Predator Newbie Question (Update)

[SCBoy]

Hi. Long time lurker, first post. A little background. I'm a card-carrying old-fart. Life long pro musician playing horns & B-3, but just recently got serious about really learning guitar.

I found what I think you folks call a Gen3 Predator hiding in a local pawn shop. Serial # 0536xxxx, so she looks like about a 1992 or so. Love the way it plays and sounds. She has a few nicks and scratches, but heh, so do I!

My question is the pickup adjustments. I had been playing it for a month or so before I even noticed that the middle PU was adjusted almost all of the way down and canted towards the neck. Hopefully the pictures show what I mean.

Was just wondering if any of the experts here are aware of setups like this. Is it an old trick to get a certain sound or something like that. My first instinct was to adjust it, but I really like the way it sounds now. Don't want to mess something up doodling with things I don't understand yet.

Thanks for any info.

Admins, I'm new here. If the pics are too large, just delete. I'll resize them.

[Camaro Guy]

In terms of pickup height, ears are always the best guide. If it sounds good, it is good. That being said, I adjust my Predators with the bass side a bit lower than the treble, following the recommendations for strat guitars:

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/ ... eight_Pt-1

This should at least get you in the ballpark. And if you decide that it sounded better originally, take a picture and /or some measurements and it's straightforward to turn the screws back to where you started.

Congrats on the Predator. I have three and find them just about the easiest to play guitars that I own.

[wallnut]

you wont hurt anything by trying it at different heights. And as mentioned you can always put it back.. my bet is that the previous owner set it that way because of his picking style. some guys lower the middle pickup because there pick hits it while playing. Nice find btw. I have 2 preds now and am looking for a script logo one such as yours..

[SCBoy]

Camaro Guy, thanks for the reply. That's exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for. Lots of info in the link.

"Use your ears" ... what a novel concept!!

Although, I have to admit it. I was kind of hoping for a "It's a old, secret trick used by all of the midnight, smoky-bar guitar-slingers guaranteed to pick up chicks"!

Guess I'll have to settle for a good sounding Predator. Thanks again!

[SCBoy]

Thought I'd post an update in case some other newbie stumbles across this thread with the same question as mine.

I followed the excellent advice of fellow board members. The link given was a great starting point.

WOW! Totally changed the sound of my Predator. I really love it.

My only advice to another newbie would be to go slow. As little as a quarter turn can make a difference. I probably took a couple of weeks to tweak it just as I liked.

Thanks again for the advice!

[twangboy]

Some guys drop the middle pickup on a strat style if it gets in the way of their picking. Raise it as high as it sounds good but doesn't exert too much pull on the strings.

[Camaro Guy]

Glad that you like it. The first night I used the info in the Premier Guitar site to adjust my Predator, I thought, "Wow, it sounds like a stratocaster should sound!" And you're right, even a little difference in height can make a big difference in sound, especially when you're close to the optimum.

[tomas83]

Looks like a little resurection of Generation 3 of Predators lately. I adjust all my pickups according to my ears, but usually the neck (and the middle) goes higher on the treble side and lower on the bass. However on the bridge pickup I reverse the procedure I did the adjustment after I bought it and now it really does sound like a Strat even with the 500k pots it came with.