Pole Piece adjustment

[metalchurch79]

I know that you can adjust the pickup poles to dial in the voicing of certain chords.
My question is how do you calibrate that? Do you go by ear or what?
Is anyone really good at doing this? If so, would you please give me some tips on how to do this. Maybe a step by step guide if you have time.

Question#2
By lowering the whole pickup evenly, it sounds like it has a darker tone because the magnetic pull of the poles aren't as great. Is this true?

Question#3
Why do some pickups have double rows of adjustable poles (ie: most DiMarzio,certain Seymours like the Screamin'Demon.), and some have only one row like the TB-4 JB?
And some don't have any at all like Bill Lawrence,EMG,Fenders etc..

What are some of the theory behind adjustable and non adjustable poles?
Are some calibrated better from the factory, and therefore do not need adjustable poles?

Thanks, I know this is alot of questions!
I appreciate any thoughts, theories, or ideas.

[satyr]

It's a combination of the string (saddle) arc and the CORE wire size.
Usually the 4 string will be up a bit more (1/8") ....2, 5, 6 up about half that, and 1 flush, for a 9-1\2"" radius....Flatten them out more for a 12-16 radius, and flatter on the bridge pickup if the saddles are flat across(usually better on a Charvel or Jackson).Keep in mind the flatter the better for effects!
Don't go by strat pickups, they are set simply for a 7-1\2 radius neck..
This assumes the pickup is not angled....good luck!!

[metalchurch79]

So basically I set the poles like you said, and that's it? Is that the standard or accepted staggering, or could it be 'voiced' another way?

Thanks for your input, but I have to admit, I'm still in the dark about most of this.

[toejam]

You can set the poles to balance out the sound of the strings. There is no right or wrong way. Some people like them the same level and just adjust the pickup height, others like the pickup a little lower and raise the poles until they get the eq or sound that they want.

Also, the people on the Duncan Forum do crazy pole piece and magnet swapping mods to some pickups. By using hex screws or big Invader screws (not to mention the gauge of wire a pickup is wound with), you can get a different tone and really hone in on a certain tone or tightness or frequencies that you're looking for.
Blade magnets like the Bill Lawrence or DiMarzio X2N just focus the strings over the whole magnet and you won't get any signal drop-off that you may experience when bending the strings over regular pole pieces.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/

[metalchurch79]

I've heard about the 'modding' of pole pieces before also. I did that to a TB-12 Screamin' Demon, I swapped the row of slotted screws out for Allen heads to match the other coil. It basically made it look like the Full Shred pickup. I thought it looked much cleaner that way. Didn't really notice much of a tonal difference really.

Right now my JB has the slotted poles adjusted evenly. I layed a thick .95 feeler gauge across the poles and eye balled it. Took a few tries, but I eventually got them all even. I've been messing around w/ the overall pup height mostly, then I remembered that I could change the sound even more by adjusting the poles. And that's what brought this thread to life.

I still don't understand why DiMarzio's humbuckers mostly all have double rows of adjustable poles, and Duncan's only have a few double rows, with the majority of them being a single row of straight slot screws.

What benefit if any would lead to that type of design? (single row adj. poles)

Like my JB for example the neck side of the pickup has flat non adj. but the bridge side has adj. poles. Doesn't make much sense to me.

I think thats why I prefer the Lawrence's cause they distribute even magnetic pull across the entire coil.

Does any one know what an EMG humbucker looks like with the cover removed? Are they a blade style?

[DrDestruction]

I prefer to radius-match the polepieces on a pickup if I can do so. I'll typically adjust my pickups as high as I can without them hitting the strings (usually up to 1/8-inch) and then move the polepieces to within 1/16-inch of the strings.

I find that doing this gives me a much more aggressive sound through all six strings while also preserving some high end (as the pole pieces are higher up than the rest of the pickup).

[Newc]

I've lowered pickups to the bottom and had mile-high pole pieces, mostly on crappy no-name, no-tone import pickups (those MKZs) with great success. A pickup that once had a flat and dull tone becomes sparkly.

