pick up adjuster screws

[jono]

I have in the past set the adjuster screws to follow the contour of the bridge - ie the middles slightly higher than the outers. Then I was told to put the screws under the thinner strings higher to compensate for the fact that there's less metal waving about in the magnetic field. Is there an accepted way to set them or is it a 'suck it and see' situation?
While we're on the subject does reversing the pickup so that the screws are, say, nearer to the neck on the bridge pick up make any difference?

 

[Mojojojo]

Seems like people have a few ways of doing this, but I generally set them so they sound at the same volume level.

 

[Grandturk]

Generally, you won't have to adjust the heights of the poles unless you can hear it... for instance, if one string in particular sounds a lot lower in volume than the others... if it doesn't don't worry about it. Its not like if you adjust it just right you'll get "magic-tone." Its more for correction.

As for reversing the pickup... this is one of those subjects that has a lot of theories and very little evidence. I have two theories:

one) In the old days when coils were not balanced, you'd end up with a "hot" coil and placing this hot coil at a certain place would affect the tone. These days, since most pickup makers use balanced coils, you wouldn't hear much difference.

two) often, when dealing with a covered hummer, the adjustment screws are raised up flush with the cover, therefore, that coil's magnetic field is closer to the strings creating a "hot" coil in which case see theory "one."

In any case, I find its more important to have the cream coil on a zebra facing the bridge for total sustain and tone.

 

[jono]

pickup direction

my bridge pup has always had a harsh edge to it that bugged me so today I turned it around so that the screws are now away from the bridge. There is definitely less harshness to it now and I'm quite pleased for a free mod.