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Pickup Position Spreadsheet

Jon Clegg

Jon Clegg

Fueled by caffeine and snark.
Feb 9, 2015
5,777
22,013
Northern Virginia
#1
As I mentioned on another thread, long ago I found a spreadsheet online of the pickup positions as a percentage of scale length. The site where I found this was in an asian language and has since disappeared. Now I have no earthly idea as to how valid the data from the original s/s was how the measurements were taken etc. I also found a paper posted online from a college class by two gentlemen named Ely and Fassbinder that includes some pickup positions as well. That paper can be found [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
In the course of trying to find this data again I also came across a german language site that had some similar data posted in their forum, which I've converted from cm to inches and included.

So the spreadsheet has the data from these different sources is combined into one source, the primary data is the position as a percentage of scale length, with inches from the nut as the secondary data. I also list the heritage of the data in the notes column.

If you have corrections, etc. please post them here and I'll periodically update the spreadsheet. Enjoy :)
 

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#8
RyanKinBK said:
Hi all,

I decided to adapt Jon's original spreadsheet into a Google Sheet, since that's a bit easier to use (and make copies of). Here's the Sheet:
Bass guitar - Pickup position measurements

Let me know if you have any measurements you'd like to add or correct.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is very nice! It about corresponds to my notes, but I rounded my numbers to keep it simple, so I'll use this as a reference from now on :)

One change: That Fodera AJ is weird, says it's 34" and has two pickups, so it may be some "custom" bass based on AJ's contrabass/Presentation? Or it could be flat out wrong. The most definitive source is Anthony himself, and he said his pickup is about 32" from the nut, and of course his basses are 36" scale.

One addition: Gibson Ripper II, 26.375” for the neck pickup, 31” for the bridge. They say it's a 34" scale. I think the originals were 34.5" scale, but I'm not sure how pickup locations translate, or that 34" scale was a typo...
 
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#9
sikamikanico said:
Thanks, this is very nice! It about corresponds to my notes, but I rounded my numbers to keep it simple, so I'll use this as a reference from now on :)

One change: That Fodera AJ is weird, says it's 34" and has two pickups, so it may be some "custom" bass based on AJ's contrabass/Presentation? Or it could be flat out wrong. The most definitive source is Anthony himself, and he said his pickup is about 32" from the nut, and of course his basses are 36" scale.

One addition: Gibson Ripper II, 26.375” for the neck pickup, 31” for the bridge. They say it's a 34" scale. I think the originals were 34.5" scale, but I'm not sure how pickup locations translate, or that 34" scale was a typo...
Click to expand...
Hey thanks for the input!

Those may have been errors in the original data I harvested off the net. Wouldn't be surprised. I know that I had to make a correction to the Ric scale length as well. I believe you're correct that Rippers were 34.5"
 
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#10
Thanks a bunch guys!

@sikamikanico, I've added new lines for the AJ Presentation (AJ official specs) and Gibson Ripper II. Thanks for the additions.

With regards to the other "Anthony Jackson" Fodera in the sheet, my guess is the original data refers to an instrument that isn't an "official" model built to Anthony Jackson's specs. (For instance, the AJ Fodera in the sheet has 2 pickups, whereas the current, official AJ Presentation only has a single pickup.) As such, it's certainly possible that the instrument referenced in the sheet was built as a 34" with a AJ Contrabass or AJ Presentation-shaped body. I'm inclined to keep this other AJ Fodera in the spreadsheet for now, but I'm open to removing it if anyone thinks it's misleading or confusing to have it in there. Any concerns with this?
 

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