Im kind of getting frustrated with this. I got some reverend P pickups and im trying to adjust the height according to guitar players repair guide. It says that the bass side should measure 1/8" from the pole to the bottom of string, while the trebel side should measure 3/32". Now do i adjust each pickup to 1/8 and 3/32, or do i want the "bass side" pickup to measure 1/8 across the entire thing, and the "treble side" pickup to measure 3/32 across?
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Help me set my precision bass pickup height!!
- Thread starter Linas
- Start date
The latter is the right way. However, I've found that those pickup heights are way too close to the strings for me. I clank the pickups into the strings constantly with heights like that. Try it out, but if you have to lower them to accomodate your playing, don't freak.
I prefer mine close to or exactly level with the bass, but it all depends on the sound you are going for. I have high action and big flatwounds so this works well and gives a bigger sound in my opinion. What kind of tone are you trying to go for?
FWIW:
personally I recommend you chuck the manual. It's not rocket science. The ear is the bottom line no matter what a manual says. Raise them up till they hit the strings, get in the way of your playing, or your technique - then drop them down enough to where they don't.
Play them to music you play and drop them till you're happy, push them down till your not, then raise they back up a bit. Think of it like tuning a string (by ear). Take a few days or week on and off fiddling with them if you want. It may not be somethng that strikes you right away.
Altering height will alter tone and output.
I've got the Reverends and like 'em fine but they may not be for you and adjusting height may not be enough to bring them close enough to what you're looking for.
I've had some 20 sets of P's and they aren't user friendly pups in my experience. And I can and have stuck them every way I could think of (see Dimento's P pup experiment page 4).
Addendum: if buy chance you're using some of that dense padding that doesn't allow for variable adjustment then get something with some give to it so the adjustment is flexible not fixed. It can even be too springy till you get a height established then you can get a measurement for the dense stuff or whatever you're backing them with.
personally I recommend you chuck the manual. It's not rocket science. The ear is the bottom line no matter what a manual says. Raise them up till they hit the strings, get in the way of your playing, or your technique - then drop them down enough to where they don't.
Play them to music you play and drop them till you're happy, push them down till your not, then raise they back up a bit. Think of it like tuning a string (by ear). Take a few days or week on and off fiddling with them if you want. It may not be somethng that strikes you right away.
Altering height will alter tone and output.
I've got the Reverends and like 'em fine but they may not be for you and adjusting height may not be enough to bring them close enough to what you're looking for.
I've had some 20 sets of P's and they aren't user friendly pups in my experience. And I can and have stuck them every way I could think of (see Dimento's P pup experiment page 4).
Addendum: if buy chance you're using some of that dense padding that doesn't allow for variable adjustment then get something with some give to it so the adjustment is flexible not fixed. It can even be too springy till you get a height established then you can get a measurement for the dense stuff or whatever you're backing them with.
Luknfur, i just use the book as a basic guide to the general height i need to get the pickups at, then adjust by ear and feel from that to my liking. (I dont dig in too hard, so the factory specs are usually pretty close to whats right for me) I just wasnt sure how to get the preliminary setup on these because i have never had a P bass. And i agree, they are not user friendly.
Linas said:
Well thats a sound approach (no pun intended).
Sorry didnt mean to throw stones. Loose my grip sometimes and get unnecessarily direct. Guess I was due for a wake up call. Theres all levels on this board and so much over emphasis on brands, specifications, and, in general, applying specifics out of context. Not that such things arent of significance but they have severe limitations.
Personally Ive yet to hit my P tone combination but the Reverends are probably in the top 5% and when cost is factored in theyre pretty much numero uno. Of course that wont be everybodys take but its mine up to this point in time. Tomorrow may be different.
Naperville? Ah, the wierd experience with the CC. Thought the name was familiar. I'm slow but eventually I tend to catch on. Sorry about that but it's always somethin. Actually had some clown tap into my ebay screen this week. Must be getting thick out there.
Hey Beef, saw your PM but thought Id say hi here. yeah, I don't post much on here anymore, except occasionally in the DB section. I find myself losing interest in the electric bass now that I play upright.Beefbass said:Hey man, good to see ya around here-was wondering what happened to you.
