P-Bass Quarter-pounder Setup

[poormxdad]

Folks,

I'm new to playing altogether, and purchased a used P-Bass copy with SPB-3 pickups already installed. I didn't get the directions for the pickups with the bass.

The pickups seem to be very deep inside the cavity, more than 5mm. However, the thing I'm more concerned about is the pickups sit far below the covers, almost as if there is a spring between the cover and the pickups.

I realize my best bet is to take it somewhere and have it setup, but I was wondering if anyone would have some words of wit beforehand.

Thanks,

Tony

[ArtieToo]

Re: P-Bass Quarter-pounder Setup

From your description, it sounds like someone assembled them incorrectly, doing exactly what you described - putting the spring between the cover and the pup. You should be able to just remove the mounting screw, separate the cover from the pup, remove the spring, then reassemble it with the spring between the cover and the pickguard.

So, from the bottom up, you'ld have: pickup, cover, spring, pickguard, then the screw inserted from the top.

[poormxdad]

Re: P-Bass Quarter-pounder Setup

Artie,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Actually, it appears the pickups have separated from the covers. The covers were "taped" to the pickups using two 1" sticky-backed felt circles, like you'd put on the bottom of a table leg. The screws go through the tops of the covers and into body of the bass. I guess that's what I get for trying to save a couple of bucks by buying my first bass used.

I don't know if the pickups are supposed to be glued/taped/stapled/etc. to the covers, but the screws don't actually go through the pickups--there are no mounting holes in the pickups. I plan to make a thingy out of some old credit cards that will push the pickups into the covers using the existing springs, which look like they came out of an inkpen.

My lucky day...

Tony