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Pickup pole spacing

tavi

tavi

May 26, 2008
44
36
Jacksonville, FL
#1
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The day I bought my Peavey millennium BXP (about 6 years ago) I didn't notice. I just really liked the way it played. A few days later while admiring my new purchase I noticed the stings were not lined up with the center of the pole positions. Getting progressively centered on the lower pole. I have measured everything on it and as well as my Ibanez and am sure this is due to the string spacing. 20 mm on the Ibanez vs 18.5 on the Peavey, measured center to center of the strings at the bridge.

This causes mild differences in the sound of the attack. I have since lowered the bass side of the pickups with fairly good results.

My thoughts, I have looked but can't find any information on pickups designed for the different string spacing. If they do make them for jazz is the routing for the pickup a different size. Or is a new bridge my only option.

I plan to replace the pickups soon, so just replacing them would be my preferred option.
 
#2
It's a very common condition. In order to have the strings line up with the poles on most Jazz-style basses, the bridge really needs to have 20mm spacing. Most are 19mm. Even my old NYC Sadowsky has 19mm spacing and on later versions Roger switched to 20mm. It's really not a big deal aside from the way it looks. You may think you hear a difference, but if you do it's not likely the spacing difference you hear. It's more likely that it is the frequency response of the pickups you are hearing. You might be able to make it look marginally better by shifting the neck in the pocket a bit north of where it is now.

As far as replacing the pickups is concerned, I don't think any replacements you find will line up any better. If you want to change the pickups, do it for a better reason.
 
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#3
Thanks for the info. The pickup replacement planned is entirely for sound. I was just hoping to tackle two issues at once.

I have tried to adjust the neck. But it only alters the misalignment. Pushes the treble side out of alignment while pushing the bass side into. However it goes right back when I bolt it down again. I'm not inclined to do, or pay to have done work to get it to stay if it will have no positive effect.
 

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