Odin Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I want to bulid a bass with 3 jazz pups...like a strat. Any reasons why thats not more common? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fookgub Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 I want to build a bass with 3 jazz pups...like a strat. Any reasons why thats not more common? Here's 2: 1. People are afraid of change 2. People think the third pickup is redundant That said, I am planning to build a three pickup jazz bass also. I discovered a while ago that I really like the sound of a jazz pickup located where the front coil of a Musicman pickup goes, and I'd like to build a bass that has pickups in the usual locations plus one in the aforementioned location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Given that Jazz pickups are in the Middle/Bridge position (as opposed to what most people think, Neck/Bridge), you may not notice much of a difference in tone between the neck and middle or the bridge and middle. If you were able to space the pickups further apart, it may work. Otherwise, you may be better of to go with something like 2 Jazz pickups and 1 Precision pickup (there is a Fender signature bass, but I cant remember the bassist's name! He plays with Joe Satriani often, and does an awesome cover of the Charlie Brown Theme). You could also try other pickup combinations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Stuart Hamm. The would be a fair difference in tone from "middle" position as compared to "neck" position. The string vibration is much different as the pickup gets closer to the neck. http://www.thorbass.com/slideshow/medium/0012.jpg Check out Thor basses. Kind of funny story about the guy. I'm a computer gamer and a big fan of custom basses. I just so happend to play a game with the guy's son that makes those basses.. Alright, so it's not funny. But just a neat coincidence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Ah! YES! I love that bass! I remember seeing it on MIMF and drooling like crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Billy Shehan has used a lot of combanations through the years so thats two pro bassists that use multiple pickup configs so why not go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAArthur Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Yeah, go for it. I personally think that the reason the P / and/or / J pickup combination/positions even exist today is because the early attempts at fender to build a decent bass amp were pretty dismal at best. A true neck position pickup would have just made it sound that much worse. I once saw a 3 pickup bass combination I really liked because it sounded so great. the neck position had one of those Gibson pickups... eb-0 or eb-1 one of those (sorry, I don't know Gibson basses that well but I'm sure you know what pickup I mean... that single big humbucker sized one) then... a precision split in the middle and a Jazz bridge pickup. The bass itself believe it or not was the Telecaster style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Billy Shehan has used a lot of combanations through the years so thats two pro bassists that use multiple pickup configs so why not go for it I think anyone can point out pro bassists that use 3 or more pickups. http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtlBUzlFQWUB...BOOTSY-TEXT.jpg So with all due respect, don't attempt something because bass_pro_master_02 does it. Do it because you're looking for change. Experimenting is encouraged! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Haha, yea, I had forgotten about Bootsy's bass. I wonder if all those pickups actually function... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 There's an idea. People have dummy cabs and amps on stage. Why not have dummy pickups? Looks like he could fit a 6th in there too. I do know that he had a bass with 3 pbass style pickups in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Billy Shehan has used a lot of combanations through the years so thats two pro bassists that use multiple pickup configs so why not go for it I think anyone can point out pro bassists that use 3 or more pickups. http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtlBUzlFQWUB...BOOTSY-TEXT.jpg So with all due respect, don't attempt something because bass_pro_master_02 does it. Do it because you're looking for change. Experimenting is encouraged! i was not saying do it because they did im saying if a pro has a setup like this there must be some revalance after all why would they put somthing useless in their guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 after all why would they put somthing useless in their guitar *Looks at Bootsy's bass again* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 after all why would they put somthing useless in their guitar The same reason they use empty cabs on stage. Flash. Icing on the cake. Umph. Whatever you like to call it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Stuart Hamm. The would be a fair difference in tone from "middle" position as compared to "neck" position. The string vibration is much different as the pickup gets closer to the neck. http://www.thorbass.com/slideshow/medium/0012.jpg Check out Thor basses. Kind of funny story about the guy. I'm a computer gamer and a big fan of custom basses. I just so happend to play a game with the guy's son that makes those basses.. Alright, so it's not funny. But just a neat coincidence! Ha Jon, where did you meet FM, at Drexel? Well, thanks for the props Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unklmickey Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 after all why would they put somthing useless in their guitar The same reason they use empty cabs on stage. Flash. Icing on the cake. Umph. Whatever you like to call it. hi Jon, there certainly does seem to be a lot of that going around. massive arrays of full Marshall stacks, but only a small combo amp actually being used, then mic'ed and through the mains. i think the Rush approach is funnier. they run everything straight to the mains. instead of stacks on stage, they have household appliances........refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Ha Jon, where did you meet FM, at Drexel? Well, thanks for the props Thanks for making very unique and inspiring basses! I actually didn't play the game with him at the same time, I just found out we played in the same game. I talked with him a bit later on when I found out (we were posting on the same gaming forum). I was posting pictures of my fretless 4 I was working on and he mentioned that his father made basses and linked your site. I found it pretty funny, because I was basing a lot of one of my future builds around one of your 6-strings at the time. hi Jon, there certainly does seem to be a lot of that going around. massive arrays of full Marshall stacks, but only a small combo amp actually being used, then mic'ed and through the mains. i think the Rush approach is funnier. they run everything straight to the mains. instead of stacks on stage, they have household appliances........refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, etc. Yngwie's setup is pretty crazy as well. He has like 24 full stacks with amps on top of them, with only 1-3 on. Nothing says "rockstar" better than owning more dummy cabs than actual cabs. Anyway, on the side note. I'd say experiment with 3 pickups if you can afford it, I certainly would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Thanks for making very unique and inspiring basses! I actually didn't play the game with him at the same time, I just found out we played in the same game. I talked with him a bit later on when I found out (we were posting on the same gaming forum). I was posting pictures of my fretless 4 I was working on and he mentioned that his father made basses and linked your site. I found it pretty funny, because I was basing a lot of one of my future builds around one of your 6-strings at the time. Wow, that is pretty amazing. Anyways, back to threadstarter, I wouldn't try to just add a pickup to the J configuration. Try to use all available space. My bridge pickups are much closer the the bridge than the standard J pups in order to get the most variance between pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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