Pickup placement in a one-off bass build?

[notCardio]

OK, somewhat technical question, but I couldn't figure out what to title this thread.

I want to build a (solid body) bass using a stock (bolt on) neck that I've taken from another bass. The bass I'm taking it from is a short scale with one pickup.

Obviously, it will still be a short scale, but I want to not only use a vastly different pickup, but I want to add a second.

If I were just using one pickup, I would of course position it along the string length the same as the original, although I guess that's not necessarily a given.

Is there a formula or ratio to string length for pickup positioning, or does it change based on the scale or pickup characteristics?

FYI, I want to take the neck off a Bronco bass and build a body with Ric pickups. No, no acid or even weed was involved in this decision.

 

[Mickster]

Hmmm.....I have no idea if there's some sort of formula. I kind of doubt it. However......going from a single to two pickups involves a number of different things of course. What will you use for controls? Have you decided that? I'd guess that you need to start with the ohm resistance of the one pup you do have and then be sure that what you add will not only compliment it but work well in concert with the controls. The pup you have was a "mid" placement so......as a complete guess......I'd probably place that at or near the neck and look for a pup that will work at or near the bridge.

My 2 cents worth of.....hey....if I really knew what I was talking about......I'd be making money at it.

Mick

 

[Chili]

I would measure the distance from the nut to the center of each pickup on a jazz bass then calculate the ratio to a short scale.

When I did my fretless, I put the bridge pickup too close to the bridge and the strings cannot impart enough energy to create any kind of real volume. So, there is a balancing trick you gotta figure out.

Here's an idea that I have not tried. Bolt the neck and the bridge to a scrap piece of wood with enough height to slide the pickups under the strings. Move them back and forth until you find the positions that work the best.

 

[rob aylestone]

I really like that idea!

 

[notCardio]

Hmmm.....I have no idea if there's some sort of formula. I kind of doubt it. However......going from a single to two pickups involves a number of different things of course. What will you use for controls? Have you decided that? I'd guess that you need to start with the ohm resistance of the one pup you do have and then be sure that what you add will not only compliment it but work well in concert with the controls. The pup you have was a "mid" placement so......as a complete guess......I'd probably place that at or near the neck and look for a pup that will work at or near the bridge.

My 2 cents worth of.....hey....if I really knew what I was talking about......I'd be making money at it.

Mick

Hey, Mick! Glad to see you around!

OK, I'm not going to be using the pickup that's already on the Bronco at all. It IS just weird enough to have it's own sort of charm if you add it into something, but the point is that I just need the neck from that bass. I might need the bridge too because of the string spacing, but that's not my focus at the moment. I just hope to have 2 normal Rick 4001/4003 pickups.

 

[notCardio]

I would measure the distance from the nut to the center of each pickup on a jazz bass then calculate the ratio to a short scale.

When I did my fretless, I put the bridge pickup too close to the bridge and the strings cannot impart enough energy to create any kind of real volume. So, there is a balancing trick you gotta figure out.

Here's an idea that I have not tried. Bolt the neck and the bridge to a scrap piece of wood with enough height to slide the pickups under the strings. Move them back and forth until you find the positions that work the best.

Why use a Jazz if I'm trying to make a short scale Rick? They don't look like they use the same placement to me.

I was hoping there was some magic ratio, like take the string length, divide it by x, add that to the distance from the bridge for the neck pickup, do the same but add y for the bridge pickup, something like that. But then, do string guages change the physics, being a short scale? And are you looking to locate a pickup at a particular point of incidence with a certain harmonic? Or avoiding it?

And do the physics of these wave harmonics fall under the domain of 'string theory'?

 

[Chili]

Why use a Jazz if I'm trying to make a short scale Rick? They don't look like they use the same placement to me.

I was hoping there was some magic ratio, like take the string length, divide it by x, add that to the distance from the bridge for the neck pickup, do the same but add y for the bridge pickup, something like that. But then, do string guages change the physics, being a short scale? And are you looking to locate a pickup at a particular point of incidence with a certain harmonic? Or avoiding it?

And do the physics of these wave harmonics fall under the domain of 'string theory'?

Well, because I read something about Bronco and didn't bother to read anything about Ric. And, because the Jazz Bass is near the center of the universe... the center being the P Bass., of course.

I think you might have answered your own question about magic ratios when you said the Ric and the Jazz have completely different locations for the pickups. If they aren't the same, then the ratios aren't the same. Measure a Ric from the nut to each pickup, then use that ratio on your short scale. BTW, I say use the nut because it is not adjustable and is a good reference point.

And short scales..... lol... Like Trix, short scales are for kids.

 

[Mickster]

And short scales..... lol... Like Trix, short scales are for kids.

Well......I have to differ with you a bit there Chili. I have a Ric 325 and...man.....that's a VERY short scale.....VERY. If he was still alive......maybe John Lennon would disagree with you.........or maybe not. I guess you were mainly referring to short scale bass guitars???

2 cents worth of.......ok.....yup....no one really cares.

Mick

 

[Chili]

I have a Ric 325 and...man.....that's a VERY short scale.....VERY.

That's a guitar, not a bass. But yeah, even for a guitar, that's a pretty short scale. Mandolin territory.

When my son was in middle school, I got him a short scale bass so he could play in the school's jazz band. I got to playin it when I was first starting with bass and it was a lot of fun. Now that I've gotten used to playing full scale basses, I would have a hard time going back.

 

[Mickster]

Yeah...seriously......I don't think most guitarists realize how short that Ric 325 scale really is. It's 20.75 inches!! It's difficult to play!! I have small hands and I have trouble. I guess John Fogerty and John Lennon had no trouble though.

2 cents worth of questioning Lennon and Fogerty???? What????

Mick

 

[notCardio]

Well, if you're someone who doesn't play much, and you've mostly played guitar for many decades, it's a lot more comfortable for switching back and forth.
And it's not like Donald Fagen is going to be calling me to sit in on any sessions any time soon.

Also, just for the record, pay attention next time you see someone playing a Mustang or EB-0. Glen Hughes played a Mustang in Trapeze. I remember seeing the bass player for the Wallflowers with a Mustang, as well as the bassist in Bowie's group Tin Man. My first bass when I was 15 was a Mustang, and nobody will ever get that from me as long as I'm alive. I had a pristine '75 Jazz Deluxe in the late '70s, and I don't miss that thing at all.

That Bronco's neck is the bass version of a '50s LP neck. It just fits my hand.

 

[Microkit]

This is a helpful image, and I think this stuff is pretty thoroughly studied on bass forums. Comparing youtube audio reviews/demos should help you a lot, G&L specifically has similar models of basses that vary across the three 'regular' pickup placements.