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What spacing between strings and a single coil pickup
https://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=52293		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  unkabob [ Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:31 am ]
Post subject:  What spacing between strings and a single coil pickup
I am building my first electric instrument, a simple lap steel based on plans for EH150 from JAGuitars. After 35 ukuleles,guitars and mandolas, this is a whole new thing
. Any help would be appreciated.

Unkabob
Author:  Conor_Searl [ Sun Aug 25, 2019 4:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What spacing between strings and a single coil pickup
unkabob wrote:
I am building my first electric instrument, a simple lap steel based on plans for EH150 from JAGuitars. After 35 ukuleles,guitars and mandolas, this is a whole new thing
. Any help would be appreciated.

Unkabob


Do you mean the pickup height? The distance between the top of the pickup pole pieces and the string? I usually start at about 6/64 on the bass side, and a hair closer on the treble side, 5/64. Then its just a matter of tuning to taste. Having said that, that's for a typical electric guitar, so I'd get that measurement by fretting the highest note and then measuring the distance between pickup pole and the bottom of the string. I would think with a lap steel since you don't depress the strings much, that distance would suffice without having to fret the highest note.

Those measurements are for a vintage style pickup. I've seen recommendations for anywhere between as close as 4/64, and as far as 8/64 depending on pickups.

I'm not sure if this would be a concern for a lap steel, or the particular pickup you're thinking about using, but with Strats I've had pickups too close can really interfere with the sound of the guitar, the magnets actually pulling the string out of tune and killing sustain.
Author:  unkabob [ Sun Aug 25, 2019 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: p spacing between strings and a single coil pickup
Thank you Conor.
I am just opening the pocket to hold the pickup and I needed to know how deep to excavate.

Unkabob
Author:  Conor_Searl [ Mon Aug 26, 2019 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: p spacing between strings and a single coil pickup
unkabob wrote:
Thank you Conor.
I am just opening the pocket to hold the pickup and I needed to know how deep to excavate.

Unkabob


Gotcha. Sounds like you've got way more experience than me when it comes to building instruments, but I'll throw this out there just in case. ;) Every electric guitar I've seen (and that's a lot) has the pocket routed deeper than necessary and uses something to raise the pickup up to the desired height. Whether that's foam under the pickup, surgical tubing on the screw, or actual springs. So there's a lot of wiggle room, just don't go too shallow.
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