/ Register

Musicman pup string spacing issue

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by K-irsh, Feb 4, 2018.

Tags:
  1. Feb 4, 2018 #1
    K-irsh

    K-irsh

    Feb 11, 2016
    I just got a bass that is really cool and i love the sound but it has a mm humbucker on the neck pickup position and the strings are too tightly spaced so pickups aren't picking up the g and b strung well enough. See picture. Love the tone for the rest of the strings. It is 2.5" from b to g so 16mm at that location of pickup

    Looking for alternative pickups in the mm style with tighter spacing. I love aguilars but idk if they will work.

    Trying to keep the bass brand nameless for now to avoid how the shag this wasnt noticed when they were making the bass cuz i am otherwise happy
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Feb 4, 2018 #2
    DWBass

    DWBass The Funkfather

    Jan 24, 2003
    Newport News, VA via NYC
    Get an EMG or Bartolini MM pickup. They have bars so no worries about string spacing.
     
    Geri O likes this.
  3. Feb 5, 2018 #3
    Slater

    Slater Leave that thing alone.

    Apr 17, 2000
    The Great Lakes State
    It looks like the manufacturer used a bridge pickup in the neck position.
     
    lz4005 and Trouztrouz like this.
  4. Feb 5, 2018 #4
    eastcoasteddie

    eastcoasteddie

    Mar 24, 2006
    Brooklyn, transplanted to NoVA
    There is no “standard” for 5-string MM pickups like there is for the 4-string pickup, there are a few different designs on the market. You have the one with mounting screw tabs, or “ears”. They also some in a Soap-Bar shape.
    They also can be bought with a few different pole-piece spacings as well. Brand-name manufacturers make them for 17.5mm and 19mm spacing, some cheap Chinese no-name versions come in 16.5mm spacing (like what is in the SBMM SUB 5-strings). They do not come in “bridge” or “neck” models.
    You can probably get away with a 16.5mm-spaced pickup for the neck position.

    What bridge string spacing does the bass have, 17.5 or 18mm about?
    How does the bridge pickup look with the strings?

    Here is one for 16.5mm spacing:
    Bass guitars Pickup 5 string Wilkinson MWM5 for MM type Humbucker Pickup | eBay

    This one looks to have AlNiCo pole pieces. Do you know if your bass has AlNiCo or Ceramic pickups?
    There are Ceramic pickups that cost half as much and ship from Hong Kong:
    Bass Guitar Pickup 5 String Pickup Noiseless 2 Pole for MM Style Bass | eBay

    Others that cost less even...:
    Noiseless Good Balance 5 String Musicman Bass Pickup Double Coil | eBay
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2018
  5. Feb 5, 2018 #5
    K-irsh

    K-irsh

    Feb 11, 2016
    Thanks. You don't think brand name makes the 16.5 mm pole piece spacing. Supposedly the bridge is supposed to be 18mm. The neck feels phenomenonally slender for a 5 string which is not my preference.

    I would prefer to have a better brand and keep the traditional music man pickup or I might have to go jazz pickups
     
  6. Feb 5, 2018 #6
    LUpton

    LUpton Supporting Member

    Oct 22, 2012
    Tampa, FL
    Probably too old for this sh--
    Nordstrand MM 5.2 - the OLP spacing model - designed for 16.5 mm bridge spacing. Fit my SBMM SUB Ray5 perfectly, and turned into a totally different bass.

    Look at BestBassGear.com. There are other Nordy models for different spacings, also.