Gretsch 6122-1959

[ly]

Hi Charlie
After waiting 8 month I got my Gretsch 6122-1959,as I remember you also own it.
It seems that the bridge pickup is louder than the neck one,or may be that there is some
problem with the neck pup ?
thanks
ly

[Charlie Hall]

Hi ly,
The neck pickup was louder on mine. I had to lower the neck pickup by removing some wooden spacers underneath the pickup.
I also raised the bridge pickup screws to even out the difference.
How far are the blades of your neck pickup from the strings? You might want to raise the neck pickup if it is too far from the strings. If you want to do this I would suggest making wooden spacers or at least something of hard material.
You can of course use the bridge pickup volume control as well. On mine, doing this was not of much use as the bridge pickup was already quieter than the neck pickup.
If the tonal balance (not the volume balance) is good between the 2 pickups, I would think there is nothing wrong with the pickups.
Regards,
Charlie

[ly]

Hi Charlie
Thanks for your reply.
I will take meassure for pick/string distance when I get home.
(now I'm at work).
The odd thing is that on mixed position the tone is more like
the neck sound even it is weaker when compared to the bridge.
To summerize:
1.Bridge pickup = louder sound (but very beautiful sound).
2.Bridge & Neck = weaker sound,neck pronounced.
3.Neck Sound = weaker and smooth sound.(Also beautiful sound)
I play through Vox AC15 Heritage first channal(EF86)
Thanks again
ly

[Charlie Hall]

Hi ly,
The bridge pickup has (or should have) around twice the DC resistance compared with the neck pickup. The lower resistance of the neck pickup could possibly make the neck pickup heard more so than the bridge pickup, when both pickups are full on together.
I will measure the distances on mine as soon as possible, but it will not be today.
Regards,
Charlie

[ly]

Hi Charlie
I have measured distance of pickups from strings(low and high E) on both pickups.
Neck pickup from blades to low E: 5 mm, to high E: 4 mm
Neck pickup NOT from blades to low E: 6 mm, to high E :6.3 mm

Bridge pickup from magnet screw to low E: 4 mm, to high E: 4 mm
Bridge pickup NOT from magnet screw to low E: 6 mm, to high E: 5 mm
Regards
ly

[Charlie Hall]

Hi ly,
I have just measured mine.
The neck pickup blades are 2mm from the treble E string and a little more than 2mm from the bass E string. The neck pickup without blades is about 5mm from both strings. With the two E strings depressed at the 21st fret the distance from the blades is 1mm.
Bearing in mind that I have already lowered my neck pickup, I think you should raise yours by putting suitable spacers under the pickup. You should probably use the distance with the strings deprerssed at the 21st fret as a truer comparison.
My bridge pickup without screws is about 4mm from the strings. The bridge pickup screws are about 1mm from the treble E string and about 1.5mm from the bass E string (I have raised the screws a lot).
My action is set very low, with the strings about 1mm from the 12th fret on the treble side and a little more than 1mm from the 12th fret on the bass side.
Regards,
Charlie

[ly]

Hi Charlie
Thanks again for your detailed answer.
As I have to fix the action(string A is buzzing,may be action is too low),I will remeasure and fix again pickups/strings distance.
(I will do it after I will return from a short vacation in Barcelona)
Thanks again
ly