Tilted PUPs

[Gianni]

Hi everyone!

What do you think or know about PUs positions that are tilted with respect to the strings, like, as an example, in Warwicks?

In a recent issue of BP I have seen an high end bass with tilted PUPS and it was said that their position was obtained by compuer calculations...

And also, what do you think or know about the position of the lower coil of tipical Precision PuP...someone put it toward the bridge, other toward the neck...

Ciao
Gianni

 

[luknfur]

FWIW:

Leo didn't use a computer and his basses are still the industry standard. Not to minimize the computer application but my Lightwave was supposedly setup on a Million dollar computerized jig - but the result wasn't anything I couldn't have done myself in 30 minutes with an allen wrench and screwdriver.

My basses are routed so I can stick the pup anywhere and, like Leo, I just move 'em to where they sound best. Moved them around enough to where the industry standards for the relative basses (Ric, MM, whatever) are as good as any with few exceptions (like maybe when mixing pups that weren't designed to be used together or using some unorthodox configuration - triple J's, whatever).

Moving a pup up the neck results in increased output, darker and less defined tones. I'd say there are few players out there (and perhaps none) that could distinguish the tonal difference in a pup moved a J pup width - but the closer to the bridge, the easier it is to tell.

So the above is precisely what is occuring with a split P or "tilted" pup, ala Leo's Split P and Strat.

From the pups I've done it with, "tilting" a pup does more to change appearance than tone. So I'd guess the reason pups are not typically slanted is because it's not necessary.