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Why did Leo do this?
- Thread starter CaribooBass
- Start date
The flip side of that argument, to be fair, is that a good player with multiple "hand tricks" (for lack of a better term) can get even more tricks out of a bass with more inherent versality.
Still, neck pickups have a specific sound. I am thinking primarily of the sound you get on a guitar with single coils, neck pickup on, play around and above the 12th fret.
Exactly!Pre-CBS Fender refers to the "Leo" years.
In 1965, Leo sold Fender to CBS. (with a 10 year non-compete clause)
As they entered the 70s, CBS became increasingly "out of touch".
It's entirely plausible that decisions such as changing pickup placement were made purely for cosmetic reasons, and any resulting tonal impact could have been considered of little consequence at the time.
By they time (cbs) Fender changed the Jazz bass bridge PU position, Leo was likely already secretly tinkering with the position of the Stingray Humbucker.
More importantly, why did Leo change the spacing of the dots at the 12th fret by '64?!
And then CBS later tried to sweep the controversy under the rug for good by going to block inlays!
Let's not even get into why they use chrome control-knob plates instead of ones that match the pickguard, not to mention what happened to the poor soul who suggested such a thing!
While we’re at it, maybe we can cover rosewood vs maple before the end of the year?
Because Leo like to slap n' pop!
My lifelong favorite hand trick is to fret my index and ring finger so it looks like I’m flipping someone off.
Small changes in pickup location do matter.
I have the bass on the right below wired so that I can select either coil on the bridge pup (or both coils in series or parallel).
I wouldn't call the difference night and day, but I can ASSURE you that the final difference is easily heard.
There are a lot of reasons I could go through about why there is such a difference of opinion on whether or not the difference is noticable, but I won't bother. If you can't hear the difference then it doesn't matter to you, people in the audience don't know or care.
Different strokes for different folks.
I have the bass on the right below wired so that I can select either coil on the bridge pup (or both coils in series or parallel).
I wouldn't call the difference night and day, but I can ASSURE you that the final difference is easily heard.
There are a lot of reasons I could go through about why there is such a difference of opinion on whether or not the difference is noticable, but I won't bother. If you can't hear the difference then it doesn't matter to you, people in the audience don't know or care.
Different strokes for different folks.
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When you have two pickups - like on a jazz bass - you get a mid scoop (when they are both on). This is a phase cancelation thing.
Moving the bridge pickup location will change the location of the scoop and the overall sound of the instrument.
And yes, I think they did change the pickups as well - different materials such as the wire they use to wind them.
Moving the bridge pickup location will change the location of the scoop and the overall sound of the instrument.
And yes, I think they did change the pickups as well - different materials such as the wire they use to wind them.
Go learn the most fundamental things about the history of the Fender company, and then re-frame your questions.
Also, this has been beaten to death here. Search the archives.
See? It’s really subtle. I feel so clever when I do it.
Well there you have it. Yet another way in which to endear ones self to the audience.
Maybe a router template.
That’s what I was going for.
I’m sure they had some automation, just not computer controlled
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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You're right. The two on the left appear to be the 70's spacing (4" center to center), which moved the bridge pickup closer to the bridge and gave the bass a brighter or more-mids type of sound. In any case the 60's Jazz and I believe also the current Jazz pickup spacing is 3.6" center to center, which produces a darker sound.
My 1965 Jazz that I bought in 1966 and was stolen in 1976 had the 3.6" center to center pickup spacing along with a rosewood fingerboard. My current bass is a 1982 Jazz that I bought in mint condition in 1985. It has the 70's era spacing and has a brighter sound along with much better sustain than my '65 did.
Here's a shot showing both pickup spacing schemes. The Olympic White bass on the right is my current Jazz with the 70's era spacing and the one on the left has the 60's and current spacing. I did my best to make these the same size for better comparison.
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Since his main basses were a '62 and a '60 Jazz wouldn't they have had '60's spacing?
