Guitar Setup Lab

Category hub

Pickup fit & spacing

Choose a focused tool, then follow its links from symptom to measurement and record.

InteractiveString Spread at Pickup ProjectorProject measured outer-string spread at a pickup location without assuming a bridge or pickup standard.InteractivePickup Pole Spacing MatcherCompare measured string spread with candidate outer-pole spacing and an explicit alignment tolerance.InteractivePickup Route Clearance CheckerScreen measured rectangular cavity and candidate pickup dimensions before any routing decision.InteractivePickup Ring & Mount Fit CheckerCheck pickup-to-ring opening clearance and existing-versus-candidate screw-center spans.

How to use the Pickup fit & spacing bench

Start with the real guitar and the exact candidate drawing. Keep string path, pole centers, pickup envelope, cavity, ring opening, and screw spans as separate measurements.

Choose the right starting point

Project the string spread first, screen pole alignment second, then verify route and mounting geometry. A pass at one stage never implies a pass at the next.

This category contains 4 focused tools. Read each page’s preparation and limitation sections before entering values, then follow only the related workflow that resolves the next uncertainty.

Evidence standard

Use current manufacturer drawings and a physical overlay or mock-up. Stop for inaccessible measurements, close clearance, forced fit, drilling, routing, or any unmodeled protrusion.

  1. Preserve the starting condition.
  2. Change or test one variable.
  3. Retune or reset the test condition.
  4. Repeat the same measurement.
  5. Record remaining uncertainty.

When to stop

Stop when evidence conflicts, a datum is unclear, hardware reaches a limit, or the next step becomes structural, energized, or irreversible. A qualified technician can inspect conditions that browser inputs cannot represent.