How high should my bridge pickup be?
For standard, full-size humbuckers, a reasonable starting point for the bridge pickup is at least 1/16″ (1.5mm) from the high E and 5/64″ (2 mm) from the low E. There are no recommended distances for the other 4 strings.
Should bridge pickup be higher than neck?
Bridge pickups have higher resistance and therefore more output than their neck position counterparts. The neck pickup’s lower resistance and output tend to compensate for its dullness.
How close should bridge pickup be to the strings?
1.6-millimeter
Gibson’s engineers recommend a 1.6-millimeter distance between the strings and the pickups for the bridge pickup, and 2.4 millimeters for the neck pickup. In the 1950s, it was 1.6-millimeters for both pickups, which may have reflected the lower-output, unpotted standard of the day.
Should the neck pickup be lower than the bridge pickup?
We affirmed earlier that, by setting the neck pickup lower than the bridge pickup, you are effectively aiming for a more evened-out tone. This is because neck pickups tend to be louder than bridge pickups. After all, they are closer to the area with the highest amplitude (the middle of the string).
What happens if you put a bridge pickup in the neck position?
Many guitarists, especially jazz players, have put specifically wound bridge pickups in the neck position for added warmth and fullness. Pickups that are calibrated for the bridge position can generally have 5% to 40% more turns when using finer gauges of magnet wire for the coils.
Why is my bridge pickup so quiet?
The most likely is a damaged wire, worn selector switch or a bad solder joint – which is leaving a very poor connection or no connection. You should check all wiring and solder joints.
Why is neck pickup louder than bridge?
Essentially, the neck pickup is positioned closer to the strings ‘peak’ vibrations resulting in a louder output than the bridge pickup. In comparison, the bridge pickup is positioned closer to the saddle where the vibrations are less prominent, resulting in a weaker output.
What happens if you put a neck pickup in the bridge?
If a pickup is wound hotter for the bridge, it can have more volume and fullness but can sound to dark or fat sounding in the neck position. The string vibration near the bridge is less than the neck position and players often want a better balance between positions.