Pickup positions

[Dazed]

I’ve seen online a graphics showing different pickup positions of popular basses - jazz, precision, mm, ricks etc - overlayed onto a bass to show in relation to one another. 
Now I’m actually looking for such a thing I can’t find it. Anyone got a link or a copy they can share?

 

thanks all

[Dazed]

And in true internet idiot style I’m answering my own post as today Google provides me with a plethora of such images…

 

 

[Hellzero]

I've got this Excel file, with a lot of measurements for the usual suspects and some others too, in both metric and imperial.

 

Pickup Positions For Many Makes Of Bass.xlsxFetching info...

[NHM]

the best pickup position is leaning on a bar

[BlueMoon]

  On 13/07/2023 at 14:37, NHM said:

the best pickup position is leaning on a bar

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……….unless you’re Del Boy! “play it cool, Trigger!”

[Lozz196]

Would love to see how a Mustang bass measured up in that.

[ped]

  On 13/07/2023 at 15:04, Lozz196 said:

Would love to see how a Mustang bass measured up in that.

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Here you go, Mustang is scaled to compensate. Pickup is a bit further forward. 
 

[Lozz196]

Thanks @ped, did think the pickup must have been slightly more forward as imo the Mustang sound is somewhere between that of the Precision & Jazz.

[ezbass]

I did an exercise where I resized a number of popular basses so that the scales were all equal, in order to show relative positions.

 

 

[Sparky Mark]

  On 13/07/2023 at 16:48, ped said:

Here you go, Mustang is scaled to compensate. Pickup is a bit further forward. 
 

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Surely this image can't be correct? Mustangs are short scale so wouldn't the frets be more out of alignment compared to a long scale Precision?

[ped]

  On 13/07/2023 at 17:51, Sparky Mark said:

Surely this image can't be correct? Mustangs are short scale so wouldn't the frets be more out of alignment compared to a long scale Precision?

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Not when you scale the bass up to match the regular scale length

[Sparky Mark]

  On 13/07/2023 at 17:53, ped said:

Not when you scale the bass up to match the regular scale length

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Ah, I see.

[Sparky Mark]

  On 13/07/2023 at 18:36, Sparky Mark said:

Ah, I see.

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I didn't interpret your "scaled to compensate" comment correctly (or at all). I wonder if the Mustang pup is intentionally proportionally further from the bridge compared to a P to compensate for a potentially reduced low end of short scale basses?

[ezbass]

  On 13/07/2023 at 20:41, Sparky Mark said:

I wonder if the Mustang pup is intentionally proportionally further from the bridge compared to a P to compensate for a potentially reduced low end of short scale basses?

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In my experience, I find shorties to have more clear fundamental that long scales, certainly less overtones, and do not have less low end at all, regardless of pickup position. 

[Dazed]

So looking at all of these, and thank you to everyone that contributed, to get a Stringray and Precision in one you would really need a triple pickup with switchable coils. It’s Google time again

[miles'tone]

  On 14/07/2023 at 09:33, Dazed said:

So looking at all of these, and thank you to everyone that contributed, to get a Stringray and Precision in one you would really need a triple pickup with switchable coils. It’s Google time again

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Or reverse the P pickup so the treble half "leapfrogs" in front of the bass half 😉

[Hellzero]

  On 14/07/2023 at 09:33, Dazed said:

So looking at all of these, and thank you to everyone that contributed, to get a Stringray and Precision in one you would really need a triple pickup with switchable coils. It’s Google time again

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Simply buy this: https://www.sims.guitars/sims-bass-shop/super-quad-pickup-classic-4

[Dazed]

And looking at some other comparisons even a triple coil wouldn’t exactly replicate as the coil positions are still millimetres out of alignment. 
 

 

[Dazed]

  On 14/07/2023 at 09:46, Hellzero said:

Simply buy this: https://www.sims.guitars/sims-bass-shop/super-quad-pickup-classic-4

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I’ve looked at those many times before, still wouldn’t do the job of a stingray and precision because one set of coils will always be in the wrong place, unless you had two side by side and were able to cross wire the selected coils. I think sims did a quad coil type pickup on some earlier Enfield (Cannon ?) basses that may cover enough area to do the Sray/P thing. 

 

Ibanez ATK seems like that may have been designed to do this very task. 
 

[Muzz]

That Sims would still be a compromise, because of the difference in positions of the original P and Ray pickups...now a sliding Sims; that could do it...hmmm...

[Dazed]

Exackerly Muzz

[Dazed]

Enfield Super 8 pickup. 
 

 

 

Not sure this would have the coil switching and the coil spacing isn’t really right either 

[Dazed]

I’m going to end up with a comedy looking spinal tap bass…..

 

[bertbass]

It also depends where you pluck it!

[Sparky Mark]

  On 14/07/2023 at 10:41, bertbass said:

It also depends where you pluck it!

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