Basses with twin pickups

[Les]

I'm toying with the idea of another bass for gigging. At the moment I'm using a ray but I'm playing more and more with a plec. I generally just roll the treble off a bit when using a plec.

On a bass with 2 pup's ie Dubs' G&L L2000 tribute that he has for sale, if you switch from the bridge pup to the neck pup obviously the tone would change but is there any difference in level?

Ideally I'd like to just flick a switch to go from fingers to plec without the guessing bit. Is this possible ?

[NancyJohnson]

I know this response is as obvious as it comes, but sure there may be a drop in level, but in most cases wouldn't this be solved by raising/lowering said pickup?
P

[Les]

Fair comment, that's set up, and I can deal with that. I'm assuming basses with twin pickups are designed to change sound characteristics switching between the pups with no difference in level. But I could be wrong. That's what I'm trying to ascertain.

[alexclaber]

Bridge pickups are often wound a bit hotter to compensate for the reduced string movement back there. And then to fine tune the volume balance just raise or lower the pickups to taste.

If your amp is EQ'd for tons of bottom then switching to the neck pickup will be louder, whilst if your amp is EQ'd for lots of upper midrange / treble then switching to the bridge pickup will be louder. It's all interactive. Fortunately your plucking hand is the best volume control of all!

Alex

[Mr. Foxen]

Depending on how the bass is set up, some have individual volumes for each pup (like a Jazz bass) and some have a single volume and blend. Some just have volume, tone and switch. Rewiring it to whatever config you like is fairly easily doable.

[dave_bass5]

Ive just had my DJ5 (jazz) fitted with different pickups. I have a P pup in the neck position and a Jazz in the bridge (of course).
As i was after a P tone from the bass i have the Jazz pup volume knob as a push/pull knob to take it out of circuit.
I didnt plan on using the bridge pup much (at all really) but im finding its a good tone when they are both on. The good thing with the push/pull knob is i can have the bridge pup set to a certain level and just switch it in and out quickly.
when i play finger style adding the bridge pup back in gives a slightly brighter tone tone and switching back to pick i can just switch the pup off.
Same as using a selector switch i guess.

[Sibob]

I think usually when the pickups are fairly equally matched, there isn't too much of an issue.
For example a bass with two humbuckers of the same brand, or two single-coils of the same brand should be fairly matched.
The problem comes, from what I've heard, when you have say a humbucker at the bridge and a single coil at the neck (ala Laklands & Stingray HS's), switching between the two can cause a drop in volume as humbuckers are generally louder.

Si

[The Burpster]

[quote name='Les' post='645217' date='Nov 4 2009, 01:28 PM']I'm assuming basses with twin pickups are designed to change sound characteristics switching between the pups with no difference in level.[/quote]

Thats exactly how the PRS works, I cant vouch for the G&L tribute but even if its not set up correctly a wee bit of tinkering should have that set up balanced pretty quickly.

[OutToPlayJazz]

You shouldn't normally get a difference in level as such, just a difference in frequency. Traditionally, you'll get a thicker, richer sound from a neck pickup & a thinner, higher frequency sound from a bridge pickup. That's why the even blend of the two is such a lovely sound. In the case of a typical single coil equipped Jazz bass, the two pickups cancel eachother out to a point when both are at full volume. That's where the "burpy" jazz sound comes from.

The G&L is one of the few basses where you can actually select between the two seperately via a micro switch. If you're used to a Stingray sound, the G&L is a good platform from which to try out new sounds and configurations.

[Les]

Thanks for your input guys.

So it looks like if I find a bass that gives me the tone differential I want for fingers on the bridge pup and plec on the neck pup then a little bit of setting up in pup heights should even out any level issues.

Never been one to use the tone controls on basses, everything full on for me, so the idea of flicking a switch between the only 2 sounds I'm looking for appeals.

The G&L does look a good place to start.

[The Burpster]

Sounds like a plan!

[Les]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='646736' date='Nov 5 2009, 09:49 PM']Sounds like a plan![/quote]


It does. Just got to decide whether to sell this
[attachment=35810:03092009.jpg]
or this
[attachment=35811:kidney.jpg]

to fund my cunning plan.