Pickup Placement Differences?

[spongebob]

The old 1 inch or 1/2 inch spacing.

Has anybody done a back to back comparison to any real differences?

I've read some which suggest it's pretty much cosmetic (I personally prefer it), or is there a tonal difference? I'm aware it was moved for structural reasons as well at the time.

I'd love to hear from anyone with both.

[cassius987]

I had the choice of both on my 4001FL, so I gave it a try both ways. 1/2'' spacing sounds a bit more open and a bit less defined than 1'' to my ears but the differences are so subtle that you may not even care.

Having recorded with that bass both ways, I was equally happy with the performance of the neck pickup in either position tone wise but the 1'' position "sat in the mix" better. (No blending with bridge pickup on those tracks, so it was just the neck pickup tone.) But that could easily be a studio effect, e.g. from the overall track mixing or something the engineer did specifically to my sound but didn't tell me about. In general though, they just ran me through a direct box. Neither of those tracks used amp sounds.

[aceonbass]

Ping harmonics don't ring out at the 1" position like they do at the 1/2" position. That's the only difference I can tell. Yet owners keep gauging wood out of the weakest spot on the bass to move pickups to the 1/2" position.

[CanOpener]

I think the 1/2" spacing (looks) better as many others do, and I think tone wise its very subtle. For me, I find having 1/2" spacing is better for my way of slap bass playing.. I find there is more of a "click" or "pop" that occurs sometimes when I slap on a Rickenbacker bass with the 1" spacing, could be where the pull from the pickup is? And, I am not as worried about the 1/2' positions in my V63 (and the like) basses since they were built that way, and have not yet ( and hopefully never will) have any issues in that area... And, I don't plan on putting any (undue) wear and tear on that area, like heavy gauge strings. D'addario 45-105 strings seem to do just fine...

[edski]

I find there is more of a "click" or "pop" that occurs sometimes when I slap on a Rickenbacker bass with the 1" spacing, could be where the pull from the pickup is?

I'm a fairly aggressive finger picker, and the click pop for me is usually on the bridge PU. I'm using a 1/2" 1975, so that either supports or contradicts your hypothesis

For the overall question, I think it'll be subtle enough that other variations in the instruments could mask it and it might be difficult to find any trends.

[iiipopes]

There are threads with sound clips somewhere, I just can't think where they are right now. For me, the 1/2 inch position is more hollow and the 1 inch position, while still mellow, is more even toned.

[cassius987]

There are threads with sound clips somewhere, I just can't think where they are right now. For me, the 1/2 inch position is more hollow and the 1 inch position, while still mellow, is more even toned.

+1

[soundmasterg]

I would say that the modern pickups with their higher windings work better in the 1 inch spacing, and the vintage pickups with their weaker windings work better in the 1/2 inch spacing. I tend to prefer the 1/2 inch spacing and the weaker pickups myself.

Greg

[spongebob]

I do feel that the 1/2 spacing just sounds a little more 'classic' to my ears - I did ask, as it's been a few years since I played a 1-inch 4001 spacing - and I've only got a 1/2 inch with me.

I'm liking the responses - interesting opinions.