As for double rows of adjustable poles, there's no real "reason" for them to have them and others to not. They're too close together to mix the "darker" side with the "lighter" side. Maybe if you were doing Series/Parallel wiring mods where you've got one side working on a group of strings more than the other, but for straight humbucker wiring, adjusting both rows evenly will simply double the output/effect of the raised poles.

As I understand it, EMGs are bar-style under the covers. They're thicker than blades.

[metalchurch79]

I've lowered pickups to the bottom and had mile-high pole pieces, mostly on crappy no-name, no-tone import pickups (those MKZs) with great success. A pickup that once had a flat and dull tone becomes sparkly.

As for double rows of adjustable poles, there's no real "reason" for them to have them and others to not. They're too close together to mix the "darker" side with the "lighter" side. Maybe if you were doing Series/Parallel wiring mods where you've got one side working on a group of strings more than the other, but for straight humbucker wiring, adjusting both rows evenly will simply double the output/effect of the raised poles.

As I understand it, EMGs are bar-style under the covers. They're thicker than blades.

That's the assumption that I was coming to, is the fact that they are too close together to really matter.
Sounds like I'm opening up a can of worms here. I wish I knew more about the theory of magnets and pickup technology then I would be able to make a better judgement.
A buddy of mine said that I could voice the poles to sound good for a barre chord for ex., but they wouldn't ring as good for an open 'C' chord.
Something about the magnetic pull on the string and the oscillation rate..
Whatever...
But adjusting the poles to match the radius makes alot more sense to me really.
My buddy also said to find a Strat pickup w/ nonadj. poles and use that as a guide. But they are single coils and that would work if I were coil splitting as Newc said. I'll just have to keep messing with it, and if I find anything worth posting I will.

I also heard about the EMG's having a bar design, like the Lawrences.
Wonder if the Seymour Blackout also has the same design, considering they are cosmetically similar, and they even share the same quik connect as the EMG's. Which I still can't get over.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to all those who have read and replied to this.
What I love about this site, is the fact that you guys have welcomed me from day one.
I can only hope that I offer the same knowledge and insight on other topics. After all that is what forums are supposed to be for, and JCF is a prime example of that! Thanks again!

[Newc]

Another thing to consider is that high-gain pickups most likely won't have as much noticeable effect as low-medium output pickups, simply because their design generates a magnetic field that is larger than the effective range of their individual poles.

[metalchurch79]

Another thing to consider is that high-gain pickups most likely won't have as much noticeable effect as low-medium output pickups, simply because their design generates a magnetic field that is larger than the effective range of their individual poles.

You know that thought has also crossed my mind. Now a JB isn't a real high gain pickup, but compared to a PAF it is a hotrod pickup. And that would account for the fact that even when I lower the whole pickup there is a slight change if any.

I did notice that when I run the pickup slightly lower than I normally run mine, it cleans up nicely and becomes more refined.

I set my passives between 3/16" to 1/4" below the Low E.
And on actives they are maybe 1/8" if that below the Low E.

[Newc]

I get better results with a JB if I angle it slightly towards one side or the other.

I don't usually go by a set formula of pickup height i.e. x/x" from the strings. I tweak it till it sounds good to me, and that could be up or down.

[Spivonious]

I never paid too much attention to it but after reading this thread I adjusted my JB to match the board radius. Chords sound better all over the neck!

[metalchurch79]

I have a Dr. appointment today, but that was on my things to do list for today actually! That's weird you mention that. I was going to do the same thing.

How did you adjust yours?
Did you raise the whole pickup higher, then adjust the poles to match, then lowered the pickup back down to where it normally is?

That's how I was gonna do mine.

[Model1VH2]

I can't remember where I saw it, but there was a site that showed how to modify a humbucker to have 12 adjustable pole pieces inseat of 6.

Does anyone remember that or maybe have a link?

[metalchurch79]

No, but that would be tits if that could be posted by someone.