Just came across this guy and decided to take the opportunity to share..
I never knew why some pick ups had staggered poles, never thought to ask,
but now I know.. and also how to adjust them...

he has a number of other videos on topics of interest to us guys/gals who can't seem to get
enough of the gear (searching for it at least, not many wallets can sustain the punishment
of unfettered axe and amp hounding etc. )

straightforward and to the point..

enjoy, and toss them up if you have some you've found useful too

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 29, 2017

Thanks Herr Durr, this is very interesting.
I usually stay away from single coils (and everything Fender), but sometime you cant avoid them LOL

 

Yep...Pickup height and pole adjustments can make a huge difference...Specially in fender style single coils and most specially in P90s.

As for noise, I understand that some people hate single coils because of it, specially those who play live all the time. But fear no more! Go on and try some Zexcoils, dudes. They actually sound better than most single coils out there, and are quieter than most humbuckers out there. Try them out. You wont regret it.

 

Hey Derr
I still kick myself for not installing Zexcoils instead of the original stock Levinson HSS pups when I refurbished my Japanese Sen Ash R2 Blade. Coulda, shoulda, woulda listened to myself instead of buying into someone elses agenda. Will do it down the line.

 

Even without playing a real guitar I found this interesting.

I don't have this kind of problems with my spectacular Shreddage II with humbucker pickups (or so they say the Impact SoundWorks guys lol).
I know, hell yeah, I'm the man...

 

Kool thanks Herr Durr..

 

If I were nasty, I could say that I'm only a keyboarder, focusing on mixing and mastering, but I know this for about 20 years. But I'm a nice guy, so I don't do it.

 

I've got a midi controller I need to repair too... there's a youtube vid for that also ...

for some reason I still find guitars more interesting...

 

@dragonhill had some cool tips he posted too about electronics mods, switch mods, etc. Maybe he'll chime in.
Adjustment hacks such as this are cool. I found I liked the sound better when I lowered the top and raised the bottom on the lead pickup on my Jacksons. Another thing I've had done, but a far more dangerous hack, is scalloping from the 12th fret on. Really cool for those that like to bend/vibrato. You can get some serious pull when it's scalloped. I didn't feel there was any true benefit other than throwing it out of tune when you press too hard below the 12th so I just went past the 12th with it.
@Herr Durr, great thread idea!

 

Guitar is a great instrument to tweak...I think I spend more time tweaking my guitar gear than playing it...And I'm sure I'm not the only one. lol

Anyway, there's a bunch of stuff you can do to make a guitar sound better. Sometimes small changes can make a dramatic difference, specially regarding a guitar's circuit.

 

im interested in the fishman fluence also
anyone gave experience with them?
its seems interesting

 

@RMorgan, I've always toyed with the idea of pulling the tone pot and putting something else in it's place. A switch to tap the coils or something. I never use that tone pot, haha, and just thought that the signal path would likely be better without it.
But both my current muscle axes are Jacksons. One has mid boost circuitry installed. The other has a Sustaniac System in it. So I'm sort of reluctant to monkey with them too much.
I've got one more scalloped neck the guy that did my Jackson also did. It's for a Kramer. I plan on rebuilding that guitar and doing some circuit experimentation on it, though. It's currently in pieces.

 

There are the so called "no load" tone pots, which may serve you better. When it's fully open, the signal goes straight through, like it wasn't there. You may want to give them a try.

If you really like experimenting with guitars, I recommend getting a cheap but honest stratocaster, like a Squier, and getting it a so called "swimming pool" body route, which basically allows you to install any pickups you want...You'll just have to change the pickguard to accommodate your pickup choice...These are the best guitars for tinkering.

 

It's even more fun messing with the amp.

I remember back in college I had a pal with a quite expensive second hand guitar. Don't remember which one but it was a Nuno Bettencourt signature (or whatever they call them). His amp was a small 15W (no kidding) piece of garbage.

He "tuned" it changing the transistors so it sounded louder but even worse. You could literally hear a radio station (and understand what they were saying) lol.

Never really understood the guy but we had fun, specially going to a Megadeth gig.

 

@digitaldragon thanks... browsing his postings... indeed a lot of gear related posts... followed

very prescient in my case... and @superliquidsunshine knows I've been on the prowl
for some kind of strat for a couple years now.. great suggestion.. and have played an
upgraded mexi-strat that sounded just fabulous...

I just might go the "swimming pool route" and check out some of the Zexcoils
thanks to you both guys for the suggestions

p.s. the guy in the vid did a direct comparison of a Mexi and and the American std also

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 29, 2017

They are ok, a bit bright, you have to push them a little harder than I am used to have them start to break up.

I still prefer the sound of EMG active pickups, but pickups are like different flavors of chewing gum... me liking them isn't really going to mean that you will when you try them.

As far as modifying an electric guitar goes, it is an easy and fun way to spend some time once you know what you like and what you don't like. Nothing to hard about it as long as you are patient, careful and willing to either make or buy the few tools you will need to do what you need to.

 

Last edited: Nov 30, 2017

Ha! Man, do I feel stoopid... lazily I read thru the subject matter... thinking it linked to a sales sight. For sh*ts and giggles I clicked on the Vid. Man... I ak'-chlee learn't me somfin! After 40yrs of playin'... I never knew this... and I worked at one of theeee world-top vintage guitar dealers...

 

you mean the pick ups only? or the Jazz and Precision? I never owned either of them as well, tho they appear to still
be popular models generally. When I had some coin for it and came across a good deal, I went for the Rickenbacker
for the distinctive sound tho. It's true I couldn't distinguish a Fender bass from anything else in a mix the way you could
often tell it was a Tele or Strat guitar being played.

 

Thanks for the tip.
I just picked up a Korean Hamer strat with Fender Custom shop '69 single coils. When I mod it with a S1 switch for series/parallel wiring and piezo saddles, I will definitely adjust the pole pieces. My Parker Nitefly HSS also has Seymour Duncan vintage staggered single coils. I did not know the pole pieces were THAT easy to move.

This gauge has four radii.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/GUITAR-NEC...542611?hash=item1eb5c40a13:g:WtYAAOSwZVhWTa2a

 

Hi, @dragonhill!
@RMorgan, I'll keep that pot in mind should I get a passive axe to try it in.