4 string/5 string jazz pickups

[Owen]

I am toying with the idea of a 5 string Jazz with a set of Aguilar pickups. If it was a 4 string I could buy the body off the shelf, but the lugs in the pickups are just too far apart, unless someone actually make J5 pickups with the lugs in the same place as those on J4 pickups. Any ideas?

[Vibrating G String]

EMG's use the same shell and lug spacing, actually the same pickup, for 4 & 5 strings. Fender used a number of different sizes for 5's and can be a hassle to find the right one.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Vibrating G String

[Ou7shined]

My fiver has 4 banger sized pups.
It currently has awesome Bill Lawrence J45s prior to that it has had Barts and a breif encounter with some surprisingly ok Hohner Jack EMGs.

[Owen]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1061024' date='Dec 16 2010, 09:35 PM']EMG's use the same shell and lug spacing, actually the same pickup, for 4 & 5 strings. Fender used a number of different sizes for 5's and can be a hassle to find the right one.[/quote]
I am such a tart I want exposed pole pieces otherwise it will not look "right"

[endorka]

[quote name='owen' post='1061011' date='Dec 16 2010, 09:22 PM']I am toying with the idea of a 5 string Jazz with a set of Aguilar pickups. If it was a 4 string I could buy the body off the shelf, but the lugs in the pickups are just too far apart, unless someone actually make J5 pickups with the lugs in the same place as those on J4 pickups. Any ideas?[/quote]

I replaced the stock jazz pickups in my Squire 5 string recently with Seymour Duncans. The existing pickup cavities were too small and the lugs in the wrong place, so the tech that fitted them had to expand both. It actually looks really good, although it is more expensive than having the pickups fitted without this extra woodwork.

Jennifer

[Owen]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1061119' date='Dec 16 2010, 11:01 PM']My fiver has 4 banger sized pups.
It currently has awesome Bill Lawrence J45s prior to that it has had Barts and a breif encounter with some surprisingly ok Hohner Jack EMGs.[/quote]

I've had a look at the J45s and I am sure they are awsome, but the pole pieces (for me) need to be in standard jazz bass config. I am such a tart that it all has to look right.

[Vibrating G String]

What are you going to do about a bigger 5 string neck with the 4 string bodies neck pocket? Your choice will be very limited in pickups if you want poles that line up with the strings. You may find you have to custom order some which will negate the savings of an off the shelf body.

You could do what endorka did and have the routes enlarged a bit. It can hide pretty well if you paint the cavities black.

[Owen]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1062190' date='Dec 18 2010, 01:21 AM']What are you going to do about a bigger 5 string neck with the 4 string bodies neck pocket? Your choice will be very limited in pickups if you want poles that line up with the strings. You may find you have to custom order some which will negate the savings of an off the shelf body.

You could do what endorka did and have the routes enlarged a bit. It can hide pretty well if you paint the cavities black.[/quote]

I have found a source for a body with 5 string routes so I am good to go. Thanks all as usual. It is good to throw ideas around