New bass pickups - Anybody got info on these?

[MiltyG565]

Aguilar are releasing a couple of new pickups, but I think i'm missing something. It says these are jazz singles in a soapbar size. So, they've put regular single coils in a bigger case? I definitely think I'm missing something.

http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_pickups_AGSS.htm

[hamfist]

For folks who want more of a single coil vibe from their soapbar-equipped bass. What's to miss ?

Very similar to the ethos of the Nordy Big Single, which seems pretty popular.

[MiltyG565]

what's the difference in a single coil and soapbar though?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368526152' post='2077936']
what's the difference in a single coil and soapbar though?
[/quote]

Here's an article which may help explain:
http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2010/11/16/bass-pickups-a-guide-to-formulating-your-sound/

[neepheid]

Soapbars are merely the packaging. They can contain any combination or configuration of coils as can fit inside the soapbar. Single/dual/split coils. Rails or individual pole pieces. Phantom coils. More turns on the coil than can fit under the cover of a Jazz pickup. Anything goes really.

[Dingus]

These pickups are Aguilar's attempt to tap into the relatively recent market for "fat " single coil pickups , like the previously mentioned Nordstrand Fat Stacks and Big Singles , or Hanson / Lakland Chi Sonic Singles ect . The soapbar format is supposed to fascilitate more gubbins inside the pickup to give it bigger sound / higher output , or at least that is the implied psychology in marketing an oversized single coil . The supreme popularity of Jazz Bass style instruments and the Jazz Bass pickup configuration in recent times means that pickup manufacturers need to exploit that market whatever way they can . I can certainly see the resoning behind these kind of designs in so much as Fender Jazz Basses traditionally often needed a bit of EQing to sound their best in some situations and these kind of supercharged Jazz Bass pickups promise to fatten the sound from the outset , whilst still retaining that classic single coil sound .

[Lfalex v1.1]

IIRC, many of the s2 and s3 Vigiers had single-coils in big housings. Nearly all were of Benedetti manufacture. Mine has, and it's a '97. Just off to have a Google

[EssentialTension]

The terminology 'soap bar' dates from the distinction between a Gibson P90 'Soap Bar' and a P90 'Dog Ear':

P90 Soap Bar:



P90 Dog Ear:

[EssentialTension]

... and both P90s, 'Soap Bar' or 'Dog Ear', were single coils.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1368638515' post='2079603']
... and both P90s, 'Soap Bar' or 'Dog Ear', were single coils.
[/quote]

What's the point in having them in a bigger housing? What did it add or allow them to do that they couldn't with a single coil sized casing?

[MiltyG565]

Other than nobody would buy a Gibson that had an "obvious" single coil, don't be mad!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368638779' post='2079613']
What's the point in having them in a bigger housing? What did it add or allow them to do that they couldn't with a single coil sized casing?
[/quote]
If you read the page you linked to, it is so that they fit as a replacement pickup: [b]'Available in a variety of replacement sizes for 4, 5, and 6 string Bartolini and EMG shapes[/b]'.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368638829' post='2079615']
Other than nobody would buy a Gibson that had an "obvious" single coil, don't be mad!
[/quote]
One mad person in my household then. In fact, I'd go as far as to say the P90 is my favourite guitar pickup.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1368639718' post='2079631'] One mad person in my household then. In fact, I'd go as far as to say the P90 is my favourite guitar pickup. [/quote]

I'd say you aren't alone, they are pretty popular, but I was just making a joke at the size of them, like they were trying to hide something.

In any case, we still haven't answered my initial question - What's the point? What extra gubbins, if any, do they sneak inside the extra space? What advantage does it give? Why would they just fire a single coil into a bigger casing for the sake of being able to use it as a replacement pickup?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368641174' post='2079661']
I'd say you aren't alone, they are pretty popular, but I was just making a joke at the size of them, like they were trying to hide something.

In any case, we still haven't answered my initial question - What's the point? What extra gubbins, if any, do they sneak inside the extra space? What advantage does it give? Why would they just fire a single coil into a bigger casing for the sake of being able to use it as a replacement pickup?
[/quote]
They aren't hiding anything except the windings.

There is no extra gubbins, read my post above.

I give up.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1368642044' post='2079685']
They aren't hiding anything except the windings.

There is no extra gubbins, read my post above.

I give up.
[/quote]

Jesus, take your meds. If you hold the information, oh wise one, what must I do to receive it from you?

Anybody else got an explanation for me? Somebody who might be able to explain something to me without getting ratty?

[Dingus]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368641174' post='2079661']
In any case, we still haven't answered my initial question - What's the point? What extra gubbins, if any, do they sneak inside the extra space? What advantage does it give? Why would they just fire a single coil into a bigger casing for the sake of being able to use it as a replacement pickup?
[/quote]

Have you read my post , Milty ? It answers exactly these questions .

Edited May 15, 2013 by Dingus

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1368644477' post='2079727']
Have you read my post , Milty ? It answers exactly these questions .
[/quote]

Yes, but it still doesn't answer what is different about them.

