Tell me about pickups

[squibs]

I've just got a Squire Bronco. I guess most people know it (and the Musicmaster) uses a guitar pickup with six poles. The Bronco pickup is not that great of course, but thats not my point.

People say that a six pole pickup doesn't line up properly with four strings; and so isn't as good. But I'm thinking 'niether does a regular Fender bass pickup', they usually have eight poles, two siting either side of each string; not in line at all.

So what's that all about then? Tell me how it works.

james

[cocco]

The poles generate a field, which obviously is stronger at the pile than a few mm away from it.

[Dr M]

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1362091059' post='1995806']
The poles generate a field, which obviously is stronger at the pile than a few mm away from it.
[/quote]

To expand a little on this, if you look at the width of the string as it's vibrating (the excursion, I believe?) above a standard fender P or J bass pickup, it should be nicely spanning some portion of the gap between the two pole-pieces. I presume the original intention of the design was to give a nice, balanced magnetic field across the full width of a vibrating bass string.

Now if you try and line 4 strings up with 6 pole pieces, the distance between the string and the pole piece is going to be inconsistent. The top and bottom strings might be almost directly over a pole piece, while the others are likely to be sitting between two of them. This might result in an inconsistent output between strings, where some are sitting in the strongest point of the magnetic field, while others are sitting in the weakest point between 2 poles.

[brensabre79]

To compound this further, even with the poles in the correct place, unless the pickup follows the curve of the neck / string heights then they are going to be different anyway (the middle strings being further away). The P-Bass design overcomes this, but the J-Bass design does not.
My Ric copy has a 6-pole pickup at the neck and output seems fine for what its worth (a bit lacking in treble but thats another thing)...

[Lfalex v1.1]

Double post...

Edited March 1, 2013 by Lfalex v1.1

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1362144969' post='1996388']
To compound this further, even with the poles in the correct place, unless the pickup follows the curve of the neck / string heights then they are going to be different anyway (the middle strings being further away). The P-Bass design overcomes this, but the J-Bass design does not.
My Ric copy has a 6-pole pickup at the neck and output seems fine for what its worth (a bit lacking in treble but thats another thing)...
[/quote]
There are some fixes for these issues, but they're not used in the original Fender pickups.
Stuff like adjustable polepieces, curved blades for polepieces and so on..

[squibs]

[i][quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1362145316' post='1996396']
There are some fixes for these issues, but they're not used in the original Fender pickups.
Stuff like adjustable polepieces, curved blades for polepieces and so on..
[/quote][/i]

Yeah, 'vintage' strat pickups have polepieces staggered in height to match the string height.

[i][quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1362144264' post='1996365']
To expand a little on this, if you look at the width of the string as it's vibrating (the excursion, I believe?) above a standard fender P or J bass pickup, it should be nicely spanning some portion of the gap between the two pole-pieces. I presume the original intention of the design was to give a nice, balanced magnetic field across the full width of a vibrating bass string.

Now if you try and line 4 strings up with 6 pole pieces, the distance between the string and the pole piece is going to be inconsistent. The top and bottom strings might be almost directly over a pole piece, while the others are likely to be sitting between two of them. This might result in an inconsistent output between strings, where some are sitting in the strongest point of the magnetic field, while others are sitting in the weakest point between 2 poles.
[/quote][/i]

Makes sense, I guess it all depends upon your need for precision and equalibrium. (might have spelt that wrong)

Cheers
James

Edited March 1, 2013 by squibs

[squibs]

I like the above explanation. As with many things bass/guitar related, it leads me to question two things:

1) how much do I notice the difference,
2) how much do I care if I don't notice the difference.

Edited March 1, 2013 by squibs

[Geek99]

I had a strat that had a mix of staggeered and not pickups. Not really a noticeable difference.
In addition to the P vs J solution point, on a jazz bass you'd be tilting the pickups slightly to compensate for the string mass from low to high anyway so any disparity in volume on the middle two versus outer strings shoudl be negligible.

[mckendrick]

[quote name='squibs' timestamp='1362149673' post='1996491']
I like the above explanation. As with many things bass/guitar related, it leads me to question two things:

1) how much do I notice the difference,
2) how much do I care if I don't notice the difference.
[/quote]
This.

[Paul S]

[quote name='squibs' timestamp='1362149673' post='1996491']
I like the above explanation. As with many things bass/guitar related, it leads me to question two things:

1) how much do I notice the difference,
2) how much do I care if I don't notice the difference.
[/quote]

In a moment of weakness I bought a '77 Fender Musicmaster the other day - I had no real intention of getting one but it appeared on eBay with a cheap BIN and local pickup. I had some increasing GAS about Fender short scales after enjoying an Epi. EB0, though why I feel the need to justify it on here I am not sure...

Anyway, this is one with the strat pup - made in USA, the bottom end of the range and probably least collectable of the 'vintage' Fenders. I really like it! It sounds like a mini- Precision. Light as a feather, comfy, easy to play. Yes, the output is low. My simplistic answer - turn up the volume on the amp! Seemed to work for me.

[squibs]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1362152535' post='1996524']
[i]I bought a '77 Fender Musicmaster the other day[/i] [/quote]

That was probably one I've been drooling over, lucky bugger. I'm super skint at the moment and been constantly thinking; should I get a Bronco, or save up for a Mustang or Musicmaster. Well, I've had this Bronco for a few days and I like it. I've swapped the pup for another guitar one (from a Jaguar I had spare) and it sounds fine. This thread has been about me wondering if I should get 'proper' bass pickups. But now I don't think I'll bother.

I had my first band practice with it tonight, it sounds great, and a reminder that its so much about the amp settings too. At least when you use a rehearsal studio and end up in a different room/gear each time.

[iiipopes]

On Bronco and Musicmaster basses, most folks I know swap out the stock pickup for a "rails" type pickup, like a Seymour Duncan "Cool Rails" neck pickup, to get a good clear tone that is also noise cancelling. Pair it with 250kohm controls and a .047 tone capacitor, and it sounds great. Don't get one that is overwound, like a "hot" or "bridge" version, unless you want midrange thickness that can turn muddy.