MM Stingray Pickup Placement

[Owen]

Hi all, I am in the process of turning my US MMSUB5 into a Bongo. I am trying to get the scratchplate proportions correct for a twin pickup. I am looking at various pictures of Stingrays and thinking "eh?". There seems to be some variation in pickup placement and the gap between bridge and scratchplate. Below are two pictures I have stolen off the internet. Am I missing something or is the whole thing open to self expression?

[Owen]

If I could delete this topic I would, but I cannot. I can now see that it is actually the bridge baseplate which is longer to hold those funky mutes! D'oh!

[lidl e]

i think you mean an HH, no?

 

the bongo has thatkind of toilet lid shape.

[Owen]

Yes HH. I am just trying to get the proportions right. It would do me good to work things all the way through before asking questions with self evident answers in public. But then why change the habit of a lifetime?

[dub_junkie]

You putting the neck humbucker where Musicman has it? I always thought it didn't leave much of a space between the pickup and edge of fingerboard. It was my main criticism of both Bongo HH and HS models I've owned in the past.

I always liked the Corvette $$ spacing but guess you're going to have a narrower variation of tone with the pickups closer together. 

[lidl e]

Maybe see if you can buy an HH scratchplate and use it as a template?

 

Are you trying to make your own scrathcplate?

 

I have a good MM dimensions drawing if you need it.

Edited February 16, 2023 by lidl e

[Owen]

Thanks all. Earlpilanz on Ebay will make me a scratchplate. I am (someone else is for me) mocking up a Stingray scratchplate and stretching it to get the Bongo bridge placement correct (extra 18mm if anyone is interested). I am fine with not much space between the neck pickup and the fingerboard because I will NEVER EVER slap in anger. And if I ever find the need to, then I have......(the shame)..... several other basses which will cover that.

[fretmeister]

Measure from the 12th fret instead. Then you'll always be accurate.