Technically, what are the difference between standard single coil, and soapbar single coil?

Edited May 15, 2013 by MiltyG565

[Dingus]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368644668' post='2079733']
Yes, but it still doesn't answer what is different about them.

Technically, what are the difference between standard single coil, and soapbar single coil?
[/quote]

It does , Milton . Broadly speaking the soapbar single coils sound a bit more hefty ( for want of a better phrase ) than a regular single coil Jazz pickup .

The first pickup on the market ( as far as I am aware , someone else may know better ) to cater to this gap in the market was the Nordstrand Big Single , which has turned out to be very popular . These pickups are Aguilar's attempt to have a rival pickup to that one . Here is the description of the Big Singles from Nordstrand's website :


[b] big singles[/b]

[b] single coil 4/5/6 string bass pickups[/b]

These pickups are all about huge, full, loud, aggressive single coil tone. They use the same magnet layout as the Fat Stack, and the resultantly big coil is about as much single coil pickup that can be packaged in a soap-bar cover. This is the ultimate pickup for the Jazz Bass®-on-steroids tone purist! These pickups will fit as replacements for Bartolini™ P2 (5 string) and BC (4 string) pickups. Dimensions are 4.25" by 1.25" and 3.95" by 1.25" respectively. Standard spacing is 19mm ctc at the bridge.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1368646087' post='2079777']
It does , Milton . Broadly speaking the soapbar single coils sound a bit more hefty ( for want of a better phrase ) than a regular single coil Jazz pickup .

The first pickup on the market ( as far as I am aware , someone else may know better ) to cater to this gap in the market was the Nordstrand Big Single , which has turned out to be very popular . These pickups are Aguilar's attempt to have a rival pickup to that one . Here is the description of the Big Singles from Nordstrand's website :


[b] big singles[/b]

[b] single coil 4/5/6 string bass pickups[/b]

These pickups are all about huge, full, loud, aggressive single coil tone. They use the same magnet layout as the Fat Stack, and the resultantly big coil is about as much single coil pickup that can be packaged in a soap-bar cover. This is the ultimate pickup for the Jazz Bass®-on-steroids tone purist! These pickups will fit as replacements for Bartolini™ P2 (5 string) and BC (4 string) pickups. Dimensions are 4.25" by 1.25" and 3.95" by 1.25" respectively. Standard spacing is 19mm ctc at the bridge.
[/quote]

So it is a matter of stuffing a load more winds on to the pickup then?

[iiipopes]

There is nothing new but the history one does not know: EMG started putting pickups in different housings starting in 1974 with the "H" pickup, essentially a Strat pickup in a humbucker housing, for, urban legend goes, Keith Richards. Then they put essentially a P-bass pickup in a humbucker housing for Steinberger basses. And then there was the aborted mini-humbucker for the Tele "Elite" that never happened, so the mini ended up in a standard humbucker cover as the model 60. Add to that many cheap import pickups that look like humbuckers are actually just a single coil taking up half the room.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1368646324' post='2079789']
Add to that many cheap import pickups that look like humbuckers are actually just a single coil taking up half the room.
[/quote]

I know, I inherited a guitar with 2 "humbuckers", more like 2 hummers in a couple of bucker cases.

[Dingus]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368646266' post='2079785']
So it is a matter of stuffing a load more winds on to the pickup then?
[/quote]

Maybe they are overwound to some extent , but in pickup design the extra output you get from more winds has to be offset against the rolloff of high frequencies that usually results from that . The size of the magnets and bobbins in the pickups also has an effect on the tone and overall output of the pickup . Whatever Nordstrand have done with these pickups seems to have met with broad approval from bass players , hence other manufacturers such as Aguilar jumping on the bandwagon .

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1368646585' post='2079801']
Maybe they are overwound to some extent , but in pickup design the extra output you get from more winds has to be offset against the rolloff of high frequencies that usually results from that . The size of the magnets and bobbins in the pickups also has an effect on the tone and overall output of the pickup . Whatever Nordstrand have done with these pickups seems to have met with broad approval from bass players , hence other manufacturers such as Aguilar jumping on the bandwagon .
[/quote]

My head

So what you are saying is, there might be some extra winds, but that means more treble, which isn't what the big singles are known for, so there must be something else, but we don't know what?

Why didn't you say so?

[dlloyd]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1368638779' post='2079613']
What's the point in having them in a bigger housing? What did it add or allow them to do that they couldn't with a single coil sized casing?
[/quote]

They predate "standard" single coils by a few years.

The Gibson-made P90 came out in 1946, replacing the Charlie Christian pickup. Fender's Telecaster/strat shaped single coil came out in 1950. When Gibson brought out solid body guitars they used the pickups they'd been using for the past six years... because they had them in stock. Why would they abandon their existing design just because Fender's was smaller?

They have a distinctive tone, or so I understand... I've had a few guitars with P90s and liked the sound of them, but I've never had the opportunity to A/B them in otherwise identical guitars.

They look good, in any case.