EB-0 Bridge Pickup

[Nortally]

My own form of adjusting to pandemic isolation is to start projects that may not need doing. I picked up an Epiphone EB-0 last year, and now I've gone and purchased this pickup from guitar madness. It looks to be the right width, the posts match up to the strings. Question is: where to position it? Is there a formula or spec, or do you just slap it down somewhere between the mudbucker and the bridge?

I'll gladly take any advice. I've built a few partscasters but admittedly, I don't have a firm wiring plan yet... one EB-0 guy added a 3rd knob but no PU switch (not sure what's going on), another converted the input jack to a pickup switch and moved the jack to the edge (presumably he used that hole to drill his wiring channel to the pickup route.)

Thanks for any & all advice!

 

[david sternfeld]

Trust your ears. Wire the pickup without mounting it. Raise the bridge if necessary and slide the pup between the neck and bridge until you find the sweet spot. Play every harmonic. Listen for clarity, overtones, resonance and sustain. It's a matter of personal taste. Like music. I can't define it, but I know what I like when I hear it. BTW: I'm interested in what you've done since you asked. I'm ready to upgrade my 1974 Gibson EB-0 to EB-3. I haven't decided on a bridge pup. I will split the coils on the Mudbucker and use a Free-Way 3X3-07 to have six distinct tones. Three humbucking. Three single coil. I'm eager to start soldering.

 

[ctmullins]

Generally, the closer to the bridge, the brighter the tone. Too close to the bridge, and it starts sounding twangy. @david sternfeld has good advice above; you can use blocks of wood to temporarily suspend the pickup above the strings and move it around while you listen through an amp.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Generally, the closer to the bridge, the brighter the tone. Too close to the bridge, and it starts sounding twangy. @david sternfeld has good advice above; you can use blocks of wood to temporarily suspend the pickup above the strings and move it around while you listen through an amp.

“Twangy”®

 

[ctmullins]

“Twangy”®

Yup.

Like a Stetson-and-concho Telecaster in a honky-tonk bar.

Who would want that??

 

[StereoPlayer]

Yup.

Like a Stetson-and-concho Telecaster in a honky-tonk bar.

Who would want that??

Uh…I prefer crunchy. Like my newest bass.
Never heard a Rickenbacker 4005 described as twangy…
Just messing with ya though.

 

[ctmullins]

Love that thing!

Do you use the bridge pickup by itself?

 

[StereoPlayer]

Back to the OP. I like a two PU Gibson bass!

 

[StereoPlayer]

Love that thing!

Do you use the bridge pickup by itself?

I can, but usually don’t. It’s wired stereo. Crunch and effects are usually on that PU only. The bass sound fantastic.

 

[StereoPlayer]

My own form of adjusting to pandemic isolation is to start projects that may not need doing. I picked up an Epiphone EB-0 last year, and now I've gone and purchased this pickup from guitar madness. It looks to be the right width, the posts match up to the strings. Question is: where to position it? Is there a formula or spec, or do you just slap it down somewhere between the mudbucker and the bridge?

I'll gladly take any advice. I've built a few partscasters but admittedly, I don't have a firm wiring plan yet... one EB-0 guy added a 3rd knob but no PU switch (not sure what's going on), another converted the input jack to a pickup switch and moved the jack to the edge (presumably he used that hole to drill his wiring channel to the pickup route.)

Thanks for any & all advice!

Do what you want! I love pandemic basses!

 

[ctmullins]

Back to the OP. I like a two PU Gibson bass!

Me too. But lately I’ve really been digging my three-pickup basses. That’s where the Freeway Switch really shines!