best distance between string and pickup

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 10 Mar 2005 9:20 pm

since the magnetic flux of the pickup tends to work against a strings sustaining its vibration, anyone know the ideal distance between pickup and strings? OR...whats too close? Thanks.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 10 Mar 2005 10:20 pm

The old rule of thumb is the thickness of two quarters for naked magnets, and the thickness of one quarter for covered pickups. For those outside the US, a quarter is a common medium-sized coin.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 11 Mar 2005 8:43 am

I personally don't go any closer than 3/16".

------------------
Ricky Davis

Rebel™ and Ricky's Audio Clips
www.mightyfinemusic.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian@austin.rr.com

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Mar 2005 8:48 am

Steve, experiments I've done make me disagree with the many players and builders that say this is a significant problem. On a regular electric guitar, where the pickups are farther from the bridge, they do tend to reduce the vibration a little. But on a steel guitar, the pickup (there's only one) is very close to the bridge, so they just don't have as significant an effect. Like "cabinet drop", I think this is one of the factors that has been sort of "blown out of proportion" on steel guitars.

To do your own test, simply place a magnet near an open string at the nut-end of the guitar (at the same distance from the nut as your pickup is from the bridge). Then, strike the open string, and move the magnet closer and farther from the string.

Notice any significant difference?

Neither did I.

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 11 Mar 2005 9:06 am

It depends on the pickup.

------------------
Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud LLG; Guyatone 6 string lap steel; John Pearse bar; Emmons bar; Evans SE200 amp

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 11 Mar 2005 9:40 am

In another thread, Ricky mentioned the thickness of three quarters as being a good distance between the magnets and the strings. I tried that on my Mullen (stock pickup) and am very pleased with the tone.

Lee, from South Texas

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 11 Mar 2005 11:12 am

How about a 17.5 TT and an 18.5 TT on a push-pull?

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 11 Mar 2005 10:26 pm

Thanks, that kind of clears it up. That makes sense Donny.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 12 Mar 2005 5:45 am

I've never noticed any change in sustain with the pickup closer to the strings. However, I have experimented with tightening and loosening the neck screws with obvious results in sustain. But, here's a strange one: Very tight neck screws on aluminum necks will kill the sustain. Just barely snug is best. But, the opposite is true for wood neck guitars. I have a 1976 U-12 MSA with a wooden neck. I tightened the neck screws as tight as I could without stripping the screw heads. The sustain is unreal. Dennis

Ron Shepard · Post by **Ron Shepard** » 14 Mar 2005 8:51 am

Well, after reading this post I decided to check the height of my pick ups in relation to the strings. By lowering them to about two or three quarters thickness.... I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE! in clarity
sustain, everything. The highs are where they are supposed be and the lows as well.
since then I have eliminated the effects and am now playing with just my guitar and amp with now, less reverb. Thanks for this post
and to Dennis, I also loosened the screws a bit on the underside of the necks(they were
very tight) that contibuted to this huge difference I now have in sound.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 15 Mar 2005 5:47 pm

<SMALL>By lowering them to about two or three quarters thickness....</SMALL>

Gosh Ron, How close were they to begin with?

I've never been able to set mine any closer than two-quarters (a little over an eighth inch) because they hit the pickup when my hand touches the strings. I've found on all my guitars (MSA, Emmons, Marlen) that anything between an eighth inch and a quarter inch works pretty well, so I settled on three sixteenths.

Ron Shepard · Post by **Ron Shepard** » 16 Mar 2005 4:22 pm

Donny, they were too close, thats my 75 cents
worth.