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Strings touching pickups

ClassicRock

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Apr 3, 2020
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[FONT=&quot]Anyone had an issue with strings not clearing the pickup? This is the same with the tail and or bridge heightened. It started off with fret buzz on the bottom E near the 12th fret, so i took all the strings off as they had been on for 6 months or so and put on new ones (same i always use).I polished the tail and bridge , cleaned the fretboard and then put the new strings on.

Adjusting the bridge clears the pickup but not the frets . The bridge on my guitar and tailpeace have also always been flush with the body, its never needed to be adjusted.

Now none of the strings will clear,its first time ive seen this in 18 years of playing and just do not get why. I am loathed to adjust the trust rod in anyway for fear or doing more damage.

Any ideas? Its been in the case for a year now and I really am desperate to get her sorted and played again.


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AUc3AhGET S8AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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Anyone had an issue with strings not clearing the pickup? This is the same with the tail and or bridge heightened. It started off with fret buzz on the bottom E near the 12th fret, so i took all the strings off as they had been on for 6 months or so and put on new ones (same i always use).I polished the tail and bridge , cleaned the fretboard and then put the new strings on.

Adjusting the bridge clears the pickup but not the frets . The bridge on my guitar and tailpeace have also always been flush with the body, its never needed to be adjusted.

Now none of the strings will clear,its first time ive seen this in 18 years of playing and just do not get why. I am loathed to adjust the trust rod in anyway for fear or doing more damage.

Any ideas? Its been in the case for a year now and I really am desperate to get her sorted and played again.


AUc3AhGET S8AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC

To me this sounds like you need a professional tech to give your guitar a set up including a truss rod adjustment . If you are not comfortable or know how to do this , save your self and take it to a reputable pro , because you can do irreparable harm with warping the neck and that is not something to mess around with . Also not somebody like Guitar Center either as some of there repair work is questionable and pretty shoddy !
 

wulfthar

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Jan 16, 2020
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Which guitar is it? Les Paul? Have you adjusted the bridge height? what is the condition of the frets?
 

Mars Hall

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Nov 26, 2008
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I don't know why anyone would bother trying to read this post with the text color so dark.:##
 

rick c

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May 28, 2016
Messages
282
ClassicRock: if your strings were only just clearing the pups with the bridge all the way down to the body then your neck is set wrong; it doesn't lean back enough, nothing to do with the truss rod adjustment although adding more bow in the neck may help clear the pups, assuming the pips are already all the way down to the plastic rings. Adding bow to overcome this problem may simply lead to other issues with playability. The right fix is to take the neck off the guitar and reset it at the correct angle, typically 4 or 5 degrees. There are other discussions on this forum about neck angle; apparently some of the historic models have a relatively shallow neck angle but the pictures I have seen still show 2 or 3mm of the bridge post showing under the thumb wheels.
 

ClassicRock

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Apr 3, 2020
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ClassicRock: if your strings were only just clearing the pups with the bridge all the way down to the body then your neck is set wrong; it doesn't lean back enough, nothing to do with the truss rod adjustment although adding more bow in the neck may help clear the pups, assuming the pips are already all the way down to the plastic rings. Adding bow to overcome this problem may simply lead to other issues with playability. The right fix is to take the neck off the guitar and reset it at the correct angle, typically 4 or 5 degrees. There are other discussions on this forum about neck angle; apparently some of the historic models have a relatively shallow neck angle but the pictures I have seen still show 2 or 3mm of the bridge post showing under the thumb wheels.



I have managed to sort it by top wrapping my strings :)
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
I have managed to sort it by top wrapping my strings :)

Top wrapping strings shouldn't have anything to do with your pickups - unless you have a '52 trapeze or a Junior style bridge, in which case that is the proper way to do it.
What exactly guitar do you have? is it one with a separate tailpiece and bridge, or just one unit?
 

rick c

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May 28, 2016
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The original thread states "bridge and tailpiece both bottomed-out" suggesting that there are two components so I am also confused by the answer; top wrapping has no bearing on the height difference between the top of the saddles and the pups. What are we missing here?
 

ClassicRock

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Apr 3, 2020
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Its a Les Paul VOS 59. Top wrapping changes the angle of stings, so with the bridge slightly raised its all perfect.

