Pickup height adjustment

[agentwayward]

I generally adjust the overall pickup height to something like this: 

Humbuckers: 1.5mm both sides. 
Single coils: 2mm bass side, 1.5mm treble side. 

I never adjust the pole pieces. 

I think I should perhaps pay more attention to this part of the setup. 

Does anyone want to suggest a more focussed pickup height adjustment scenario or is it more a case of fiddle until you like the results? 
Pole piece adjustment? Yay or nay? 

This question has come about since I built the HSH strat. I've got a lot more going on here than the usual pickup combos, so it seems worthwhile delving a bit deeper into pickup heights. 

[ziggystardust723]

Hello Agentwayward
I think the most simple is to use a Single Coil with Screws in place of Rods-Magnets,
- As this you can turn the Scews as you listen the Sound,
- on a Pickups with Scews & // to the Pickguard,
> & after you have just to reproduce the Sides/Highs of Screws on Rods-Magnets, or All the Pu itself..
Bye, Ziggy (France, 12h07)

[agentwayward]

So, I tried this method.plugged my amp in to my PC and used a basic DB meter program that was connected to the amp channel. 

Some practice was invoved to ensure consistant string picking. 

I set the pole pieces on each pickup first, even heights, just proud of the pickup. 

I set the overall height of each pickup first, 1.5mm high E string, 2.00 low E string. 

I used the low E string as a bass, it turned out to be 50DB. 

I set each other pole until each was as close to 50DB as I could reasonably get, allowing for the impossibility of ensuring precisely the same picking strength. 

The volume output of each string over both pickups is now even. 

I then raised the bridge pickup overall, as I like my bridge to be slight stronger. Rechecked levels and all is good. 

Worthwhile exercise? I think so. 
I