Eastman pickups not parallel to strings

[bowelder]

I have an Eastman T186 mx and both pickups aren't parallel to the strings. The fretboard pickup poles are closer to the strings and the bridge pickups poles are farther away. Is this common with Eastmans, I ask because I'm new to electric guitar, and don't know if this affects tone. If it does can it be corrected, it sounds ok to me but what do I know it's my first electric.

[fazool]

I cant understand from your description what they look like.

Can you add a picture.


Its confusing because pickups are not parallel to strings, they are perpendicular.

When you say the poles are closer or farther do you mean forward/backward or left/right or up/down

[fazool]

oh ok I think I am understanding

Do you mean the height distance from the string to the pole?


Thats OK that those vary - they are adjusted to compensate for various string masses. etc.

[bowelder]

The top of the pickups doesn't align with the bottom of the strings, one side is higher than the other. Looking at it from the side from fretboard to bridge they are tilted

[JackC1]

Normally there're 2 screws on the sides of the pickups to adjust the height/tilt (as you mentioned). You can set them up as you like.

[bleedingfingers]

You might find this useful. A bit about how / why to adjust pickup height

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/l...-pickup-height

[davidd]

They should be tilted. Google some setup info.

[rmp]

been playing electrics since the late 60s, this to me is totally normal

the distance from the bottom of the string, to the top of the poles would be different for bass and treble strings.

There are quite a few YouTube vids that will help you understand why this is and how to make adjustments. I think if you look up some of Jason Lollar's video's you'll get the idea.

Most of the time, they are set at the factor per specs of the pickups. But since many of us "electric players" are inherently tweakers, you can come to your own "preferred" setting.

I think you don't have any problems you need to fix if it's sounding good to you.

[ChrisN]

Pretty common problem, esp on non-custom shop Gibsons (pickups on custom shop guitars are usually dead level). Supposedly does affect tone (and it looks weird), so I fixed it on mine (neck pickup) by getting a Gibson bridge pickup ring (taller than neck ring), and gradually sanded it so it sat level. Easy.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by bowelder

I have an Eastman T186 mx and both pickups aren't parallel to the strings. The fretboard pickup poles are closer to the strings and the bridge pickups poles are farther away. Is this common with Eastmans, I ask because I'm new to electric guitar, and don't know if this affects tone.

It's common with all electric guitars and all pickups.

It's a user adjustment - you can adjust it as you like for more/less bass/treble response.

The majority of pickups you will see allow individual pole piece adjustment too.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

It's common with all electric guitars and all pickups.

It's a user adjustment - you can adjust it as you like for more/less bass/treble response.

The majority of pickups you will see allow individual pole piece adjustment too.

OP's not talking about that side-to-side adjustment - he's talking about the front-to-back adjustment. The pole side of the neck pickup ("fretboard pickup poles") is closer to the strings than the slug side.

The OP's issue is a function of failing to adjust the front/back of the pickup ring (same rings are used on multiple different guitars), but that's a time-consuming ($$) task the factories avoid (except for custom shop versions).

[rmp]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

OP's not talking about that side-to-side adjustment - he's talking about the front-to-back adjustment. The pole side of the neck pickup ("fretboard pickup poles") is closer to the strings than the slug side.

The OP's issue is a function of failing to adjust the front/back of the pickup ring (same rings are used on multiple different guitars), but that's a time-consuming ($$) task the factories avoid (except for custom shop versions).

OH! OK I got it now.. thanks for the enlightening on that.

[davidd]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

OP's not talking about that side-to-side adjustment - he's talking about the front-to-back adjustment. The pole side of the neck pickup ("fretboard pickup poles") is closer to the strings than the slug side.

The OP's issue is a function of failing to adjust the front/back of the pickup ring (same rings are used on multiple different guitars), but that's a time-consuming ($$) task the factories avoid (except for custom shop versions).

Don't think you are correct...

It's the spring or rubber tubing under the pickup ring. Often it gets too squished and misaligned. Just take the four pickup ring screws off and lift it up slightly and you can easily tweak it while you turn the pickup adjustment screw and push down slightly on the high side. Sometimes all you have to do is adjust the adjustment screw slightly and push down on the high side while you turn it a quarter turn or so without loosening the PU ring. It's no big deal. I've done it countless times. Takes less than a minute to fix. In reality it really doesn't affect the tone.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by davidd

Don't think you are correct...

This thread might help -
https://forum.gibson.com/topic/71264...kup-alignment/
especially posts by badbluesplayer and Larry Lion.

Don't forget the jazz guys: https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guit...-question.html

[bowelder]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Pretty common problem, esp on non-custom shop Gibsons (pickups on custom shop guitars are usually dead level). Supposedly does affect tone (and it looks weird), so I fixed it on mine (neck pickup) by getting a Gibson bridge pickup ring (taller than neck ring), and gradually sanded it so it sat level. Easy.

Maybe my description was hard to understand, but you got it. Can you tell me where I can get new pickups rings that are taller? Also are the screw holes in the rings the same from brand to brand?