Where would you put the second pickup?

[drbassman]

I'm going to do some 2 pup models soon. I like the sweet spot placement of then pup.  I'm debating with myself about the second.  Should it go above the one closer to the neck, ala EB-2 mud city?  Or down by the bridge?  There's room in either direction!

[Granny Gremlin]

Neck (maybe move that one back a smidge... do you know that is the sweetspot or is that an estimate?).

I've just never been a fan of bridge pup clank.

[dadagoboi]

Bridge, probably halfway between current pup and end of bridge.  IMO that's where most of your customers will want it.  You can just route the neck pup and add the second route if/when you need it, unless you're planning on having someone make complete bodies.

It helps to be as flexible as possible.  With a custom business you can use whatever pickup your customer wants...unless you're planning to place a big enough pickup order to get a discount (12 sets from Seymour Duncan, for example, 60% off list when I bought 24 SSBs.  That buy in gave me the right to buy onesies of any SD pickup at that discount, except Antiquities).

It's good to know the 'sweet spot' for the different pickups you use if you decide to offer a choice.   Your suppliers should be able to supply that info.

[drbassman]

Neck (maybe move that one back a smidge... do you know that is the sweetspot or is that an estimate?).

I've just never been a fan of bridge pup clank.

The sweet spot in terms of string vibe excursion and also pretty much the same spot at a vintage TB.  There's a cool web site (can't find it right now in my Bookmarks) that lets you determine the harmonics of string vibes based on scale.

[drbassman]

Bridge, probably halfway between current pup and end of bridge.  IMO that's where most of your customers will want it.  You can just route the neck pup and add the second route if/when you need it, unless you're planning on having someone make complete bodies.

It helps to be as flexible as possible.  With a custom business you can use whatever pickup your customer wants...unless you're planning to place a big enough pickup order to get a discount (12 sets from Seymour Duncan, for example, 60% off list when I bought 24 SSBs.  That buy in gave me the right to buy onesies of any SD pickup at that discount, except Antiquities).

It's good to know the 'sweet spot' for the different pickups you use if you decide to offer a choice.   Your suppliers should be able to supply that info.

Thanks Carlo.  I'm leaning toward your suggestion.  I really don't want a pup up closer to the neck.  I would, on a custom build put two on top of each other if that's what the customer wants.  But I'm leaning toward just building for now and selling them as I like em.  Customs can come later down the road.

[Granny Gremlin]

The sweet spot in terms of string vibe excursion and also pretty much the same spot at a vintage TB.  There's a cool web site (can't find it right now in my Bookmarks) that lets you determine the harmonics of string vibes based on scale.

So the sweet spoit does not vary by bass (wood, construction etc)?  I thought it did, and that's why, for example, a TBird II and a P don't have the pup in the same place.

[dadagoboi]

So the sweet spoit does not vary by bass (wood, construction etc)?  I thought it did, and that's why, for example, a TBird II and a P don't have the pup in the same place.

Yep, there's a reason a MM pickup is where it is.  Wood has a little to do with it but pickup physics are more important.

Actually TBird and Jazz are pretty similar.  This is my 60s TBird pup template placed over a modern jazz body.  A 60s Jazz would be even closer, the bridge pup is another 1/4" toward the neck.

  I would, on a custom build put two on top of each other if that's what the customer wants. 

My mantra is, "It's commerce, not art."

[slinkp]

I have always been a little puzzled by all the talk of precise sweet spots since the harmonic content at the pickup location will be different for every fret on the neck.  Isn't it just whatever people think sounds good empirically?

[Dave W]

I have always been a little puzzled by all the talk of precise sweet spots since the harmonic content at the pickup location will be different for every fret on the neck.  Isn't it just whatever people think sounds good empirically?

That's what I thought too. When you fret a note, the pickup's location relative to the stopped string length will change.

I'd position them like a Stingray HH.

[Highlander]

Pup placement on a 60's TB...?

Is that with or without a BadBird...?

[Aussie Mark]

Both

[drbassman]

Yeah thanks Carlo, most folks have figured out the spot where pups seem to work best.  I'm gonna put the second one toward the bridge.

Thanks guys!

[gearHed289]

Rickenbacker pickups are centered directly at the 24th and 36th "fret" harmonics, and I've found I like that positioning. I also like the vintage T-bird spacing a lot, but you lose some low end.

[drbassman]

Rickenbacker pickups are centered directly at the 24th and 36th "fret" harmonics, and I've found I like that positioning. I also like the vintage T-bird spacing a lot, but you lose some low end.

Makes sense.  I assume you're talking about the 4003.

[Lightyear]

What about taking a page from Carlos's book of tricks and dummy up a test body?  Meaning, make a quick body out of soft pine and drill/rout it for your neck and bridge setup but then add a large swimming pool rout between the neck and bridge - you can place the pickup(s) anywhere you think they may work and test them out.  Different pickups may like different locations - this would take a lot of guess work out of the equation.