Author Topic: Pickup causing unnatural decay? (Read 5845 times)

badgermark · « **on:** February 24, 2008, 02:55:50 PM »

My Holydiver equipped telecaster is acting funny. When on the bridge pickup the sustain is a bit wonky. Imagine with some gain the sound should be AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa, smooth and gradual. But the HD sounds a bit more like AAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaa, almost like there is a slow tremolo effect going on.

I've even started to notice it with a clean tone, which is odd. My other guitar doesn't suffer from this, although it has low output country boy pickups in it. Tried it with a number of pedals, all the same result.

Been adjusting pickup height a lot recently, and got it at a height that gives the best tone, without it being all ghost-note like. Just have a few songs I play in my band with big, held dirty chords, and this really gets on my tits.

kellar · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2008, 03:27:59 PM »

Are you adjusting your pickups with the guitar plugged in?

badgermark · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2008, 03:35:17 PM »

No, I play, unplug then adjust.

Course I adjust with my ears. It's not super close to the strings, I guess it's around 3-4mm away from the strings when depressed at the 21st fret.

kellar · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2008, 03:44:12 PM »

I once screwed up a pickup by adjusting it over and over again while being plugged in. Like you said, make sure you are unplugged.
Other than that, having the pickups raised too high can cause some pretty crazy harmonic problems.
If it isn't one of those two things, I wouldn't really know what else to tell you.
Maybe some of the others can chime in.

badgermark · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2008, 04:52:41 PM »

I was being sarcastic. Why would you unplug a guitar to adjust the pickup height? The only way to get it right is by hearing it surely.

Pale Rider · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2008, 04:55:13 PM »

I had the same issue and it was a string slightly buzzing at the frets. Just a thought.

kellar · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:10:27 PM »

You should always unplug your guitar when adjusting pickup height. If you are adjusting while plugged in, then you have probably screwed not only with your intonation but also with the tonality of your pickups. Thanks for the sarcasm. :shock:
Unplug, then adjust.

badgermark · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:16:54 PM »

How would having a guitar cable plugged in make ANY difference? I don't mean to be an ass, and sorry if it comes across like it, but I can't see how you can screw up intonation (the tuning of the strings along the fretboard) and tonality? That makes no sense to me at all.

Will · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:16:58 PM »

How does changing pickup heights alter intonation? this thread has completely confused me :?

edit: beaten to it!

noodleplugerine · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:25:24 PM »

And I have no idea how changing the height of a pickup can damage the pickup itself... Hell I better not stand up - My head might explode?

kellar · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:29:43 PM »

Don't take my word for it.

http://mediawebsource.com/guitar/pickupadjust.htm

Or you can check out about any other pickup website that explains the process of pickup adjustment. Notice the disclaimer that says *always unplug guitar from amp before making any adjustments to guitar electronics*.

badgermark · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:33:34 PM »

Fair enough if I was swapping out a pot or re-wiring some electronics, but adjusting the pickup height is a non-electrical adjustment in my eyes. Plus it would be very tedious. Sorry man but I disagree on this one with you.

Nolly · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:34:24 PM »

I assume that is a generic disclaimer referring to working on the internal electronics of the guitar, ie soldering connections etc..

I can't think of a single reason why changing the pickup height while plugged in would do damage to either the guitar or the pickup. Certainly no way you'd screw up the intonation.

noodleplugerine · « **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:38:11 PM »

If you're soldering and rewiring - then ofcourse remove the power (which comes passively from the lead) - But changing pickup height is nothing electrical - Its turning a screw. And its not at all connected to the circuitry.

kellar · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2008, 05:44:28 PM »

I had a Seymour Duncan SH-1 about 5 years ago that I couldn't get adjusted right. I went through the process of raising it and lowering it a thousand times while plugged in over the course of a few days. Eventually, I got what sounded like a permanent out of phase tone. Some strings rang brighter than others and whatnot.
I took my guitar in and told them something was wrong with it. The guy plugged the guitar in and as soon as he hit a note he told me what was wrong. I had been adjusting while plugged in.
Due to that experience and the fact that just about every guitar website says to unplug before adjusting, I drew my conclusion.
Like you said, you adjusted it several times while plugged in and now you are getting a funny tone.
Just a thought.