LP Pickups

[Bailz]

How many Les Paul owners out there lower their pickups to be just about level with the body?

I've noticed many professional guitarists doing this particularly Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa. What benefits and disadvantages does doing this bring?

[slowpokerhino]

Mine are about flush with the rings. I don't know what real advantages there may be, except maybe that you can lower the action a bit. I was just adjusting them by ear when I installed them and that's where they sounded best to me.

I got pretty lucky with this particular LP. It still hasn't had a pro setup since the action and intonation are damn near perfect. I've adjusted it a bit here & there (and changed the pickups) myself. Someday I will have a pro tweak it and who knows if it will be the same.

[Lungo]

I set mine according to volume levels between neck and bridge and the tone I want. I have no idea how lowering the pickups that much on an LP would improve tone but I'd love to hear some theories on it.

[LivewireBlanco]

I set mine up 1/8th of an inch from the strings when depressed at the 22nd fret. It's pretty much what the manual says and I like the sound. That makes the neck pickup about flush with the rings and the bridge is fairly high but still sounds right to me.

[Bailz]

Yeah, I'm not sure that the solution to my problem is here.

The output from my VM seems very harsh at the moment. In fairness, I've only just moved my cab out to our rehearsal space so it's possible that this problem has just been masked by the cab I was using before. My theory now is the presence knob. Up until now I've set the presence knob at 10, going to try it to about 4.

[Lungo]

If your tone was good before you moved to a different space, your theory is probaby correct. You'll need to dial in the amp's EQ to sound good in the room it's in.

[LivewireBlanco]

If your tone was good before you moved to a different space, your theory is probaby correct. You'll need to dial in the amp's EQ to sound good in the room it's in.

+1

[Tnjpekar]

Bailz

What cab were you using before, what one are you using now, and how many hours have you put on the cab you currently have hooked up to the vm

if the cab you are currently using has new speakers in it, or different ones that were in the cab at rehearsal, then you will definately get a different sound from the VM, its sensitive that way
mine hates 75's to my ears, but loves greenbacks, black backs, and tone tubby hemp cones for instance

[lowenzz]

Too close can decrease sustain. Strat neck pup anyone ?
Too close can be muddy, more output/mids
Too far, can become thin or bright.

Generally, lowering the pups decreases the output and adds clarity. Tons of variables.

Adjusting poles has a huge effect, can bring out alot of clarity and pressence in a muddy neck position pup, can get a bit single-coilish chime, especially if you split to the adjusted side coil.

Some pups, seem to be more noticeable than others. Seems the higher the output, the more sensitive height adjustments become.
Pups experimenting has become my latest thing. Along with different schematics for tonal options, caps, no-loads, ect.

The real fun comes in with swapping out the magnets

[Bailz]

Bailz

What cab were you using before, what one are you using now, and how many hours have you put on the cab you currently have hooked up to the vm

if the cab you are currently using has new speakers in it, or different ones that were in the cab at rehearsal, then you will definately get a different sound from the VM, its sensitive that way
mine hates 75's to my ears, but loves greenbacks, black backs, and tone tubby hemp cones for instance

I'm not too sure what the old cab was - I inherited the guitarist's position in my band along with some stuff he left at their rehearsal room. The design of the cab says Crate to me but it has absolutely no markings what-so-ever. The bassist recently took this home to have a poke around in it and it has 2 120W parallel 8ohm Fane speakers in it.

I took the 412 angled cab out to the practice place to give it a shot which is when I noticed the real difference. It's not had any 'real' volume put through it which I guess could be the issue. I have been playing my DSL401 through it for about the past 2 weeks and have used the VM at home through but never at gig volume.

As I've said I'm fairly sure the problem stems from the Presence selection that I have at the moment. I should be able to experiment on Monday evening (so long as things run to plan) and I'll be able to report back after that.

[slowpokerhino]

...it has 2 120W parallel 8ohm Fane speakers in it.

Those are some nice speakes.

[Bailz]

...it has 2 120W parallel 8ohm Fane speakers in it.

Those are some nice speakes.

The 2x12 does sound fantastic.