|  | | 
09-23-2009, 10:14 PM
| | | | pickup locations
Sign in to disble this ad
So Im relatively new to the world of bass construction and im trying to get a grasp on how to determine where to put the pickups on a bass..
How do people determine the locations? Is there a standard rule? or is it more like "fender put it here, so im going to too!"?
I've heard thigns about harmonic sweet spots, and it should be 6cm from the bridge and yadda yadda yadda, but nothing definitive.. If anyone has some good links, or would care to explain I would be really happy!
My current plan is use Larger humbuckers ( a pair ) or a humbucker and a large single coil ( a la Dark star ).
thanks for your time, |
09-23-2009, 11:12 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lafayette, LA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by svirfnebli  I've heard thigns about harmonic sweet spots, | Just remember that harmonic sweet spots for the open string are for the open string only
__________________
My posts are definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.
|
09-24-2009, 03:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Singapore | | Quote:
Originally Posted by svirfnebli "fender put it here, so im going to too!"? | It's a little bit of this and a little bit of "the closer to the bridge, the brighter it gets"
__________________
Zon Sonus Custom 6
Zon Vinny 6 Fretless
|
09-24-2009, 03:55 AM
| | | | Try out where you think it all sounds best and then put them there I'd say. |
09-24-2009, 05:12 AM
| | | There is a Frudua Bass wich trries to incorporate two of the most popular classic pickup sounds. In the picture belov shoves how. I hope it helps you to understand a lill, about pickup positions sound.  |
09-24-2009, 05:21 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RareDevil There is a Frudua Bass wich trries to incorporate two of the most popular classic pickup sounds. In the picture belov shoves how. I hope it helps you to understand a lill, about pickup positions sound. | Where would the single coil precision pick up sit? |
09-24-2009, 05:25 AM
| | | | You mean the Squier Deluxe models bridge pickup? Precision pickup is the split humbucker usualy placed in neck position. Or there is one single pickup in the Precision position in the Telecaster bass. I dont know any other specific Precision single coil. Post a picture of a similar instrument of what you have in mind. Maybe I can help you.
Last edited by RareDevil : 09-24-2009 at 05:28 AM.
|
09-24-2009, 05:36 AM
| | | | |
09-24-2009, 07:00 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RareDevil You mean the Squier Deluxe models bridge pickup? Precision pickup is the split humbucker usualy placed in neck position. Or there is one single pickup in the Precision position in the Telecaster bass. I dont know any other specific Precision single coil. Post a picture of a similar instrument of what you have in mind. Maybe I can help you. | as on the '51 P
Last edited by cnltb : 09-24-2009 at 07:10 AM.
|
09-24-2009, 07:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RareDevil There is a Frudua Bass wich tries to incorporate two of the most popular classic pickup sounds. In the picture belov shoves how. I hope it helps you to understand a lill, about pickup positions sound. | RareDevil, this has got to be one of the most useful images on the net about pickup locations. Good find.
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. | |
09-24-2009, 08:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: S. Carolina | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RareDevil | WOW. Now that is what I call an answer to the question.  |
09-24-2009, 09:05 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | |
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
09-24-2009, 09:16 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: São Paulo - Brazil | | | What a beautiful bass.....this Frudua Bass......nice shape...nice pick -up......awesome
What makes the Bass snore......like Warick Thumb 6 strings.....with two angulated pick-ups near the bridge ?
Is about the wood configuration or it is related to pick-ups position or model (in this case 2 Soapbars)...?
__________________
May the Force be with You.........
Last edited by YMB : 09-24-2009 at 09:20 AM.
|
09-24-2009, 09:35 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | | Welcome to the Tone Wars. You are new so you will be allowed to choose your side.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
09-24-2009, 09:47 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: western MA | | | I made my own jig to test pu placement and response, to me that was the best way to hear what happens when you move a PU. Here is a picture of the jig - just a neck connected to a block of wood which allows the pu to slide underneath the strings.
Last edited by powerbass : 04-19-2010 at 06:46 PM.
|
09-24-2009, 10:02 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: St. Louis MO | | I had my pals at Fishbone Bass construct a little fixture which holds the pickup upside down above the strings, which can be moved fore and aft while I pluck. We start with a theoretical location and fine tuned it by ear. This way, we used my actual pickup and instrument, not a test piece. http://www.fishbonebassguitars.com/
__________________
Basses by Fishbone, Lakland, Modulus, Peavey, Vaccaro, Upton, Azola, Carvin, Hamer
Lace Alumitone Pickups - Phil Jones Cabinets, Mesa/Boogie amps www.larrykornfeld.com www.groovethang.net |
09-24-2009, 03:44 PM
|  | Registered User
Owner, builder: jworrellbass | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Colorado Springs CO | | | You know I wrote a while back that I was going to make a thin pickup and attach it to a thin piece of wood so I could move it back and forward under my strings to find the best locations. It got mixed commits from the guys here. I love the jig idea for pickup locations. I'll show you mine when I get to that point in my build. |
09-24-2009, 04:11 PM
| | Registered User
Builder/owner Redeemer Basses | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Waco Tx | | It's interesting to me that the basses in the photo are either different scale lengths or each ones photo is off scale I even opened the photo up in paint, you can't get a parallel line off the 20th fret of each bass. That throws a kink in things! 
__________________
Facebook, Redeemer Basses
|
09-24-2009, 04:55 PM
| | Registered User
Owner, builder: jworrellbass | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Colorado Springs CO | | Scottyd,
I would think a guy that has as much experience in bass building as you would be teaching a class in pickup location.  What are you thoughts in finding the best locations? |
09-24-2009, 05:00 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: MS Gulf Coast | | Quote:
Originally Posted by scottyd It's interesting to me that the basses in the photo are either different scale lengths or each ones photo is off scale I even opened the photo up in paint, you can't get a parallel line off the 20th fret of each bass. That throws a kink in things! | The photo's off by a little bit, but not much. Don't forget that the top bass is a 22-fret, the middle one is a 21-fret, and the bottom is a 20-fret.
__________________
Todd Tobias/ThunderStick | SansAmp | QSC | BFM | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
Here is science! 
