looking to switch to the bridge pickup like it's not what I've been playing on. Seems a bit beyond what I can dial in via EQ on what I'm plugged in to. It's the first hollowbody electric I've owned though.

So I think what I'll do is raise the bridge pickup to 2.5/32nds / 1.984mm / (thickness of a nickel) under the Low E and 2/32nds / 1.59mm / (thickness of a penny) under the high E. From there I'll see if this guitar can give me a bit more treble, and if I want to raise the neck pickup to that height as well to be in line with what the PRS guy says all humbucker equipped PRS guitars are standard set to in the above video.

However I knew when I acquired this guitar that it may not be the brightest sounding guitar.

 

[Abe]

Pickup adjustment and some knob dialing and I'm getting more of what I was after.

 

[Birdsofprey]

^ All for the best price ever, free! Good to hear.

 

[Birdsofprey]

Right!??! I don't recommend the pole pieces either to people that learning about adjusting pickup height. It can really alter the voicing. Went through a nightmare dial in for a used covered 5909 I picked up. I don't know what they were doing with the pole pieces but it didn't surprise me they sold the pickup. All sorts of jacked tone. Sounds incredible now.. good thing guitars are my therapy or I'd have PTSD.

The bridge should not sit flush or flat to the body. The forward edge sits into the knife edge mounting screws and allows both fwd and rearward movement. I’ve never had an issue with any core PRS bridges, that being said 99% of the time it’s the nut that is the culprit. The bridge when set up properly will always come back to pitch. There are some great set up videos hopefully someone will post.

Ah you must mean Paul’s Tone Search Disorder…..

 

[Abe]

I see your location there. I live in western MA. I bought this guitar in Northampton.

Seemed like the place I bought it from had one of last brand new ones in this color remaining for sale.

 

[Birdsofprey]

I’m forty five minutes east off rte2, I’ve been to that store, nice guy’s.

 

[Abe]

Yea they really hooked me up after a certain online guitar dealer tried to stick me with a used and abused one for full price. Hadn't been a floor model or anything, they just had it stashed for me apparently. The guitar's serial number even has my birth year in it.