Author Topic: Messing aroudn with pickups....? (Read 3500 times)

AngusYoung01 · « **on:** October 03, 2007, 08:28:27 PM »

Well, they've been installed, and I've noticed a few things about the Miracle Man set in my SG.

They have an amazing tight low end, really quiet, and the neck pup has a lovely Petrucci-esque quality about it. BUT, I've heard the BKP's only come into their own when you like, fiddle with them. Does this mean changing the pole screw levels?

Elliot · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2007, 08:47:44 PM »

No - it means hitting the strings with a pick. HARD.

AngusYoung01 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:04:51 PM »

:? mkay :roll:

ailean · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:13:39 PM »

Distance to the strings seems to be important, I had to play with the height of my pups when I put them in to get the best sound, I had to put them closer to the strings than with my old set of pups.

Personally I wouldn't mess with the pole heights unless you know what you are doing, that said unless you play with it you won't learn..

AngusYoung01 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:16:58 PM »

Mkay cheers :D

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:17:56 PM »

^ Agreed.

Pickup height is the best way to voice a pup. Just play with it until you know the tone inside out, and then make a small adjustment, up or down, and compare. Take your time, the pickup will be with you for a while, and you'll be well rewarded for putting a couple of weeks' work into perfecting the height.

After a time you'll be able to adjust the pickup after a few minutes of play, but I still like to live with a new pup for at least a fortnight before I start messing around with it.

Back to Elliot's comment: yes. Play. A LOT.

Will · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:19:34 PM »

I tried both extremes and in the middle and worked my way from there

- a bit off topic... are you over at JakeELee.com aswell?

AngusYoung01 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:54:54 PM »

I'll do that Twightlight :D

And yes I am, although I dont think I've used it :lol:

Philly Q · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2007, 11:16:09 PM »

Quote from: TwilightOdyssey

After a time you'll be able to adjust the pickup after a few minutes of play, but I still like to live with a new pup for at least a fortnight before I start messing around with it.

Ben knows what he's taliking about a hell of a lot more than I do, but FWIW I agree - get really familiar with the pickups for a while before you start worrying about changing the height settings. As you know, they sound good already! :)

ericsabbath · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2007, 12:57:40 PM »

i only heard the REAL tone of my miracle man set 2 months after installing it
i was rehearsing with my band on the last week and i was really impressed with it, cause i always play with my other guitar (with holy diver/cold sweat)when playing in my bedroom i always found the mids a bit compressed and the highs too ice picky (like most ceramics)
but this thing sounds so awesome when you play it LOUD :oops:
it gets a lot more open, clear, organic, powerful and fat than when i play it at home

AngusYoung01 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2007, 05:09:46 PM »

Well, this is wierd. The more and more I play they just seem to get better and better, and now I can hear a huge difference to what was already there - these things rock!

And I'll get the best chance to test them, tomorrows gig :D

ailean · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2007, 06:30:16 PM »

I do sometimes wonder if you tend to adjust your style to suit your gear, so when you get a new pup you don't perhaps play it the best way, with the best settings etc.

Just a thought, but I know I felt my Nailbombs seemed to be better the more I played them, or maybe you just start to be able to pick out the differences. The pups I replaced were not bad pups, so the difference wasn't starteling, but the more I played the more I noticed the qulaity and clarity of tone, the way they broke up as I added gain etc. Buy the end of the week the difference felt more pronounced then the day I put them in.

badgermark · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2007, 06:46:55 PM »

I had the same experience ailean, my piledrivers weren't as different from the stock pickups as I thought they would be. I was expecting a WHOOMPH! change!

But they sound awesome, my guitar still sounds like a telecaster should, but with a hike in power and articulation. I was expecting something drastic, but instead I got a well rounded tele that sounds like a beefy tele, not a metal spewing machine that I may have been looking for.

And it definitely pays to tweak your amp settings. What worked well for your under achieving stock pickups might be holding back the tonal beasts that are BKPs.

Ah the philosophy of new pickups. I could write a thesis on the subject now.

AngusYoung01 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2007, 10:33:47 PM »

Yeh, exactly ailean, at first I thought "hmm, not a huge difference at all" but I'm hearing just how much better they are more and more!

CJ · « **Reply #14 on:** October 06, 2007, 01:44:58 AM »

i really can't tell much of a difference when i raise/lower my pickup. its the bridge in a V and it doesn't sit quite parallel to the strings... could this be the cause? with the angle its on its impossible to get the bridge side of the bridge pickup closer than 3-4 mm away.