'Big Lugs'

[Schnozzalee]

Sounds like something from Theme/Two Point Hospital.

 

I was planning on switching out the pickup in my Dean Paramount p-bass for something more traditional, but the pickup cover dimensions are unusual and it doesn't look like I can fit the new pickup underneath. The covers are 55.5mm x 26mm x 14mm, with the centre of the outer pole pieces at 28.5mm apart; further to this, the lugs are 72mm across, with screws at 65.5mm apart.

 

Although, the pickguard rout is almost the standard shape, apart from additional room being made for the cover's lugs. The rout is 57mm x 28.5mm x 19mm, and then 72mm for the lugs.

 

I've contacted Dean Guitars, because I know that they were winding USA pickups for those wanting to upgrade this model on TalkBass, but what could I do to fill the gap created by the lugs? Would foam still maintain the shielding?

 

If I can't find a solution, I'll just stick with the hot stock G&B pickup. All input appreciated.

 

 

[Aidan63]

are the original pickups epoxied into the covers or are the covers just 'glued' on top, usually with a little hot melt glue ? If the latter then you may be able to remove the covers and use them to install replacement pickups if they fit inside the  covers - apart from some fancy pickups that are encapsulated in epoxy mostly P covers are just covers. 

I bought a used set of aftermarket alnico pickups with the bigger eared covers fitted but was able to separate them and then use stock sized covers so they would fit in the cut out in the pickguard without modifying it as the pickups themselves were normal size -  I don't know if the pickup winder had just bought cheap covers and hadn't realised they were slightly different, maybe that's why they were sold on because they didn't fit buyers pickguard

[Huge Hands]

...and here was me thinking this was going to be a thread about Gary Lineker....

[Huge Hands]

In all seriousness, I had this with a Squier 5 string P build (the early ones had Jazz pickups) when I tried to get some custom wound ones for it.

 

Although I hadn't noticed it before, it became apparent that most Fender Jazz basses had two different sized pickups, to compensate for the strings being further apart at the bridge than the neck.  

 

The pickup man's first set he sent were too wide, and he told me that for some unknown reason, Squier had used two 4 string neck pickups when making my 5-string P.

 

In summary - I think you will have to use your measurements and search for pickups that will fit the holes, unless you want to carve bits out of your bass.

[Schnozzalee]

The width of the covers is 26mm (25mm inside) and probably needs to be 28mm for a replacement pickup.

 

I'll either need to find some wider pickup covers with big lugs, a Dean USA pickup, or something to fill the gap between some smaller lugs 😑

Edited May 20 by Schnozzalee

[Schnozzalee]

Seems like covers vary a lot in size, but bobbins don't, so problem solved.