How to Adjust the Pickup Height on a Stratocaster
Fender Stratocasters do one thing really well -- they sound like Fender Stratocasters. While that might sound ridiculous, anyone who has ever played one will tell you it's true. Stratocasters are versatile guitars, but they have a signature sound. It's the tone of Hendrix, contemporary Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer and thousands of other guitarists. Well-balanced output and equalization are crucial to that famous Fender sound, and adjusting your pickups correctly will help.
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Instructions
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1
Locate the pickup screws. Stratocasters have pickup screws on either side of each pickup.
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2
Measure the distance between the strings and the treble (right-hand) side of the pickup. Place your hand on the last fret of the thee top (thinnest) strings and use the ruler to see how far they are from the pickup. According to the official Fender Stratocaster Setup Guide, the treble side of the pickup should be anywhere from 1.6 mm to 2.4 mm from the strings.
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3
Raise or lower the treble side. Turn the screw clockwise to raise the pickup, counterclockwise to lower it.
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4
Measure the distance between the strings and the bass (left-hand) side of the pickup. Place your hand on the last fret of the three bottom (thickest) strings and use the ruler to see how far they are from the pickup. According to the official Fender Stratocaster Setup Guide, the bass side should be between 1.6 mm and 3.6 mm from the strings.
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5
Raise or lower the bass side accordingly.
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Plug in and check your tone. Play a chord that uses all six strings, and play each string individually. Notice the balance of bass and treble, and adjust the pickup heights to your taste.
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Tips & Warnings
Most Stratocasters have three pickups -- one in the neck position, one in the bridge position and one in the middle. In general, neck pickups should be lower than middle pickups, and middle pickups should be lower than bridge pickups.
