E-Answer.Net

 
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Arts & Humanities

Guitar humbuckers

What are the screws in my pickups for?
4 Comments


Saul
Votes: +0

Screws and bolts in the middle of the pickup focus and extend the magnetic field up to where the strings are. They improve response, articulation, and output to some degree.



By raising and lowering them you can alter the frequency/output response for each string. Don't go crazy with this - you can easily unbalance the sound of the guitar. If you raise the poles on the 5th and 6th strings you don't get more "bass response", you get louder 5th and 6th strings. This is usually a pretty bad idea, as then all of your other strings sound quieter by comparison.



Usually you want to minimize the bass response of a guitar, as too much bass = mud and loss of clarity. (excessive bass boosting is a major error that a lot of aspiring metal guitarists make... when live it tends to mud up the bass guitar and clarity of several of the drums, which means overall loss of power for the band)



You should only alter the pole pieces to balance out the response of the strings. Lower the whole bass side of the pickup after achieving this, just a bit, as this achieves a better overall even reduction of the farty bass frequencies, and gives you better treble response and overall clarity.





Saul

report abuse
vote down
vote up
Marlowe
Votes: +0

are you talking about these?...

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pi...



i believe that you can adjust those 6 flat head screws to adjust you sound. say you want more bass, raise (loosen) the two closest to your low E string. or more treble, raise (loosen) the two closest to you high E string. Less bass, lower (tighten) the two closest to your low E string.



or, i could be totally wrong and they are not affecting your pickups what so ever. try it out and let me know if it does something.

report abuse
vote down
vote up
Southern Proof101
Votes: +0

in your pickups? ones on each end vertically adjust pickup height, dont know which ones your talking about, more info needed

report abuse
vote down
vote up
sircydon...
Votes: +0

to hold them in...

report abuse
vote down
vote up

Write comment
 
 
quote
bold
italicize
underline
strike
url
image
quote
quote
smile
wink
laugh
grin
angry
sad
shocked
cool
tongue
kiss
cry
smaller | bigger
 

busy