Default pickup heights: Will Ray Signature ASAT

I have a Will Ray Signature ASAT and the previous owner (who was also the original owner) told me
that the setup he had done included a lowering of the pickups as the guitar tech thought they were
a little too hot.

Well, since these are intended to be a little hotter, I am interested in putting them back
to where they were previously!

Rather than just adjust to hearing, I would prefer to compare the current setup with the
default factory setup, which specifically refers to WR-spec pickup heights. I cannot seem to find
these specs, however. Since they are specific to the WR model, I would like the WR measurements so
I can at least return things to the full spec and see how it goes from there.

BTW, there is absolutely *nothing* wrong with how this guitar sounds as is. It sounds great. It sounds
BETTER than great! But I also want to compare current setup with the WR spec setup. That's my OCD
as work.

Thanks in advance.

I have a Will Ray Signature ASAT and the previous owner (who was also the original owner) told me
that the setup he had done included a lowering of the pickups as the guitar tech thought they were
a little too hot.

Well, since these are intended to be a little hotter, I am interested in putting them back
to where they were previously!

Rather than just adjust to hearing, I would prefer to compare the current setup with the
default factory setup, which specifically refers to WR-spec pickup heights. I cannot seem to find
these specs, however. Since they are specific to the WR model, I would like the WR measurements so
I can at least return things to the full spec and see how it goes from there.

BTW, there is absolutely *nothing* wrong with how this guitar sounds as is. It sounds great. It sounds
BETTER than great! But I also want to compare current setup with the WR spec setup. That's my OCD
as work.

Thanks in advance.

I am not aware of any specific settings that the factory used for the WR Signature model.

Here are some posts regarding pickup height:
What should the pickup height setting be?
Pick-up height for Z-Coil?
New Will Ray Z-coil pickup in my Z3

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Craig.

I did read on a couple of adverts for the WR Signature model that it had:


"WR spec pickup height settings"

If anyone knows that these have different specs please advise.


But I will use the info from the links that you sent me re: Z-coils. That should do the trick.

Cheers!

Thanks, Craig.

I did read on a couple of adverts for the WR Signature model that it had:


"WR spec pickup height settings"

If anyone knows that these have different specs please advise.


But I will use the info from the links that you sent me re: Z-coils. That should do the trick.

Cheers!

I had forgotten about that being listed in the announcement post. Here's a link to that announcement: http://web.archive.org/web/20080313031558/http://www.glguitars.com/news/2002/WR_model/index.asp

I also found a post from Will about pickup heights in response to this post: G&L Commanche Pickup Height.

I know others here may disagree, but I always set my pickups, including Z coils, as close to the strings as I can without the string vibration actually hitting the pickups. I don't scientifically measure the distance, it's all done by sight and a little experimenting.

In general, I set the bridge PU closer to the strings than the neck PU because the strings have a narrower vibration range being close to the bridge. Also, bridge PU's tend to be weaker sounding to my ears than neck PU's, so I usually lower the neck PU a tad to balance the sound between them.

Z coils are hotter than most PU's, but I don't care - I want the most output I can muster out of a PU. It's just habit. Besides, most modern amps have 2 inputs to accommodate both weak and strong PU's.

My 2¢
Will Ray

Here's another post from Will in response to this post: Std. Comanche or ASAT Z bridge vs. Will Ray Sig Bridge:

Originally the specs were roughly these: Neck 5.0K, Mid 8.14K, Br 8.14K.

That was because I always kept the middle PU very low to make room for finger picking clearance.

Early WR's have these specs.

Somewhere down the line the middle PU went back to the 5.0K specs because I felt it made more sonic sense for most other players who keep that PU higher.

I don't know why the new specs are lower for all the PU's now. They should be 5K and 8K instead of 4.5K & 7.5K.

Will Ray

Found another post from Will in response to this post: Need help with pickups and pickguard (Tele):

I usually keep my middle PU lowered on my Z-3 models, sometimes flush with the pickguard. Otherwise it interferes with my right hand picking. I actually use the middle PU in that situation when I want a real clean, lowered-volume rhythm sound.

I have the same problem with Strats, Legacy's and S-500's, but to a lesser degree. The shape of the Z coils seems to take up a lot of real estate on the guitar. But ya gotta love the Z-coil sound!

Will

Hope this helps.

PS We would love to see a photo of your WR Signature guitar. It does not exist without photos