staggered pole pieces killing me

[crzyfngers]

they snag my pick and send it flying. love the sound of the pickups. any suggestions?

 

[Lespaulsignature 74]

Don't use a pick!

 

[DGDGBD]

what about lowering the pickup a hair? or maybe try different kinds of picks?

 

[phoenix 7]

Maybe try a thinner pick with more flex that you don't let extend down so much below the strings?

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

don't play over the pickup.

 

[stratoskier]

Not sure what type of music you're playing, but in my experience if you're snagging the pickup either you have the pickup set too high or else (more likely) you're picking way too deep. A few years, ago I started trying to work on my picking technique in earnest to increase both speed and accuracy. One of the very first things I learned was the need to increase efficiency by picking much more shallow, so that only the very tip of the pick strokes the string. You'd be surprised how much difference this makes. I can still 'em hard when the style calls for it, but learning how to be more efficient opened a lot of other doors.

Just my experience...

Bert

 

[crzyfngers]

thanks y'all.
changing my pick is out of the question.
i try not to play over the pickup but for rhythm that's where my ear takes me.
the height is set for the nest tone, can't change that.
picking too deep is a possibility, i'll work on that.
can i take a file to the pole pieces and round off the edges?

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

can i take a file to the pole pieces and round off the edges?

could you? yes.

will it end well? no.

change your picking position instead.

 

[drod2045]

you hit the pole pieces? seems like either a) your pickups are super high, b) your action is super low or c) both

 

[crzyfngers]

you hit the pole pieces? seems like either a) your pickups are super high, b) your action is super low or c) both

no, the pole pieces on the g and d strings are super high. '69 custom shop. i've never had a problem before with other pickups. after 30 years there's not much changing going on in my technique. i could die before i get it worked out. i'll just start looking for some more evans.

 

[drod2045]

I have those same pickups in one of my strats. It even has lower action than I usually like and never had a problem with picking on that guitar.

maybe its your crzyfngers

 

[candid_x]

I run into this problem sometimes, and work to adjust my technique. Going to a smaller (Jazz III black) pick has helped a number of Strat issues I'd previously had, including this one.