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P-Bass advice needed - pickups and scratchplate...


carlsim
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Hi all,

I have a Squire VM 5 p-bass and whilst I love playing it, the tone doesn't excite me at all. I don't think the tone pot is working that well and I hate the drop in output level from my other basses.

Anyway... looking around and not wanting to spend the earth (it is a cheaper bass after all, I plumped for the EMG P5 pickups which arrived the other day. Easy to install I thought... Until i looked more closely at the sizes. Drastically different to what is already in there (I know I should have checked!!) the P bass has a longer pup for the BEA strings and a standard size one for the DG strings. EMG seems to have squeezed the longer BEA string pup into a standard size one instead so I will be left with a pretty big gap next to the BEA pickup from the scratchplate.

So - anyone else had this?? How did you get around it? Can't seem to find one to fit online and can't find a blank pre-cut one so I could cut holes just for the pups.

Do i buy a sheet and cut from scratch? If so, whats the easiest way to get the chamfered edge? I have a hand router and am quite good at that sort of stuff but the chamfered edge seems to trouble me though.

Any thoughts anyone?

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I've had a number of People basses and not had any problems with low output, even with passive circuit these can normally have a strong output. So, as you're not wanting to spend a lot on the bass, (and why should you?) Have you tried looking at the set up?

What's the gap from the pups top to the bottom of the strings when fretted at the top fret?

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Yep... several times. Had to replace the output jack socket and double checked everything (wiring, pup height etc)... I didn't really like the sound of the stock pups anyway - in all honesty, I don't really like the sound of a p-bass - it's just they play great!!
So, emgs got good reviews and comes with replacement everything which is what appealed to me. Just got this issue with the scratch plate...
It loooks as though there will be a gap either side of the BEA pup when the emg goes in - the DG side should be ok.
Are the 4 string p bass scratch plates the same size as the 5 string?? If so, I can modify the neck pocket slightly to fit?? Or is there anywhere I can get a blank one with no pup holes at all??
Anyone encountered this??

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