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Poles Apart - 5 strings using 4 string pickups


SamIAm
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Oh wise folk of BassChat.

 

I'm in the process of drawing up a design/conversion for a 5 string.

 

I note that some pickups are available in either 4 or 5 string variants, others not (of course the ones I really like are not!)  ... so my question is ... can 4 string pickups be used with a 5 string bass?

 

If the measurement of 5 strings 'width-wise' (from B to G) is no greater than that of the 4 strings, will it work?

 

For example ...

image.thumb.png.b5659a04b5b279b598b6f0418d9ffcc4.png

 

 

Does the PUP construction (Separate poles vs bar) make any difference (other than cosmetic ... strings don't line up)?

 

Are there other factors I'm missing?

 

S'manth x

Edited by Smanth
Correction to slight error in diagram
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The magnetic field dictates, what is functional. If the strings are close enough, you'll be fine. If you find bigger issues with levels, you may need to change the pickup, or tune the string spacing.

 

The poles may affect levels somewhat, if the distances to strings vary a lot. This requires testing.

 

Here you see a picture of an EMG 40DC (4.0" double coil). The viewing film is also from EMG.

 

20210209_110407.thumb.jpg.4e4843f148874c28ac8ede927ade73bf.jpg

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10 minutes ago, itu said:

Here you see a picture of an EMG 40DC (4.0" double coil).

INTERESTING!  The field seems to be fairly uniform across the areas where the strings run.  Thank you.

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13 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Pretty sure those (and most) EMGs use blades instead of individual pole pieces which may explain the uniformity of the pattern.

That was the conclusion I arrived at also.  I've recently put EMG GZR-P pups on my current bass and simply love the sound.  I was considering a GZR-PJ setup, but they only do it in 4 string and I'm worried that the 5th string being somewhere between the two P pups is going to cut its signal, not such a problem with the J pup (Tho this is pure speculation on my part).

 image.png.7de0823f9f4795c0074b715cb0dfd316.png

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My guess is that putting the two halves of the split humbucker further apart than usual would probably be enough to do the job.

 

In fact, if I was doing this I'd be very tempted to put the two halves side by side instead of overlapping. I never really saw the logic in having them offset in classic Leo stylee, and some of the nicest sounding basses I've played have actually had reverse-P configurations.

 

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On 23/05/2022 at 08:51, Happy Jack said:

I never really saw the logic in having them offset in classic Leo stylee, and some of the nicest sounding basses I've played have actually had reverse-P configurations.

 

The logic is that the coils couldn't be placed close enough to be under the poles.

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