Question about pickup height on PRS SE SS

[PopsInABox]

Hey folks... As I posted over here, I got a new PRS SE SS. It's my first s-style guitar.

I have a question with regards to pickup heights... what effect will moving them up/down have on tone/sound? Also, do you folks have a preference for how you set them up? Now, I know I can experiment and move them around and see for myself, and I will.... I'm just hoping that you folks will give this novice ear some pointers and advice before I delve into it.

I appreciate it.

 

[SinSir]

There is no right or wrong answer. Whatever sounds best to your ear for your playing style, music, and rig.

I'm generally a lower pickup guy

 

[PopsInABox]

There is no right or wrong answer. Whatever sounds best to your ear for your playing style, music, and rig.

I'm generally a lower pickup guy

Thanks for that... what is the general effect of 'lower'? What is it that YOU like about having YOUR guitars like that? More open, airy? Less 'sharp'?

Thanks for letting me learn from you.

 

[Bogner]

I Tune To Ear And In Doing So It Takes Time For Our Ears To Adjust, Etc. Best To Document Your Turn Amount On The Screws And Write Down Everything In The Moment So You Can Go Back With Fresh Ears And Re-Listen And Or Adjust As Needed. Depending On The Pickup, Type, Output You Can Get A Little Bit Different Results By Going Higher Or Lower To String Proximity. Too High Can Lose Some Dynamics And Too Low Can Lose Output Or What Is Perceived As Power/Volume. You Also Don't Want To Go So High That You Get String Pull From The Pickup Magnets. Slow And Steady Wins This Race IMO Along With Good Notes A Little Time And Patience.

 

[Maxime Bousquet]

As mentioned,
there's no wrong answer, but I adjust them to maximize as much as possible.

Be aware that too high is worse than too low, loss of sustain, little induce distortion and artifacts..
Adjusting lower is less bass and less punch but in between I prefer to adjust them lower!

 

[FatFingerBlues]

its very simple
play a short clean riff you are very familiar with
Then turn each adjustment screw Counter-clockwise a half turn
Then play the riff again, listening to the tone
if you don't like the change go another half turn or put it back like it was
I generally find that lowering it a little mellows out the tone especially the highs

Make sure you count the screw turns
and remember so you can always put it back where you started

Clockwise raises
Counter-clockwise lowers

 

[SinSir]

Thanks for that... what is the general effect of 'lower'? What is it that YOU like about having YOUR guitars like that? More open, airy? Less 'sharp'?

Thanks for letting me learn from you.

It's real simple process for me, maybea little time consuming but straightforward enough. I adjust the pickups even with the pickguard or pickup ring. Adjust up down in quarter, half, or full turns. Find what's right for that pickup. Move on to the next. Then check balance, play with knobs, pickup selector, and adjust small tweaks to find a good pickup balance and best tone. A day or two later I go back with fresh ears.

I play a few chords, scales, and simple riffs as sound tests.

On a strat style I typically have the neck low, a bit higher than the guard to open it up. The middle lower than the neck and bridge for good quack/glass in 2 and 4 and picking clearancs. Then the bridge the highest of the three for more hair.