Pickup Placement "Sweet Spots" Questions

[Richard Lindsey]

Everyone already knows that.
What I don't remember anyone ever saying though, is that the pickup to bridge distance does NOT change.
Oh, never mind.

That's probably not quite the real point, though. I'd think what matters more is how close the pickup is to the center of the vibrating length of the string. This also includes consideration of how close the pickup is to the *other* end of the string's vibrating length, which is the note being fretted (or the nut if the string is open).

I once did a little home experiment on a 3-pickup guitar where I fretted really high up on the neck. There came a point at which the middle pickup was actually closer to the middle of the string's vibrating length than the neck pickup, and as a result actually gave a warmer, more "neck-like" sound, even though the distances from the bridge hadn't changed (whereas the distances from the fretted note had). Sure, the experiment was hardly the most rigorous in the world, so take it as you will.

Practically speaking, especially when you're focusing on the "money notes," the distinction between the two ideas probably doesn't matter much. But there is a difference.

 

[micguy]

Pickup position is a huge factor in the sound of a bass. The position of a pickup relative to the bridge gives you a comb filtered response that’s pretty complex - it gives the instrument most of it’s character. As the filter is different for every string, it’s not something you can undo electronically. The other construction details of the pickup help fine tune things a bit, but the place you put the pickup has the most influence on how it sounds.

 

[dwizum]

There was engineering involved and not all trial by error.

Ultimately I think the magic Leo brought to the table was industrial engineering in the sense of designing products that were very good and also easy to mass produce and sell. That requires a focus on practicality rather than a devotion to theory or ideals. He could certainly apply engineering and theory when it made sense, but he also applied trial and error when that approach made the most sense. And he wasn't afraid to listen to musicians rather than sit in a lab and try to perfect things all on his own. Really a great example of practical product design focused on results.

 

[dwizum]

I'd think what matters more is how close the pickup is to the center of the vibrating length of the string

Bingo. Yes, that's what matters!

 

[bassdude51]

BaileyMan gave a great suggestion. Leo Fender's "bread board" is a great idea too.

I've noticed that bass pickups tend to be placed at "chime" spots. Pluck a string and lightly guide your finger between the last fret and the bridge and you will hear the string chime at certain locations. Sweet spots? Perhaps.

It's kind of already been already done with bass guitars and pickup placement. Pick a bass that you like the sound of and copy the pickup placement.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

In reply to an earlier post I wanted to say "I recommend that you search for whatever @micguy has said on this subject". Thank you.

Math and physics can be used to explain why pickups sound the way they do; this is not the same as claiming that Leo used math and physics. So I think that a lot of the contempt in the thread isn't deserved.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Calculus was invented before the foundations - that mathematicians would require - even existed.
Later a branch of math called Real Analysis would over some decades eventually justify or establish calculus as legit math (and not merely some practically useful but unexplained set of shortcuts).

Calculus worked; some people wanted to understand *why* it worked.

Now you ask a question in Real Analysis class and someone jumps up and says "Newton/Leibnitz didn't need no steenkin' Real Analysis".