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5 string P style pickup measurements - same as 4?

bholder

bholder

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Sep 2, 2001
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#1
Just thought I'd check - I bought a body that is routed for 3 4 string P pickups, wondering if I can convert it to 5 string. I can fit the 5 string neck and bridge on, no problem, but I'd rather not have to widen the pickup routes. I checked Bartolini's site, theirs measure the same, but not sure if that holds for other brands. The Barts are 2.20" x 1.8" per half (excluding mounting tabs) whether for 4 or 5 (or 55.74 x 24.73 in mm).

So, could some folks with other brands of 5 string P pickups measure & post dimensions here? Wondering about Delanos and Lace Alumatone in particular (will check sites).
 
#2
The Lace Alumatone will fit, they suggest changing the orientation for 5 string use. The Delanos are very slightly larger, might get tight.
 
#4
I think that many 5 string P pickups are the same size as 4 string but the pick halves have been spread apart a bit more. You want the A string to be picked up by only one of the 2 halves. Carvin has the treble pickup cover the A string while Fender and (I think) Lakland have the A string covered by the bass side pickup.

If you have body routes for 4 string the 5 string will either be a bit too wide or the A string will go over the active edges of both pickup halves.
 
#5
Aguilar makes 2 different sizes.. That aggy 5p is larger than the normal P pickup in length..The CL is the shorter one I think.. . A guy that worked there and is on this forum told me they copied the alleva coppolo P5p pickup . But the two sound incredibly different.
Fender and Yamaha make one small coil and one long coil..
Duncan, Nordstrand each make P5 pups that are withing about 1/64th of each other in size to a standard 4 string P pup...
I have some Nord J pups that sound amazing... but their P pup is a little too scooped with a harsh top end IMO.

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bholder said:
I checked Aguilar's site as well - their 5CL model fits as well.
Click to expand...
 
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#8
svtb15 said:
I have some Nord J pups that sound amazing... but their P pup is a little too scooped with a harsh top end IMO.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean about the Nordy P pickups: the standard ones (used by Sadowsky and others) sound different than Fender. Have you tried the np5v pickup with "vintage-correct magnets" (alnico, I guess)? Just wondering if that version has a more vintage sound.

I'm currently having a vintage style P5 built for me by a local luthier and I requested the np5v pickups, but the bass is still in progress so I haven't heard them yet.
 
#9
P.S. I am pretty sure (but not 100% certain) that the P5 route on Lull, Sadowsky, and Nordstrand P5s is the same as a P4 route: it's just that the coils in the P5 (underneath the pup covers) are wider to accommodate the additional string. Images below are not to scale, but seem to bear this out.

8abwv9e.jpg


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#10
I have not tried the specified np5v.... I had a 3-4 different prototypes to eval for a builder years ago ... I was one of a few testing for their basses....I selected the one that i felt sounded closest to my familiar P.. Dont know if that is what they went with... .

But I will say that I really like the Nord J pups allot!
 
#11
They are the same route.... same size coils too.. five or take 1/64th"
When i was doing some prototype evals on my Sad, i put a EMG 4 string pup just to get a basic idea of what was going on in the bass and how it reacted. It sounded pretty good but the continuous bar in the EMG did not pick up the G string as well as the others. But it did work just to get an idea of what it may sound like..
I find Sadowsky to be a bit mid scooped by nature.. even with the preamp off as compared to lets say a fender , or alleva coppolo.. Dont ask me how that happens with the preamp off . but it does.
I have a different bridge that i will try on my sadowsky to see if i can get it sound a little more fendery like my alleva coppolo ... cant wait to try it, because it plays like a dream



Fuzzbass said:
P.S. I am pretty sure (but not 100% certain) that the P5 route on Lull, Sadowsky, and Nordstrand P5s is the same as a P4 route: it's just that the coils in the P5 (underneath the pup covers) are wider to accommodate the additional string. Images below are not to scale, but seem to bear this out.

8abwv9e.jpg


[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
 
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#12
svtb15 said:
They are the same route.... same size coils too.. five or take 1/64th"
I find Sadowsky to be a bit mid scooped by nature.. even with the preamp off as compared to lets say a fender , or alleva coppolo.. Dont ask me how that happens with the preamp off . but it does.
I have a different bridge that i will try on my sadowsky to see if i can get it sound a little more fendery like my alleva coppolo ... cant wait to try it, because it plays like a dream
Click to expand...

Thanks for the confirmation on pickup route.

In the grand scheme of things my Sadowsky P-bass sounds P-bassy, but I agree: Sadowsky basses sound different than their Fender equivalents -- I always mention this when bassists ask about my Sadowskys. Some call Sadowskys scooped, others call them flat, others say they have enhanced highs and lows. I agree with you: that tone exists even with the preamp bypassed. Whether it's better or not is simply personal preference. I usually prefer Sadowsky, but there are times that I appreciate the mid-focus of a passive Fender P.
 
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#13
I find that with the NP5 I usually engage the passive tone pot to shave off some off the edge that those pickups produce. Next time around I'm going to experiment with a different value capacitor on the tone cap to shift the treble cut frequency a little. Usually I find that helps a lot. I had a Fender American Standard P5 and I found that too bright as well. Just FYI, I installed a Bart P5 and even though it was more "hi-fi" sounding, the highs are very refined and it's a very clean sounding pickup.
 
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#15
svtb15 said:
its been 20 years since i used Bartolinis.. but im open to trying them again... ill bet they sound great
Click to expand...

They sound like Barts! Having said that I also also mention that the Classic Bass Series ("CB) has extended highs compared to the originals. They are smoother, refined, polite, and not the 70's-80's chunky P tone that you get from that era of Fender P with an Ash body and maple neck. THAT combination is a different animal compared to an Alder body/rosewood P Bass. A lot of discussion is made around brand names and custom builders who make P clones but IMHO, the choices of Ash over alder, maple over rosewood really tells the story. I think you can take a plain old Fender P5 pickup and pick your choice of tone woods and arrive at P nirvana in a heartbeat.
 
#17
darwin-bass said:
I think that many 5 string P pickups are the same size as 4 string but the pick halves have been spread apart a bit more. You want the A string to be picked up by only one of the 2 halves. Carvin has the treble pickup cover the A string while Fender and (I think) Lakland have the A string covered by the bass side pickup.

If you have body routes for 4 string the 5 string will either be a bit too wide or the A string will go over the active edges of both pickup halves.
Click to expand...

I guess some could do that, some clearly don't. But this is looking promising, just want to be sure it'll work before spending money on parts.
 

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