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USA Geddy Lee pickup correct?

Clyde_Simpleton

Clyde_Simpleton

Aug 24, 2015
57
273
36
Richmond, VA
#1
I recently got a USA Geddy Lee and this thing sounds killer, looks great and plays like a dream. I noticed the pickup closest to the neck was offset a bit. If you are looking down at it from the E string it looks like it is going uphill if that makes any sense. Basically it is lower on the E string and higher on the G string. Can anyone tell me if it is supposed to be this way or is it an error? I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures
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#7
It will affect the balance between the strings. It may be adjusted that way to make the G string a little louder - it's a skinny string and may not generate as strong a signal as that big E string.

Also, if the pickup is too close to the string, it starts to affect the vibration of the string due to the magnet pulling on the string. This can make notes sound out of tune.

If you adjust it, listen to the effect on the sound.
 
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#8
Clyde_Simpleton said:
I recently got a USA Geddy Lee and this thing sounds killer, looks great and plays like a dream. I noticed the pickup closest to the neck was offset a bit. If you are looking down at it from the E string it looks like it is going uphill if that makes any sense. Basically it is lower on the E string and higher on the G string. Can anyone tell me if it is supposed to be this way or is it an error? I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures
View attachment 4021566
View attachment 4021567
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Excellent choice. My all time favorite bass.
 
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#13
So after looking at the Fender spec. it has me confused. Are they calling the E string the bass side and the G string the treble side? If so, looks like they're recommending pickup height higher under the E string and lower under the G string. Am I reading that right? That doesn't seem right to me. The E string would be really booming and the G string would be very faint, compared to each other.
 
#14
Ghastly said:
So after looking at the Fender spec. it has me confused. Are they calling the E string the bass side and the G string the treble side? If so, looks like they're recommending pickup height higher under the E string and lower under the G string. Am I reading that right? That doesn't seem right to me. The E string would be really booming and the G string would be very faint, compared to each other.
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didn't see the specs you are reading, but your assumption is correct. The spec is usually measured from the top of the pickup to the bottom of the string. You are measuring the air gap between the two. As such the spec for the E string will be larger than the spec for the G string.
 
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#15
Clyde_Simpleton said:
I recently got a USA Geddy Lee and this thing sounds killer, looks great and plays like a dream. I noticed the pickup closest to the neck was offset a bit. If you are looking down at it from the E string it looks like it is going uphill if that makes any sense. Basically it is lower on the E string and higher on the G string. Can anyone tell me if it is supposed to be this way or is it an error? I apologize in advance for the crappy pictures
View attachment 4021566
View attachment 4021567
Click to expand...

I have been doing my own setup since I started playing. 1st due to the fact that I was a kid and had no money. Then because I realized that it is not at all difficult and I can get things right where I want them.

There is an unlimited source of information, videos, tutorials, specs, methods out there to help.

The specs as in the ones posted in post #9 in this thread are g great starting point. But the final test is playability/feel and sound.

All of the adjustments in a set up are done by turning screws. They all go both ways. You can always undo what you have done.

Play with it a little bit. You might be surprised as to your ability to dial your bass in to your liking more than it is currently.

Dave
 
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#16
Ghastly said:
So after looking at the Fender spec. it has me confused. Are they calling the E string the bass side and the G string the treble side? If so, looks like they're recommending pickup height higher under the E string and lower under the G string. Am I reading that right? That doesn't seem right to me. The E string would be really booming and the G string would be very faint, compared to each other.
Click to expand...

No, it’s the distance between the pole piece and the string, this is the correct way to set pickup height. The recommendations are not based on the “height” of the pickup off the body.

Measuring height from the body (even eyeballing as you’re doing by looking at these pictures) is the wrong way to set pickup height due to the variation in setups. String height can be set to preference, so measuring from the body would produce inconsistent results.

I depress my strings and the final fret and measure. Treble side 2.25mm distance between string and pickup and 3.25mm on bass side. Very close to Fender’s recommendations.
 
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#20
The typical way to adjust pickup height is to set the distance from the pickup to the G and E strings to about 1/8th of an inch when the string is held down on the highest fret - an 1/8th inch brass rod (brass so it isn't sucked in by the magnet) makes a good gauge for that. That's a good starting point, but you shouldn't take that as gospel. I typically like my strings a bit closer than that, though that depends a bit on the individual bass. Some folks like their pickups further away, some go for tilting things a bit; it's all personal taste.
 

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