P-bass players - do your fingers hit the pickups?

[KYJazzy]

My P bass is my main bass and I play with my thumb anchored on the pickup with first and second fingers playing right over it. Thing is they always tap the pups when I'm playing - is this normal/acceptable or are my pups set too high?

There doesn't seem to be an affect on the sound unless I'm unplugged you can hear my fingers tapping the pups pretty loudly. I like low action and the output I get out of the pups (IMO) is good...

[uly_]

Yeah that happens for me now and then too. That's just a reminder to myself that I need to pluck the strings instead of pushing them down with the fingertips

[MarkMyWordsXx]

same here, actually it happens on my j too, well itl teach you to play the right way if nothing else

[Thinkarogadum]

That happens to me when I really dig in during a solo. To make matters worse, the polepieces are really sharp along the edges (ouch!) which reminds me to not play so aggresively.

[richard simmons]

I just lowered my pickups a lot so it doesn't happen. I have a really heavy attack but I try to keep good form.

[vindy500]

nope

[WillBuckingham]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having your fingers land on the pickup when plucking. Most people find this comfortable.

[dewbass4]

I have a facotry thumb rest on my 79 P, it seems to position the right hand so I don't hit the pup. Actually liked it enough to put one on my P/J special. It's more comfortable than resting directly on the edge of the pup and give me a little room to move the right hand anchor around a touch. IMO well worht the $5 (or less) that they cost.

[Pbassred]

I took at that furnature off my 79P and its been in a bag for 25 years.

[Blavelle]

haha my dad called those pickup covers the free ashtrays that come with your bass.

[Jezz8me]

i just started playing over the p pickup on my sx pj and I'm having this problem i think its cause i don't play my bass completely vertical it it angles to me a bit, it doesn't bother mi tho

[nysbob]

It can be a problem when recording, but it never bugs me on the gig. I try not to push the string into contact with the pickup, but it happens when you start digging in.

[wateroftyne]

All the time, P or J. Not too much of a problem live or in the studio unless I'm DI'd. I have an EBS tube pre that takes the edge off the spikes. Not perfect, but it helps a lot.

[vindy500]

i used to play with a bassist who had a crap bass, cant remember the brand, but his strings hit the pickups all the time, pop pop pop crackle crap sounds it said.