One pick up location

[shingor64]

Hi, every one
 
I'm ordering a new Alembic which adds the third PU Fatboy between two MXYs.
Then, I would use the center one primarily because I always love the tone generated from one PU.
 
I have a short scale bass with an AXY and checked the location of the pickup.
It was just 90% of the scale.
The distance between the nut and the pick up center is about 703mm, and the scale length is 781mm (30.75 inch), so I suppose that Alembic determined the only pick up at the 90% of the length.
 
I also like the Excel tone, but I cannot measure actual instruments.
Does anybody know how Alembic generally decides the only one pick up location?
How about medium scale basses, for example Distillate, where is the pickup put on?
Where is the sweetest spot?
 
Thanks
 
Shinichiro

[benson_murrensun]

Shinichiro,
 
I once asked a similar question on this forum. I was thinking that a sweet spot would be under certain harmonic nodes of the strings' vibration. But I was reminded that every time you fret a string, the locations of the nodes change. So I am thinking that there is no simple answer to your question, as far as a formula for finding a sweet spot. I had a discussion with Jack Casady about how he found the preferred location for the single pickup on his Epiphone signature bass, and his answer was trial and error.

[shingor64]

Thanks for your comment, Ben.
 
As a customer, we cannot try so often to find the correct answer.
It seems Alembic makes many fine one pick up basses so far, and I guess they might know something theological.
The products are proof of it.
 
Since mine sounds great, I would go with 90% location but it has 30.75 inch scale.
Now that I'm ordering 33.25 bass, just wondering if other scale's basses (with one PU) are on the similar rule or not.
 
This is my point of view, but I would like to know other cases.
Jack's best position may differ to mine.  You're right.
 
Shinichiro

[mario_farufyno]

There is an old topic here on the club where someone wrote a Link to a website with a Tool that showed how one PU would filter partials (harmonics). I remember you could also specify PU's number, placement and kind (humbucker or single) and it would shows how PUs interactions would comb filter incoming harmonics. I must find it again because it was so cool...
 
 
 
(Message edited by Mario Farufyno on October 18, 2010)

[David Houck]

Mario, the discussion is here, and the app is here.  It's probably useful to read the parts of the discussion that deal with the app before playing with the app.  I haven't reread the thread, but if I recall correctly, we talked about whether or not fretted notes made a difference, and it will certainly be observed when you fret notes in the app.  My recollection is that fretted notes did not make a difference, and I think there was a discussion as to why they didn't.  But it was a long time ago, and I really don't remember; and I haven't reread the thread.  The app is really cool to play with and does quite visually show the difference pickup placement makes.  And it shows how clean pickups near the bridge are, and how the signal gets dirtier the further away from the bridge you move.

[shingor64]

Thanks, Mario
 
Yes, I have read somewhere before and might find a website you describe a few years ago.
Honestly, I want some actual data from real Alembics.
 
After deep thinking, I'm planning like this.
Set fatboy fist at the 90% place of scale length, second lay rear side MXY side by side, then neck MXY put apart the same distance from another MXY as my 34inch Epic4.
The interval between two MXYs is 101mm (center to center).
I intend to take over two basses.
 
So, fatboy makes the datum point relatively affected by scale reduction, but MXYs interval not.
The results are the neck MXY at 82.5%, bridge MXY at 94.5% of the scale.
 
I'm sorry but the idea is not firm yet.
 
Shinichiro

[shingor64]

Thanks, David
 
Those are we're talking about.
I'll read again.

[David Houck]

Rami has several Excels with single pickups and some with two pickups in different configurations.  Pics of his Excels are here and here.

[sonicus]

I have 81-0325   .  A single pickup Export Distillate



       The sound is great , even with one pickup !  This is an old pic; a new brass plate was made @ Alembic since this pic was taken.

[mike1762]

I thought this thread was about a place to score with chicks...

[terryc]

Nothing wrong with one pick up..Leo made a fortune with a one pick up bass and many bass players had great careers with that bass!

[dfung60]

Leo made *two* fortunes with one pickup basses - the Precision first, and the Stingray later!  It's interesting that he changed his mind about the optimum location along the way.
 
David Fung

[mario_farufyno]

Thanks Dave!

[benson_murrensun]

And then there are those basses that have pickups which can be moved. Didn't Alembic #1 have a pickup on rails? I had a Gibson bass that had a move-able pickup, too, it was called a Grabber. ?It?s full of flexibility so the artist can choose his own personal playing action as well as his personal sound with a patented sliding pickup.? ? Gibson catalog, circa 1975

[tmoney61092]

Alembic #1 did have pickups on rails. how would you describe the Grabber's sound? does moving the pickup actually change the sound that much? can you move them on the fly?
 
~Taylor