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Fender musicmaster bass string spacing for Curtis Novak pickups?

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by joshuajong, Apr 13, 2022.

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  1. Apr 13, 2022 #1
    joshuajong

    joshuajong Supporting Member

    Jan 15, 2012
    LA
    I'd like to change pickup on my musicmaster bass to Curtis Novak BS-DS.

    I checked their website and it has 3 options

    • 15.6mm – Vintage Hagstrom Bisonic, Starfire, and Gibson
    • 17.4mm – Fender Pbass, and JazzBass neck
    • 19.0mm – JazzBass bridge

    So, which one is right one for musicmaster bass?
     
  2. Apr 13, 2022 #2
    LushPuppy

    LushPuppy Supporting Member

    Feb 1, 2016
    I believe the 15.6 will get you closest to the right spacing.
     
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  3. Apr 14, 2022 #3
    mrpackerguy

    mrpackerguy Supporting Member

    Jul 3, 2004
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Email him and he'll send you the right one - that's what I did - with new strings and cutting the tone-suck capacitor, it improved my Musicmaster's tone. Without doing those extra things, I really couldn't tell a difference between the Novak and the stock pup. And the Novak is not a humbucker either.
     
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  4. Apr 14, 2022 #4
    WI Short Scaler

    WI Short Scaler

    Jun 13, 2018
    Central WI
    Unless I'm mistaken the string spacing on Musicmaster is 17mm. That was the spacing on the Nordstrand I had in a Musicmaster body for some time. It worked well.
     
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  5. Apr 14, 2022 #5
    bholder

    bholder Affable Sociopath Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

    Sep 2, 2001
    Vestal, NY
    Received a gift from Sire* (see sig)
    Yes I think I recall Musicmaster bridge spacing to be around 16mm, so 15.6 should be good at the pickup.
     
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  6. Apr 14, 2022 #6
    Jefenator

    Jefenator Supporting Member

    Aug 22, 2008
    Oregon
    The spacing on my '77 Musicmaster is roughly 17.83mm (basically 18mm) at the bridge, 16.33mm over the pickup.
    Some pickup makers like Aero might actually ask for a spacing spec in 10ths of a mm.
    A Bi-Sonic in there would be pretty bada$$ but I've also been pretty impressed with the Aero Musicmaster bass pickup (4 poles for bass in the Strat guitar shape) and a red Lace Sensor.
     
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