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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive through November 11, 2010 » Archive: 2008 » Archive through June 20, 2008 » MK Signature Standard neck pick up position « Previous Next »

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ghostyhead
Junior
Username: ghostyhead

Post Number: 23
Registered: 5-2008
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 2:53 am:   Edit Post

has anyone played an Mk Sig standard and had problems doing pull ups (poppin) when slapping because of the neck pick up position so close to the middle of the playing area?
any other comments on this would be appreciated.

does anyone know how high the pickup sits above the body on this model and can it be lowered to the same level as the body. (of course it would lower the volume of said pickup, but is it possible cure?
karl
Intermediate Member
Username: karl

Post Number: 135
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 3:47 am:   Edit Post

Hey Ghostyhead!

Never had an issue on my old MK standard. That had the default space of around an inch and a bit between the end of the fretboard and the neck pickup. Always seemed plenty of space to get the forefinger under the strings for popping. No issues now with my SC deluxe, and I think it has basically that same default space. But I have seen some MKs and SCs with the neck pickup rather closer to the end of the fretboard - I guess the original owners must have specced them this way, perhaps to get a slightly bassier sound, or maybe Alembic used a different default during a certain period of production.

Anyway, if you can post a pic of the bass you're talking about, I can at least tell you if the space is the same as on mine (in which case you should have no problems), or a smaller space (in which case, t might be a bit tight).

And I'm pretty sure you can't lower the pickups until they're flush with the face of the bass - the pickups are installed in such a way that they sit on top of two of the four securing screws, and I suspect those two screws are too long to let the pickups go down that far. Could be wrong, though - I've never tried it - but the reason I've never tried it is that the response drops off very quickly as you move the pickups away from the strings and it becomes less than ideal after a certain point.

K.
mike1762
Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 66
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 4:16 pm:   Edit Post

I had this issue when I got my first Alembic. The playing area for slap/pop is only about 4cm (assuming you use the area between the neck PUP and the end of the neck). Except for my Jazz Bass, I had never really used a bass with a neck PUP. Therefore, I developed a sloppy right hand technique. After I got used to the space on my Alembic and quit flailing my hand around, it seems like plenty of room.

Regarding the PUP height, you can set it pretty low (maybe not completely flush)and then adjust the trim to make-up for the decreased signal. You can't get away with that with high impedance PUPs, but the tone of low impedance PUPs are less affected by PUP height(see some of the posts under "Must Read").
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 1856
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 4:24 pm:   Edit Post

Same here Mike. I was getting a LOT of clicking, popping and other noise. All from sloppy right hand technique. My playing has really cleaned up a lot.

OO

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