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Bridge pickup distance?


zero9
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Does anyone know the distance between the bridge and the bridge pickup for a vintage Fender Jazz and a 70's Fender Jazz. I did read that in the 70's it was moved 0.25" nearer the bridge, but can't find the actual distance from the bridge. I'm looking to fit a neck pickup to my P.

Cheers,
Wil

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Both the pickup and bridge moved back around 0.25" in the 70's. To intonate however the saddles on the bridge needed to be adjusted forwards, hence the situation whereby the bridge pickup ends up 'nearer' the bridge's actual saddles. The distance between pickup and bridge base plate remained the same.

Can't quite understand your reference to fitting a neck pickup to a Precision?

Edited by The Bass Doc
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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='963805' date='Sep 21 2010, 09:12 PM']He must mean bridge.[/quote]

Then I think he should jolly well say so, old fruit :)

Strangely enough a neck Jazz pickup fits quite well in the 'bridge' position of a Precision - the string spacing is as far out 'inwards' as the proper bridge pickup is out 'outwards'....if you see what I mean. Certainly no discernable difference in the way it picks up.

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It usually makes more sense to measure from the neck end, since you get variation in bridge types etc and probably precise placement of Fender bridges since they don't have to be as careful if it'll be intonated anyway.

A hopefully more useful contribution...I've just taken a ruler to the body of my 70s Classic which is currently dismantled (this bass has 70s bridge pup position). From the end (middle) of the neck pocket it measures 206.5mm to the centre of the bridge pickup route. From the centre of the middle screwhole on the (5 screw) BBOT bridge to the centre of the bridge pickup route it measures 79mm. If that doesn't match up with your bass when you mark it out from each end, then go with the neck measurement as I don't know if the bridge position on these basses is out as the Bass Doc says it 'should' be.
I hope that helps!

Btw I'm starting to realise how important pickup position is for the tonal characteristics of a particular instrument. I think a chart showing the centre-positions of various pickup positions as measured from the nut of a 34"-scale bass would be dead handy for a lot of reasons. Anyone know of one or fancy putting one together? I've only got jazzes but I'd be very interested to see where a P or a Stingray pickup would sit. Or the various models of Yamaha BB. Or Warwicks.

Edited by LawrenceH
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[quote name='LawrenceH' post='963980' date='Sep 21 2010, 11:45 PM']It usually makes more sense to measure from the neck end, since you get variation in bridge types etc and probably precise placement of Fender bridges since they don't have to be as careful if it'll be intonated anyway.

A hopefully more useful contribution...I've just taken a ruler to the body of my 70s Classic which is currently dismantled (this bass has 70s bridge pup position). From the end (middle) of the neck pocket it measures 206.5mm to the centre of the bridge pickup route. From the centre of the middle screwhole on the (5 screw) BBOT bridge to the centre of the bridge pickup route it measures 79mm. If that doesn't match up with your bass when you mark it out from each end, then go with the neck measurement as I don't know if the bridge position on these basses is out as the Bass Doc says it 'should' be.
I hope that helps!

Btw I'm starting to realise how important pickup position is for the tonal characteristics of a particular instrument. I think a chart showing the centre-positions of various pickup positions as measured from the nut of a 34"-scale bass would be dead handy for a lot of reasons. Anyone know of one or fancy putting one together? I've only got jazzes but I'd be very interested to see where a P or a Stingray pickup would sit. Or the various models of Yamaha BB. Or Warwicks.[/quote]

Thanks Lawrence, that's very useful. The chart idea sounds good.

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