Trying again..Axis SS pickup height: Is there a specification out there?

[jazzbo jim]

I'm wondering if Jon or any other knowledgable folks out there know the answer to the following:
What is the factory spec on string distance to each pickup for the axis SS?
Is there any significant variace from guitar to guitar?

If you don't mind measuring yours, I'd be curious to know what it is also?
Thanks in advance.

 

[jongitarz]

The pickups are hard mounted to the body, and are non adjustable unless you shim them. I have not seen a spec for the height. All the bodies are CNC machined,so they should all be pretty close.

 

[jazzbo jim]

Thanks Jon
From your experience, what would you estimate is the average string distance for the bridge pup?
(Like are we talkin 3/16th's, 1/8th..?)
BTW, my neckless body asked me to ask you if a reunion is anywhere in sight

 

[jongitarz]

I have no idea. I have never needed to know, I guess. But I am wondering why you ask. Having a problem with your guitar?

 

[jazzbo jim]

Thanks Jon,
I wouldn't say a "problem" but I would prefer the bridge pup a little lower than it is. It's a little hot for my tastes.
Unfortunately, I guess routing is the only real option for lowering it.

 

[jongitarz]

Yup....Thats the only way.

 

[beej]

If it's a little too hot, why not just back off the volume?

Another option is to modify the wiring. Would be less damaging than routing, though it depends on how comfortable you are with wiring mods.

Bill Lawrence sells a little device for $20 called a "Q-Filter". It's really neat- two different ways to wire it up and allows you to vary the inductance of your pickups. In inductance mode it has the effect of taking windings off the pickup - this allows you to take a hot pickup and subdue it, while increasing the dynamic range (the higher the inductance, the less bandwidth you'll have overall from your pickups which is why most HBs sound very midrangey). I've used it many times and it'll give you what you're looking for. Also you can wire it up to a push-pull pot, so you'd have the ability to vary it and get sounds ranging from a single-coil up to the full blown HB.

(The other mode, BTW is wired like an EQ filter - allows you to shift several frequencies at once unlike a tone control which is just a low-pass filter. With it you can get very convincing piezo-like sounds from a standard HB.)