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75 reissue pup spacing (MIJ)

mlowe

mlowe

Mar 12, 2005
2,558
52
Melbourne, Australia.
#1
I've tried searching the forums here but can't find the pup measurement for spacing on the 70's basses. I do remember a post on here listing the spacing measurements.

Does anyone know off hand what the spacing is or can you confim that the MIJ 75 reissue has the new or 70's spacing?

Cheers,
 
#2
mlowe said:
I've tried searching the forums here but can't find the pup measurement for spacing on the 70's basses. I do remember a post on here listing the spacing measurements.

Does anyone know off hand what the spacing is or can you confim that the MIJ 75 reissue has the new or 70's spacing?

Cheers,
Click to expand...

Hey mate! I think I have only ever seen MIJ 75RI's with 60's spacing...No idea why. Check the bass centre website, they have a picture of a 75 MIJ RI and it doesn't appear to have 70s spacing.
 
#4
mlowe said:
How do you tell, I understand the bridge pickup is close to the bridge but how is it measured?
Click to expand...

The gap between the two pickups is noticably bigger on the 70's. I'm not sure how they measure it, but I'm pretty sure it's from neck pickup -bridge pickup not bridge - bridge pickup...However I'm not 100% sure.

Beats me why they don't have the 70s spacing, that's what makes the 70s Jazzes so different!
 
#7
mlowe said:
How do you tell, I understand the bridge pickup is close to the bridge but how is it measured?
Click to expand...

There are specific measurements that you'll be able to use the 12th fret to gauge. Someone will eventually show up and provide them. If they don't, look at the knobs.

Imagine a line segment drawn through the bridge pup's polepieces and extending through the control plate. On a 70s-spaced bridge pup, that line will be even with the tone knob, and with 60s spacing the line will sit between the bridge vol knob and the tone knob. Or somewhere thereabouts :D

I don't think MIJ '75 RIs were ever made with 70s spacing. But Fender Japan wouldn't incur any extra setup costs if they went with 70s spacing, because they already make the Marcus and Geddy bodies. That leads me to wonder if the spacing is as important as original MIA 70s and MIA '75RI bass owners would have you believe. Bottom line? You want the 70s spacing, you'll have to get a MIA bass, a Geddy or a Marcus. You just want a nice bass, your options are broader.
 
#8
thank for the info, i'm not so concerned that it is or not but would like to understand the differences. Sonic wise I love the sound of this bass. Playability is great so to me that's the important 2 things covered.

I have a marcus 5 and while that bass sounds excellent to my ears, I can't honestly say the MIJ isn't as good tone wise. There are obvious build quality differences but nothing too bad.

The only thing I think on the MIJ that isn't as good as it should be it the tuners, they do stink. I'll change those for sure because they will drive me mad, but other than that it's a nice bass that was very cheap to buy.

Cheers,
 
#9
Go here for info on '70s pickup spacing.

Link Removed

I think the bridge pup is about 1.5 cm closer to the bridge.

I've owned both a Marcus Miller Sig and a Warmoth project with this pup placement - and several jazzes with the "normal" placement. Wouldn't say the pup placement is that critical - it's not that it's a completely different sound, but that is just my 2.
Looks cool, though!
 
#14
mlowe said:
In case anyone is interested, the 60's is 3.5" and the 70's was 4" approx.
Click to expand...

I'm interested.

Please make some measurements for me, and I will ad them to my spread sheet.

Measure from the tuner side of the 12th fret, to the center of the magnet pole closest to the neck. This gives me a uniform measurement criteria for basses such as MM which have double poles.

I'll will be happy to have every measurement you can provide.
 

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