Fender Fat 50's Height ?

[Stratstrangler]

Not sure if I'm getting the best tone from my 2012 Amer. Standard Strat with its Fat 50's. I've messed with the heights and I currently have them quite high on the 1st string side and lowered them on the 6th. string side to balance volume across all strings. What's the consensus on their best heights? I lowered them for a comparison, but preferred more output, so I raised them again to where I had set them before.

Stratstrangler

 

[John C]

Sorry but I don't have my old 2013 American Standard with the Fat 50s to provide an actual measurement, but I have this photo of how the pickups were set on it. I don't know if this was done at the factory or if it was tweaked a bit by the dealer - but considering this was a Guitar Center special color I doubt that was done there unless someone requested this set-up, had them do both this sonic blue one and a surf green one then purchased the surf green one. The hang tag in my case was for the surf green one.

 

[Stratstrangler]

Sorry but I don't have my old 2013 American Standard with the Fat 50s to provide an actual measurement, but I have this photo of how the pickups were set on it. I don't know if this was done at the factory or if it was tweaked a bit by the dealer - but considering this was a Guitar Center special color I doubt that was done there unless someone requested this set-up, had them do both this sonic blue one and a surf green one then purchased the surf green one. The hang tag in my case was for the surf green one.

Looks very much like how I positioned the Fat 50's in my 2012.
Mine may set with even more of an angle.

Stratstrangler

 

[joebtone]

Sorry but I don't have my old 2013 American Standard with the Fat 50s to provide an actual measurement, but I have this photo of how the pickups were set on it. I don't know if this was done at the factory or if it was tweaked a bit by the dealer - but considering this was a Guitar Center special color I doubt that was done there unless someone requested this set-up, had them do both this sonic blue one and a surf green one then purchased the surf green one. The hang tag in my case was for the surf green one.

I just find that when I put pickups about as low as I can....I can better figure out by adjusting up a a few turna at a time, where it sounds best.
From the Bridge to the neck.
You have to check how adjusting one effect the others as you go along.
Visually yours look about where things usually end up.
I don’t usually tilt much but that’s because I like an overly bassy low end.

 

[joebtone]

Don’t drop you pickups off the screws.

 

[thegrasshopper]

I personally like Fat50s rather low, specially on the low strings. I usually find these pickups being a bit muddy with distortion, specially the neck one. Lowering them is my way to go to get more dynamic range, at a cost of less output, but nothing that can't be solved with an amp or pedal

 

[Stratstrangler]

These pickups are called “Fat” for a reason. I like a lot of low end in my tone because it defines the timbre in my own sound. That low 6th. string is not so bassy sounding that there is not a bit of twang from it, but it does offset the bright twang I get from the top 3 strings….almost like having two different sets of tones. I'm probably not wording this properly. Another way to describe it is to think what a Strat and 4 x 10 Bassman would sound like when turned up…lots of thump from the cabinet, but the 10” speakers have brightness over the 12” speaker.

Stratstrangler

 

[Rbert0005]

Mine are set a tad lower than the pic and a bit less tilt as well.

Bob

 

[Mac62]

Don’t drop you pickups off the screws.

Hate when that happens.

 

[Stratstrangler]

This photo shows the angle of the Fat 50's pickups in my 2012 Amer. Standard. Sighting from the headstock to bridge shows each pup slight higher that the preceeding one. I don't drop the middle pup as some players do. I use the middle pickup alone quite often.

Stratstrangler

 

[wooders]

I had an issue with 9.5 strings that I didn't realise until I installed a balanced set of 10s. World of difference regarding balancing string volume.

 

[The_Whale]

What's the consensus on their best heights?

No different than any other pickup/s:

use your ears