# Pickup Height



## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi, 

I am trying my hardest to get better pinch harmonics out of my guitars. I am currently using a Gibson Les Paul Swamp Ash Studio and a Gibson SG Special, both are equipped with Gibson 498t and 490r pickups. Can anyone tell me what I should setting the height of my pickups to, to get maximum sustain and the best pinch harmonics possible?

:rockon2:


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Anyone have any tips?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

the stock height is just fine. Practise your technique 

I'd love to try out that les paul swamp ash, if you're up for a jam some time!


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## Justinator (Jan 27, 2008)

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think pickup height would just affect volume. As long as you get the technique right you should be able to pull it off regardless :smile:


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

I found this explanation on another site, I tried it myself and it appears to work fine.

First step is to find a strong natural harmonic somewhere between the fretboard and the bridge. You can start by fretting the 2nd string at the 12th fret (b on standard tuning), picking it, and lightly touching the string at various points with your right-hand index. Once you hear a loud resonating sound, you've found a good point. There are several ways that I've discovered to pull of pinch harmonics. But first we're gonna have to start off slowly, so that you get the basic idea. Holding your pick directly above the point you found the harmonic, pick the string, and then lightly bring the side of your thumb down onto the string. If you hear a shrill sound, pat yourself on the back. You've just produced a harmonic.

Now, you want to do this faster, and in one motion. So these are the different ways (that I know of) of producing pinch harmonics. Remember, there is no 'right' way. You can do it in whatever way you find easiest, as long as you get the sound you want. If you know of any way that I haven't mentioned, please post about it.

- Hold your pick with the thumb protruding slightly from the side, and pick the string, so the pick hits it, and your thumb then hits it immediately afterwards.

- Hold your pick with the index and thumb, and have your middle-finger stick out right behind. Picking the string with an upstroke should produce a pinch harmonic. (I mostly use this method, since I have an unusual way of holding the pick, and I find this convenient).

- Place the side of your palm lightly over the point of harmonic resonance, and then pick the string. Or pick the string, and then lightly bring your palm down.

You should work on those for a while, stick to one that suits you best, or experiment with all of them, and after a bit of practice, you'll get it. For every note that you play, you'll get stronger harmonics in different areas, so its best to memorise where you want to produce a pinch-harmonic in your solos, and use the pickups as a guide-line. For example, you might want to pick right between the two coild on the neck pickup, or right above the first coil of the bridge pickup, whatever. In the end, it all comes down to practice.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Justinator said:


> Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think pickup height would just affect volume. As long as you get the technique right you should be able to pull it off regardless :smile:


pickup height affects volume, sustain and overall tone


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Pickup height also influences whether you bang the pick against the top of the pickup in the process of attempting pinch harmonics. Nobody needs that.

I've always found that it helps a little to take a nail file or similar and file little serrations or "teeth" along one edge of the pick, leaving the other side smooth.


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## wayne (Apr 8, 2009)

A thicker pick helps as well, tho I don't know why.

W


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Yeah, I think I am going to try it with a thicker pick. I also heard that a nylon pick is not the best choice for this technicque.


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## Damion (May 8, 2009)

I might be a little late here but having the action set too low will also make it harder to pull off harmonics. A good amount of gain will also help as well


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## z0z0 (Feb 19, 2009)

I was researching this today and found the following
Seems that there is a variety of opinion.
Note 1/8" = 3.175 mm


SETTING PICK-UP HEIGHT.
Pick-up height can greatly effect your guitars output. The closer to the strings the pick-up is, the more output you will get but….if the pick-up is too close the strings, problems can occur with magnetic pull.

* Fret the outer strings (one at a time) at the top fret. (Figure 8)
* Measure the distance from the top of the pick-up to the underside of the string. (Figure 8)
* Adjust so there is between 2.5mm and 3.00mm. (Figure 9)

http://www.icepoint.com/guitar/Setting up your electric guitar/index.htm

Another place says the following

Fret your strings one at a time on the last fret and look to make sure the pole pieces of the pickups are about 3/16" to 1/4" of an inch away from the bottom of each string.

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/aph.htm


Another guy says

I like 'em on the hot side myself, and generally put the bridge pickup about 1/8" below the strings and the neck about 3/16". 

http://www.guitarnoise.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43576


Another guy says

Pickup height ? Press the strings down on the last fret and measure the distance from the string to the pickups pole pieces. You might start a 1/16 at the bridge and 1/8" at the neck and bring things lower if too hot or bright. Some use a nickle or a drill bit or a nail as a feeler guage.The fender manual says at the low E string correct height is .024" for each pickup and .020" for the high E string. 

http://www.christianmusicweb.com/Guitar_wiring.html

Seymour Duncan installation guide says

Re-string your guitar and adjust the pickup height so that your new pickup is set between 1/8” and 1/16” from the strings (when they are pressed down at the highest fret on the neck).


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## RogerNelson (Jul 1, 2007)

technique and selecting the bridge pick up are the two biggest things involved in my opinion. remember the pickup is amplifying the string vibration between your picking thumb and the bridge, so a neck pickup will not likely give very favorable results - just another reason why a tele is king


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

I find a lot of gain and treble helps:rockon2:


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