Question "Correct" pickup height on JP6 with LF/CL combo

[Greg Suarez]

Today the FedEx man delivered my very first MM guitar... JP6 in Cardinal Red Sparkle with the piezo bridge.

I'd like to set up the guitar, and I wondered what the spec'ed heights should be for the DiMarzio LiquiFire/Crunch Lab combo.

>>> Unimportant Babble Alert! <<<

I have been a huge Petrucci fan for probably 20+ years now, but I never got into his MM sig's because none of them have a Floyd Rose. But I think I have officially outgrown FR's. I don't mind maintaining them, but I find that they are becoming less and less important to me. I have discovered that a well-built and correctly set-up 2-point trem with locking tuners, good strings, graphite solution on the nut, and 3-in-1 oil on the saddles does a pretty darn good job for my trem needs.

I don't know if this is true of all Petrucci models, but mine resonates like a Swiss yodeler on crack. This JP6 resonates like a Les Paul, and it has a bolt-on neck and floating trem! It's just crazy! CRAZY, I tells ya!

There are only two things about the guitar I don't like. First, I prefer a beefier neck; I think a thin neck diminishes some of a guitar's tone, plus (even though I have small hands) I prefer the feel of a baseball bat in my hands, which is probably why a Fender Strat is my weapon of choice. Second, the way the trem arm fits in the guitar with the microscopic hex screw is one of the worst things ever foisted on humanity. I used to own an Ibanez that had this kind of trem arm, and I was happy to get rid of it (not just for that reason). I also have a Brian May Special with a Wilkinson bridge, and it uses that hex screw design, also (which is the only thing about the guitar I hate). This is just completely unnecessary. What's wrong with a screw in arm (it's worked for Fender for 10,000 years) or a bushing?

I'm going to be in the market for a new workhorse American-made bass in the coming months, and MM will now be first on my list above Fender. Those Bongos look pretty sweet.

 

[DrKev]

I don't have factory pickup height specs for the Petrucci (they are missing from the sheet EBMM gave me). But you can trust your ears and do what ever you like. DiMarzio recommend no closer than 2mm (5/64") from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string (held down at the last fret).

Frequently Asked Questions | DiMarzio

I don't know if this is true of all Petrucci models, but mine resonates like a Swiss yodeler on crack. This JP6 resonates like a Les Paul, and it has a bolt-on neck and floating trem! It's just crazy! CRAZY, I tells ya!

Swiss yodeler on crack? LOL! That's the most original thing I've seen written here in quite some time!

The little hex screw adjusts how easy the arm swings. Screw-in arms always have a little 'play' in them I've had two screw-in arms break off in the trem block too and I've had to take a few other out for other people too. Been a strat guy for years, personally i think the push-in arms are vastly superior. But hey, I'm just that kind of a nut. You, obviously, are a different kind of nut.

Welcome to the forum, Greg!

Forum rule - your guitar doesn't exist without pictures!

 

[Greg Suarez]

I don't have factory pickup height specs for the Petrucci (they are missing from the sheet EBMM gave me). But you can trust your ears and do what ever you like. DiMarzio recommend no closer than 2mm (5/64") from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string (held down at the last fret).

Frequently Asked Questions | DiMarzio



Swiss yodeler on crack? LOL! That's the most original thing I've seen written here in quite some time!

The little hex screw adjusts how easy the arm swings. Screw-in arms always have a little 'play' in them I've had two screw-in arms break off in the trem block too and I've had to take a few other out for other people too. Been a strat guy for years, personally i think the push-in arms are vastly superior. But hey, I'm just that kind of a nut. You, obviously, are a different kind of nut.

Welcome to the forum, Greg!

Forum rule - your guitar doesn't exist without pictures!

Thanks for the feedback (no pun intended). I know that pickup height is a matter of preference, but I always like to start with factory recommended specs and go from there.

I have heard of Fender screw-in arms breaking off, but I have actually never seen it myself. I have been playing Strats for almost 25 years now, although I don't exactly Eddie Van Halen a non-locking trem arm. I usually trend toward handling my guitars too daintily; I could probably be a bit more aggressive with them, but it's not my playing style (or, "style," period). I don't play aggressive death metal or punk, so it really has never been an issue. Plus, it makes me nauseated to see someone mistreat a musical instrument. I don't care how rich they are/were, every time Pete Townshend, Kurt Cobain, or Jimi Hendrix would destroy an instrument on stage, a part of the person who made that instrument probably died a little.

Anyway, here's a quick and dirty pic of my new JP6. The lighting is terrible and makes the guitar look like "Tomato Soup Orange" instead of "Cardinal Sparkle Red," but trust me, it's the Cardinal. I don't think MM makes a Tomato Soup finish. Not yet, at least.

