C-Bombs and magnetic field

[Ivanickson]

Hey guys! I have some problem with C-Bombs magnetic field on my Ibanez RGR652 (Olly Steele setup), it is really strong. I set pickups at ~5.2mm from the strings (maximum range on this guitar) and I still hear some string vibrations after 16 fret. Is this a normal situation? The sound with this distance kinda good, but I can't raise the neck pickup, can't raise pole screws and dont' have space for some experiments, this is a bit frustrating. Btw, Olly Steele pickups stand higher in his videos, as far as I can see. Any ideas? Didn't find problems like this on forum 

[Ivanickson]

I tried to sort it out again and even on max range I have wrong vibrations and sustain loss. Looks like my guitar is unplayable now. I made a photo and 2 audio exemples, probably someone will see the pproblem. Pickups height ~5mm. Pot - it's volume, blue thing - it's single coil switch.

[Dave Sloven]

I would ask two questions:

1. Do you still have the original neck pickup in place?

2. Did you discuss your guitar with BKP before ordering the pickup?

I suspect - given that it is an Ibanez - that there is some kind of polarity issue going on between the new bridge pickup and the original neck pickup.  There is something weird with Ibanez guitars in this respect.  I would get in contact with Bare Knuckle via email and tell them what's going on, where you bought the pickup, and send them those photos.

I don't know enough about this issue to be much help but I doubt that a regular C8 magnet is powerful enough to cause this problems.  It is more likely to be a polarity issue, as when you turn magnets toward each other and they repulse each other

[Ivanickson]

I would ask two questions:

1. Do you still have the original neck pickup in place?

2. Did you discuss your guitar with BKP before ordering the pickup?

I suspect - given that it is an Ibanez - that there is some kind of polarity issue going on between the new bridge pickup and the original neck pickup.  There is something weird with Ibanez guitars in this respect.  I would get in contact with Bare Knuckle via email and tell them what's going on, where you bought the pickup, and send them those photos.

I don't know enough about this issue to be much help but I doubt that a regular C8 magnet is powerful enough to cause this problems.  It is more likely to be a polarity issue, as when you turn magnets toward each other and they repulse each other

Hey, Dave, thank you for answer!

1. No, this is set C-bomb+A-Bomb.

2. Yes, I did. I asked support guy, what Olly Steele uses in his guitar cuz I have the same guitar, I was sure it will be work for me aswell. Then I told him about my guitar and he gave some specs for it including reversed neck magnet, "for Ibanez concepcion" - he said. Also I asked for hex screws if it matters.

I hope this problem is solvable, I was looking the "right sound" with a few pairs of pickups, I want to stop and just to play music already 
Btw, I asked guys from tech support, they will probably answer tomorrow.

[Dave Sloven]

I thought the reversed magnet was for when you have a single coil in the middle.  If I am not wrong your model is HH though, not HSH.

BKP may be able to give advice on reversing the reversed magnet if that is the issue

Chris from BKP said to me something last weekend about checking my order when he goes in next on Tuesday, so I am assuming that they had Monday off for some reason.

[Dave Sloven]

As an initial test I would probably remove the neck pickup and wiring harness from the guitar, wire the bridge pickup directly to the jack, and then restring and test it again.  If the problem disappears it is either the wiring or the polarity of the magnet in the neck pickup.

[Ivanickson]

Yep, my model is HH, but with positions 2 and 4 in parallel and custom coil split.
Making tests is a problem for me cuz I am bad with electronic and I need to go in workshop. But I will go if nothing helps.

[Ivanickson]

Btw, looks like my previous custom pickups were with standard neck magnets (not sure) and worked well (except too much high end on my ash-guitar)
Hmmm... Probably that means anything.

[Chris Rowberry]

Thank you for sending in your audio clips.

We have had a talk here regarding your issue and listened to the clips. To us, it seems as though something is killing the sustain on your strings. The pickup magnets are not strong enough to cause the vibration to drop off like that at all. It could be something to do with any part(s) attached to the strings. I would recommend taking to a tech/luthier for a setup or at least a check over.

Also, it wouldn't hurt putting in another set of pickups and just seeing if you get the same issue. That would also confirm if the issue is in the pickups or the guitar itself.

[Ivanickson]

I'll keep you informed. If I'll find a solution, that could help someone in future.

[Ivanickson]

I thought about the problem and realized that the actual problem is not with the pickups. So I didn't check it with other pickups and went straight to mechanical test. I fixed the frets height (the neck has a small issue under the first frets), then I tightened the truss rod and set the heavier strings to compensate the tension with new action (about 1,6 mm for 6 string). Now the pickups height is ~4 mm for bridge and ~3,5 mm for neck, and warbling almost disappeared, now the instrument is playable. Not sure it was some weather effect or instrument quality or smth else but the problem almost gone. Wanna thank Bare Knuckle team for responsiveness, they helped a lot!

[Dave Sloven]

I'm glad to hear it!  When you have a problem it is best to give the BKP team a call, they are great people