HB1 pole pieces adjustment

[Russian Guy]

Hey, folks! Let me preface this by saying that I don't know for sure what pole pieces do.

1) First off am I right in outlining them on the picture? I mean are those heads of the screws on the pickup cover pole pieces?
2) What does their adjustment do to the sound of pickups? As you can see mine are all adjusted in a straight line but looking at HB1 on other guitars I've noticed that they are tilted individually for each string.
3) Do you adjust them by simply tilting them with a screwdriver?

Vadim

 

[Zelja]

Screw pole pieces are adjusted to provide proper string to string balance (i.e. volume). For more volume on a string, raise the pole piece - i.e. screw it out (counter clockwise). Thinner strings of the same type (plain or wound) may have less output than a similar thicker string so the pole piece may have to be raised to compensate. See the pic below for a general guide:

Now in a humbucker guitar where you have 2 coils & only one has screws & the other just studs (which you won't see if it has a cover) you may also notice a change in overall tonality if you raise the pole pieces. E.g. - in a bridge HB with the coil with the pole pieces closer to the bridge, the pickup will probably be brighter. Why - because that coil contributes a brighter overall tone than the other coil as it is closer to the bridge (you would notice this if you had a coil tap switch which would allow you to hear either of the 2 coils by itself). By raising the pole pieces, you are making that one coil slightly louder & affecting the overall balance to produce a brighter output.

I think humbuckers with screw pole pieces on both coils can be really useful to tailor your tone. Zgangbucker offers the screw pole pieces on both coils of his HBs. I have his mini-PAF with that option & there is a big difference in tonality if you raise the screws on the coil further away from the bridge on the bridge PU (makes for a fatter tone). Gretsch (& TV Jones) Filtertrons also have the screws on both coils.

 

[Ross]

Thanks, Zelja. I'll check out mine on the weekend.

 

[Russian Guy]

Thanks a bunch for pics and explanation, Zelja. However on most of the close-ups of HB1s I just see the pole-pieces screwed in different directions, but all of them seem to be on the same distance from the pickup cover and it doesn't look like they're raised or lowered. Basically just screwed in different directions.

Is it due to construction of the pickup?

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Are you trying to say that you see that the slots of the screwheads are not all lined up exactly alike?

That's a bit like lining up all the tuner buttons... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Where the slot ends up facing depends on where it was when it was started. :wink:

Just grab 6 wood screws and a piece of wood and a screwdriver and affix the screws to the wood...you'll figure it out.

The polepieces are just magnets in the shape of a screw so they can be height adjusted. :wink:

ok, I'll put you out of your misery.

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/ ... uitar1.htm

 

[Russian Guy]

Are you trying to say that you see that the slots of the screwheads are not all lined up exactly alike?

That's a bit like lining up all the tuner buttons... :lol: :lol: :lol:

That's exactly the opposite - they are all lined up in one perfect straight line which is weird. Thanks for the link. Zelja's explanation and the article shed some light on the matter for me