bridge pickup for a Mustang Bass

[markxander]

posted this in the basses section, but it occurs to me that it makes more sense here....

Originally Posted by markxander

Seriously, I've been thinking about this a lot. I love my Mustang Bass but I'd really like to be able to dial in some bridge pickup sounds too.

Either a J pickup or... a Musicmaster pickup??? Or a Rickenbacker bridge pickup?

Anyone take the plunge and put a bridge pickup in their Mustang, or seen a Mustang with a bridge pickup?

[afzoomie67]

If you want my opinion, and if it were to work.. I would put a G&L L2000 pickup at the bridge. It has a coil split, so you can from humbucker to single coil if you choose to do so.

[markxander]

I get the feeling that pickup would totally dwarf my Mustang pickup in output though

[Jefenator]

String spacing may be a concern - IIRC the Mustang is narrower than the standard 3/4".

If money were no object, I'd get Larry at Aero to make a matching set, Mustang for the stock spot and Musicmaster for the bridge (correctly-spaced, of course). Sort of like P/J but totally it's own awesome thing. Kind of like the Mustang!

[astack]

Bump.

Just thought of this yesterday, too, and kind of surprised there aren't any examples of it done. My thought would be a single coil guitar (strat?) replacement pickup (essentially a Musicmaster or Bronco pickup). Unfortunately there are 100's of options and no track record of them being used at bass bridge pickups.

The biggest problem I see (once you have pickup in hand), assuming you're using a spacing similar to a Jazz or P special, you'd have to notch the bridge plate to fit the pickup. Doing it tele style with the pickup in the bridge plate would be too far and butting up against it even would be too close to the other, I think? With the MM/Bronco bridge, you'd be clear though.

[Doner Designs]

I'm thinking about adding J pickups at the bridge and neck of my Mustang just for grins and as a demo/prototype also for personal use.

I think Joe Bardens are rail type so the spacing would not be an issue. Recently read that some of the other J pickups (SGD and maybe Bartolini) are rail type.

Not much room in that cavity though. Might have to go to a Marcus Miller style PG or put switches on the horn.

Gotta decide if I'm keepin her first though. Thinking about switchin her out for another J and any body work would cut the value.