Subject: filtertron adjustment help Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:45 am
Seems like from what I've read online, the TVJ filters (classics) that come in some of the Gretsch HOLLOWBODIES aren't at the correct height (as per TVJ recc's), and need to raised by putting something under the pickup mounting ring.
But, I've never seen a pic of Brian's gits with anything under the pickup rings?
Acc'd to Dan Erlwine's guitar book, when he set up Brian's '59, the polepieces were 1/32" away from the strings (see below)... the only way to do that (w/o shimming the pickups rings) is to back the polepieces WAY out... and I'm sure that can't be the right way to do it...
To add to the confusion, TVJ's recc' heights come from the pickup COVER, whereas the "Erlwine-Setzer '59" heights come from the polepiece.
TVJs reccs: Neck: 3/16"-7/32" Low E / 3/16" High E / FROM COVER Brdg: 5/32" Low E & High E / FROM COVER
Erlwine/Brian's '59: Neck: 1/32" Low E / 1/32"+.010" High E / FROM POLEPIECE Brdg: 3/64" Low E / 5/32" + .010" High E / FROM POLEPIECE
ruger9
Posts : 317 Join date : 2008-05-28
Subject: CONFUSION SOLVED Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:37 pm
I have found the source of the confusion:
After scouring Dan Erlwine's book, I finally found this: Dan measures polepiece height with the strings depressed at the final fret. The information was inconveniently NOT located anywhere near the "pro's setups" information.
Problem/confusion solved!
So for all you filter players out there:
TVJ's pickup heights reccs are distance from pickup COVER to OPEN string
The Dan Erlwine/Brian Setzer polepiece measurements are from POLEPIECE to FRETTED string
All is well in Hot Rod Land...
tvthewiredturtle
Posts : 3645 Join date : 2008-04-20 Age : 59 Location : so cal.
Subject: Re: filtertron adjustment help Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:40 am
ruger9 wrote:
I have found the source of the confusion:
After scouring Dan Erlwine's book, I finally found this: Dan measures polepiece height with the strings depressed at the final fret. The information was inconveniently NOT located anywhere near the "pro's setups" information.
Problem/confusion solved!
So for all you filter players out there:
TVJ's pickup heights reccs are distance from pickup COVER to OPEN string
The Dan Erlwine/Brian Setzer polepiece measurements are from POLEPIECE to FRETTED string
All is well in Hot Rod Land...
Did you shim it already? I use to give folks a big "how to do it" write up regarding the removal of the newer gretsch wood shims..but tv jones has a video on that at his website. The pre FMICs had lame compressed foam pieces under the bridge and somehow they thought that wood shims would not compress and be adjustable? hmmm.. Mike Lewis still has bugs to work out over at Terada factory IMO.
Thank God for foam mouse pad and a ruler, anyone can fix their gretsch now with that video. Its a no brainer... BUT.. getting it just right is more than that video, as you are finding out.
Its funny to me when I get a gretsch on my bench that has the pole pieces way up as that only increases string focus but leaves the alnico bar mag* far from the strings. TV jones specs are obviously a great start spec but when it comes to adjusting your own gretsch after you have got some good fat neoprene shims under the pkups, I like to start at 3/16ths on the micrometer from the top of the pkup cover to the bottom of the low and high e string. But like i said, thats a start... I cant stand having the bass side of the neck pkup that close, unless you balance a classic neck with a classic+ bridge.
* ceramic bar mag photo inside a poop filtertron
ruger9
Posts : 317 Join date : 2008-05-28
Subject: Re: filtertron adjustment help Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:36 am
I didn't notice if the wodden shims were still in there or not... but it doesn't matter. The pickup COVERS are very very close to TVJ's reccomeded heights (within 1/64"). It's the polepiece measurement that was throwing me, and I found out why when I saw Dan Erlwine was taking those measurements with the strings depressed at the last fret. That explained the serious discrepancy. Crisis averted!
tvthewiredturtle
Posts : 3645 Join date : 2008-04-20 Age : 59 Location : so cal.
Subject: Re: filtertron adjustment help Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:41 am
ruger9 wrote:
I didn't notice if the wodden shims were still in there or not... but it doesn't matter. The pickup COVERS are very very close to TVJ's reccomeded heights (within 1/64"). It's the polepiece measurement that was throwing me, and I found out why when I saw Dan Erlwine was taking those measurements with the strings depressed at the last fret. That explained the serious discrepancy. Crisis averted!