I did try attaching photos in my original post, but it didn’t display, and i dont have a url with them to upload.

its all sorted now anyway until COVID is over and i can get someone to look at it. I had it unplayable for a year whilst trying to find someone local who does guitar repair and then time for me to drive an hour there and back for it to be done.

Top-wrapping is the workaround for now.
 

rick c

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May 28, 2016
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282
I'm glad your guitar is playable but I'm sure I'm not the only one that is confused by your temporary solution; we all know what top wrapping is/does and as stated earlier, it has no bearing on the relative height of the saddles and pups so if the strings no longer touch the pups, you have lowered the pups and/or raised the bridge. Good luck.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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Stock Bridge height is 4/64" on the treble side & 5/64" on the bass measured from the top of the 12th fret to the underside of the string. Going any lower than that is just asking for problems. Drop your pickups down a turn or two on the pickup rings. Pickups being too close can cause several problems. The best thing you can do is take it to a good tech and have them do a set-up. Probably a worthwhile investment of $80.-100.
BTW, living in L.A. you'll drive an hour each way to anyplace. So living here is an exercise in patience. Way too many people have moved here over the last 50 years.
 

ClassicRock

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Apr 3, 2020
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Stock Bridge height is 4/64" on the treble side & 5/64" on the bass measured from the top of the 12th fret to the underside of the string. Going any lower than that is just asking for problems. Drop your pickups down a turn or two on the pickup rings. Pickups being too close can cause several problems. The best thing you can do is take it to a good tech and have them do a set-up. Probably a worthwhile investment of $80.-100.
BTW, living in L.A. you'll drive an hour each way to anyplace. So living here is an exercise in patience. Way too many people have moved here over the last 50 years.

I don’t live in L.A, i live in England :)

The pickup height has never changed, has always been flush with the pickup surrounds. Before i top-wrapped the strings were sat on the bridge surrounds. (Something i cant lower). Will be taking it to someone when lockdown is over in 6 months or whenever
 

jrgtr42

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I don’t live in L.A, i live in England :)

The pickup height has never changed, has always been flush with the pickup surrounds. Before i top-wrapped the strings were sat on the bridge surrounds. (Something i cant lower). Will be taking it to someone when lockdown is over in 6 months or whenever

Honestly, I'm still not picturing what exactly you're talking about.
Is there any way you can post pics of what you mean, with the pickups, bridge surrounds (?) etc?
There is a sticky near the top on how to post pics.
 

Aloha_Ark

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Apr 2, 2020
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The OP must have a guitar with just a wraparound bridge and not an ABR-1. That seems to make the most sense. In that case the guitar would be a LP Jr or Special. Is my guess right? In that case the strings were previously mounted wrong (through hole), and would not have intonated properly. We do need a picture, though.
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
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The OP must have a guitar with just a wraparound bridge and not an ABR-1. That seems to make the most sense. In that case the guitar would be a LP Jr or Special. Is my guess right? In that case the strings were previously mounted wrong (through hole), and would not have intonated properly. We do need a picture, though.

That's what I was originally thinking - but he did mention in the OP that he was getting it with the bridge and or tail heightened (raised) or lowered.
He hasn't answered in a few days as to exactly what guitar he has...
 

rick c

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May 28, 2016
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My understanding is that the OPs guitar had pups lowered flush with the rings, a tailpiece and tunomatic bridge all the way down to the body and the guitar used to play OK. He changed strings and cleaned the thing and then found the strings to be touching the pups with the neck relief and action OK; this is what made me suspect that the neck had almost no set angle to it. Simply raising the bridge should have provided the room to stop touching the pups but then the action would be higher. Very confusingly, the OP then top wrapped and said all was OK. Top wrapping has no bearing on the string height relationship between the bridge saddles and the pups. Agreed; we need pictures!
 

ClassicRock

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Apr 3, 2020
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That's what I was originally thinking - but he did mention in the OP that he was getting it with the bridge and or tail heightened (raised) or lowered.
He hasn't answered in a few days as to exactly what guitar he has...

its a Les Paul VOS 1958. I cant find anywhere to see how to post photos without posting via URL.
 
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