Guitar with adjustable pick ups.

[TheGreek]

Interesting, if not new, concept. IIRC @Happy Jack has a Westone with a similar set up. This custom guitar has a single pickup which can be moved around the guitar’s body instead.

 

https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/bass-guitar-gets-shapeshifting-pickups/

 

 

 

[Happy Jack]

I do think it's sad when builders make no effort to squeeze the control knobs really, really tightly together.

 

This guy clearly 'gets it', and has successfully rendered the controls utterly useless.

 

Bravo!

 

[Grahambythesea]

Didn’t the original Gibson Grabber have the same, or was it the Ripper?

[itu]

Alembic in the early 70's, Westone Rail bass, a German Viper bass... g-word players are pretty much slower with their "novelties".

 

Found it: Spalt vViper is that German instrument.

Edited December 6, 2021 by itu
Spalt.

[Dazed]

Wood n Tronics do a movable pickup in a ramp type housing, shifts via a knob on the edge of the bass. Neatest version I’ve seen. 

[pineweasel]

I remember this one from the 80s http://wilkesguitars.co.uk/instruments/the-answer/

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

Didn’t the original Gibson Grabber have the same, or was it the Ripper?

 

It was the Grabber, correct the first time

[BigRedX]

16 hours ago, itu said:

Alembic in the early 70's, Westone Rail bass, a German Viper bass... g-word players are pretty much slower with their "novelties".

 

Found it: Spalt vViper is that German instrument.

IIRC Spalt is actually American. He might be based in Europe at the moment though.

Edited December 7, 2021 by BigRedX

[Doctor J]

 

 

[DaytonaRik]

I think this is my favourite adjustable pickup bass - the Brooks Grabberbird

 

https://www.enkoo.nl/brooks-grabbird.html

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by DaytonaRik

[oldslapper]

16 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

I do think it's sad when builders make no effort to squeeze the control knobs really, really tightly together.

 

This guy clearly 'gets it', and has successfully rendered the controls utterly useless.

 

Bravo!

 

We already have a bespoke builder for the large of hand. This person is catering for the tiny of finger.  

[Hellzero]

The Mike Pope Fodera signature also has a moving bridge pickup.

[Dood]

Jon Shuker and I had talked years ago about putting a pickup underneath an extended ramp, but leaving a cutaway so the pickups(s) could be moved back and forth in the ramp, thus, no unsightly holes in the top of the body. (Yes, admittedly there are those who think ramps are ugly too and, I tend to agree when they're done badly!)

Edited December 7, 2021 by Dood

[Doctor J]

Or... what about a stationary pickup mounted on a stand in front of the player and you just stand in front of it and play, keeping the bass positioned wherever you want the strings to be picked up. You could have an array of all kinds of pickups, P, J, MM, MFD, all mounted on the stand or maybe even on a rotating drum and selectable by footswitch. Have one bass but have all the tones, one bass to rule them all, I call it The GAS Master. Patent applied for. Back up, now, form a queue!

[itu]

8 hours ago, BigRedX said:

IIRC Spalt is actually American. He might be based in Europe at the moment though.

Correction: Austria.

https://www.spaltinstruments.com/contact/

[Paul S]

5 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Or... what about a stationary pickup mounted on a stand in front of the player and you just stand in front of it and play, keeping the bass positioned wherever you want the strings to be picked up. You could have an array of all kinds of pickups, P, J, MM, MFD, all mounted on the stand or maybe even on a rotating drum and selectable by footswitch. Have one bass but have all the tones, one bass to rule them all, I call it The GAS Master. Patent applied for. Back up, now, form a queue!

 

Or... a bass with a carousel fitted to the front with that same selection of pickups - just rotate it to the desired pup, bit like this chap.

   By Balcer - File:Lewis gun St Thomas 6.JPG, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54223921

[casapete]

The first bass (or guitar for that matter) I remember seeing with moving pickups were the Dan Armstrong 'London' series. Always wanted one when they were quite common, but now of course they're like hens teeth it would seem.

 

More info here http://www.danarmstrong.org/londonbass.html

Edited December 8, 2021 by casapete

[LeftyJ]

I'd like to bring up the Gyrock revolving pickup system by Wild Custom. This stuff is weird and interesting!

 

 

 

[LeftyJ]

And this:

 

[ribbetingfrog]

Guitarist in my band modded a bass like this, works really well!

[ambient]

My W&T Chronos came with one, giving the bridge pickup three possible positions: 70s jazz, 60s jazz and Stingray.