Jazz bass pickup height

[Guest MoJo]

Does anyone know if the pickups on a Jazz bass are meant to be equidistant from the strings. In the past, physics has told me that the amplitude of the string vibration is greater over the neck pickup than over the bridge pickup so I've always set the bridge pickup nearer to the strings. Then, I thought that the pickups may be calibrated to allow for this fact.
Anyone?

[steve-bbb]

mine are about 4-5 mm on the bridge and 7-8mm neck - so have always presumed the pickups are matched and not compensated

Edited November 20, 2013 by steve-bbb

[Conan]

I tend to have the bridge pickup slightly higher than the neck one as it tends to be a bit quieter... which of course will be related to the string amplitude... I think!

[LukeFRC]

pickups sound different depending how high/low they are - do it by ear.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1384970331' post='2282970']
pickups sound different depending how high/low they are - do it by ear.
[/quote]

THIS

With all pickups - be they adjusted in height, angle, angle in 3D (like a 3 screw MM style pickup) or angle in a few ways (like split P pickups) - or pickups with pole piece adjustments (like G&L MFD's) What sounds best is best - as long as it works. It's no good sounding great on EADG if the B string hits the pole pieces!

I know if the strings get very close to magnetic pickups it can cause tonal problems as well as excessive drag on the strings.