 

[Lucas LeCompte]

Congrats bro! I love the sparkling red!

 

[Greg Suarez]

Congrats bro! I love the sparkling red!

Thanks! I have not had a chance to set it up or run it through its paces yet, but I look forward to spending some quality time with it this weekend.

I am not crazy about most of the JP finishes. This one immediately caught my eye, though. I like the new silvery finish on the JP13, and I like the BFR Koa, but that one is way out of my price range, and I prefer the sound of basswood.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi and welcome.

I used to have a JP6 myself, infact I took it all apart and rebuilt it - repairing things along the way.
There's loads of pics of it here
http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-guitars/45581-now-where-guitar-does-go.html

The thing is I don't understand is the point you are making about the trem arm hex key?
It's only there to adjust the "swing" on the arm i.e. whether you want it to stay in place when you release it, or swing back freely. The arm just clicks into place so there's no adjustment required each time?

 

[Greg Suarez]

Hi and welcome.

I used to have a JP6 myself, infact I took it all apart and rebuilt it - repairing things along the way.
There's loads of pics of it here
http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-guitars/45581-now-where-guitar-does-go.html

The thing is I don't understand is the point you are making about the trem arm hex key?
It's only there to adjust the "swing" on the arm i.e. whether you want it to stay in place when you release it, or swing back freely. The arm just clicks into place so there's no adjustment required each time?

I depends on how much "play" you want in the arm's swing, doesn't it? The tighter you lock down the arm, the more necessary it will be to adjust the screw each time you insert/remove it, simply for the sake of keeping the screw in tact. If there is fear about a screw-in arm breaking, what's wrong with the good ol' Floyd Rose bushing. That is a solution that would save my sanity. I think the problem here is I keep my guitars in their cases when they're not being used, so every time I want to play I have to re-attach the trem arm. If I just kept it out all the time on a hanger or stand, it probably wouldn't bother me as much.

 

[DrKev]

The tighter you lock down the arm, the more necessary it will be to adjust the screw each time you insert/remove it

I can't say I've found that to be the case. Of course I keep my arm on most of the time. Anybody else have a more useful comment?

I think the problem here is I keep my guitars in their cases when they're not being used, so every time I want to play I have to re-attach the trem arm. If I just kept it out all the time on a hanger or stand, it probably wouldn't bother me as much.

Standard EB cases are designed to accommodate the trem arm. And some people here with the more fancy cases that come with limited editions keep their rm on anyway. My trem arm stays on most of the time, even in the case or gig bag. No problems at all.

 

[Greg Suarez]

I can't say I've found that to be the case. Of course I keep my arm on most of the time. Anybody else have a more useful comment?



Standard EB cases are designed to accommodate the trem arm. And some people here with the more fancy cases that come with limited editions keep their rm on anyway. My trem arm stays on most of the time, even in the case or gig bag. No problems at all.

Seriously? I've never had the guts to store a guitar in a case with the trem arm attached. That's amazing! Little things like that impress me, I suppose.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi Greg.
It's a shame I don't have my JP6 anymore to test this hypothesis. However, iirc, when I had my arm set not to swing, it still snapped in and out no problem with no further hex key adjustment.
The MM cases are designed so that the arm can stay in - try this, place your guitar in the case and strum the open strings, then close the lid. You will find that the pitch remains the same when you close the case.

Perhaps someone here with a JP6 can test out ... ... when an arm is locked (not to swivel) - that you can still just remove the arm by pulling it out?

 

[Benji Peterson]

Perhaps someone here with a JP6 can test out ... ... when an arm is locked (not to swivel) - that you can still just remove the arm by pulling it out?

I've never had a problem pulling them out when set stiff. Adjusting both hex screws afford the user the ability to dial in the perfect amount of swing, or no swing, and also minimize any slack or 'play' to your liking. I think this is the main reason the trem arm is designed with the two hex screw system. It works great! The screw at the base of the brass bridge plate adjusts the amount of swing while the one on the side adjusts the amount of play.

 

[Greg Suarez]

Hi Greg.
It's a shame I don't have my JP6 anymore to test this hypothesis. However, iirc, when I had my arm set not to swing, it still snapped in and out no problem with no further hex key adjustment.
The MM cases are designed so that the arm can stay in - try this, place your guitar in the case and strum the open strings, then close the lid. You will find that the pitch remains the same when you close the case.

Perhaps someone here with a JP6 can test out ... ... when an arm is locked (not to swivel) - that you can still just remove the arm by pulling it out?

Well, I'll be jiggered... you're right. I just got home from work and looked at the case. There is a deep triangular cutaway in the upper half of the case where the lid closes down on the guitar where the bridge/trem is. Pretty awesome! I would have never even thought to look for that...