Axis pickup height

[guitarheadhunt]

I bought one of the natural satin quilt tops about a year ago. I love the guitar but notice the pickups are mounted very low to the strings. When pressing down on the low E at the last fret I am measuring right close to 5mm. Which causes the pickups to sound sort of thin and weak. The neck is set real low as well. I have my action how I like it. Between 1.25 mm and 1.5mm. Does anyone else’s axis have super low pickups.

 

[dibart77]

The Axis pickups are mounted directly to the body, so if it's stock pickups and a stock pickup cavity route, then it's correct. I would pull a pickup and see if either (A) the pickup is not stock and has shorter legs or (B) the route has been deepened by a prior owner. If you are the first owner, then I think it's probably stock.

 

[beej]

+1

Additionally, if the height is an issue for you, you can raise the pickups by putting a piece of foam, etc. underneath them.

 

[guitarheadhunt]

Yeah I am the original owner. I feel like having the pickups 5mm from the low e string when I press the string down at the last fret is a lot of distance. I actually did put some foam behind it and the pickups sound much better. I now have the pickups about 2.5mm to almost 3mm away from the string. I was just wondering if other axis owners out there know what their pickup height is. I am kind of wondering with this model did the route go too deep. The pickup legs are short legs for sure. I know these are hot pickups but the way they were set took all the balls away.

 

[dibart77]

The factory routes all the pickup cavities with the CNC. It doesn't deviate from the program. No human error here. Does your Axis have chrome pickups or cream/black? I can pull one of mine out to look.

 

[guitarheadhunt]

The factory routes all the pickup cavities with the CNC. It doesn't deviate from the program. No human error here. Does your Axis have chrome pickups or cream/black? I can pull one of mine out to look.

They are the black and cream no covers.

 

[tbonesullivan]

I bought one of the natural satin quilt tops about a year ago. I love the guitar but notice the pickups are mounted very low to the strings. When pressing down on the low E at the last fret I am measuring right close to 5mm. Which causes the pickups to sound sort of thin and weak. The neck is set real low as well. I have my action how I like it. Between 1.25 mm and 1.5mm. Does anyone else’s axis have super low pickups.

How did you set the action? Neck shims or bridge?

 

[guitarheadhunt]

How did you set the action? Neck shims or bridge?

The action was already pretty good when I bought it. Mostly I just adjusted my neck relief and the action was perfect for me. If I need any adjustments from there I would adjust the bridge which is a Floyd so it's either up or down. I never had to use neck shims in any of my guitars. That would be my last resort. If I lower the bridge then the action would be way too low. I am sitting between 1.25mm and 1.5mm which is my sweet spot. With my action as such and I measure the distance from bottom of low E to the top of my pickup while pressing down the string at the last fret I measure 5mm which is crazy low for any pickups. I did shim up the pickup and now I am sitting at between 2.5mm and 3mm which sounds great. I am just wondering if anyone else has the bridge and neck pickup set so low on their axis. The neck pickup had to be lifted as well as it was almost 5mm.

 

[guitarheadhunt]

I just removed my neck to check it out and there is a plastic shim there that says 25 degrees on it. I assume this comes from the factory this way.

 

[guitarheadhunt]

I removed the plastic shim but had to lower the tremolo a good bit and still could not get my action where I want it. The pickup height problem was solved. I put the shim back and action is all good but ended up using some of those rubber tube things that fender supplies with their pickups. I cut them to the size needed and use those as springs. To me the best option would be have a thinner shim. The 25 degree shim is a little too much. Something in between would be better suited. I really would like to keep my pickups mounted to the body directly as the guitar is designed to do but need a smaller shim or a shim with less of an angle to it.

 

[DrKev]

You can use anything for a shim. Something like a business card is perfect. Just cut it to size, I place them across the two screw holes, punch through with a pencil which helps keep 'em in place while I put the neck back on.

 

[beej]

Best suggestion I've heard is to use a piece of sandpaper (or a folded one). Keeps the neck from sliding back and forth (and creaking) as it can with a plastic shim.