bubinga5 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Can anyone say if there is any difference in tone from single coil to split coil pickups.(apart from hum canceling) ...my specific Q is do split coil pickups take away any low down grunt...i played a few jazzez today with single coil pups and they seem to have more bass than my CS with Nordstand splits.... im wondering if i should change my Nordies for some singles...any thought's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 hmmm interesting. I like splits for the hum-cancel but can't see why they would have less low down grunt. Maybe your examples did have, but I think a winder can make the pickups do anything he wants..with the amount of winds he uses and the gauge of coil. My preference is for a single case, less winds but thicker coil as this, IMV, gives the sound a chance to display more character as opposed to more winds being a more powerful pickup and therefore being more coloured bass-wise. I only say this as I had KA wind me some examples and he was telling me about the work he did for other pup makers. I had a massive humbucker which was LOUD but souless..and then I also had him copy his work for a few name makers and their tone was far superior to my ears... not louder, but superior. If coupled with a pre, this is ALWAYS the route I would take... I think you can add bass but never take it off so I start there. FWIW.. I have KA pups with an East pre and the thump I get from that is unbelievable ..and it fills out the mix really really well. But for pure sound, I prefer the Barts and East. That is just my take on it all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='JTUK' post='769485' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:45 PM']hmmm interesting. I like splits for the hum-cancel but can't see why they would have less low down grunt. Maybe your examples did have, but I think a winder can make the pickups do anything he wants..with the amount of winds he uses and the gauge of coil. My preference is for a single case, less winds but thicker coil as this, IMV, gives the sound a chance to display more character as opposed to more winds being a more powerful pickup and therefore being more coloured bass-wise. I only say this as I had KA wind me some examples and he was telling me about the work he did for other pup makers. I had a massive humbucker which was LOUD but souless..and then I also had him copy his work for a few name makers and their tone was far superior to my ears... not louder, but superior. If coupled with a pre, this is ALWAYS the route I would take... I think you can add bass but never take it off so I start there. FWIW.. I have KA pups with an East pre and the thump I get from that is unbelievable ..and it fills out the mix really really well. But for pure sound, I prefer the Barts and East. That is just my take on it all...[/quote]Just get the feeling my Jazz could have a little more depth and low down punch...it a complicated issue as im sure there are a few issues that could be the deciding factor...IE..strings i use DR MM's... amp i use a 212....why is there not a bass doctor who you can take your bass to for a checkup.. i am toying with putting a pre in it but not really sure i want to... i wish i had infinate knowledge on these things... i do think of giving J Shuker or M Peterson a call, but i dont/wouldnt want to waste there time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 All pickups have a resonancy peak, that is to say a hump where some frequencies are more prominent than others. The centre of this hump and the degree of prominence and width is controlled by the overall resistance in the windings and the voltage of the pickups output. Coil split pickups can have a lower voltage than single coils in split mode, if they're designed to be roughly the same loudness as a single coil when in humbucking mode. That might be why the nordies sound like they lack low end maybe. With a single coil pickup you have one fixed design. With coil split pickups there's a compromise of sorts, either the pickup is designed to make humbucking OR single coil mode sound better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 (edited) and the doctor calls... CK, do you have any recommendations of what i should look out for? what sort of winding/design, give a low end resonancy peak..im in awe of some BC'ers knlowledge Edited March 9, 2010 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='bubinga5' post='769513' date='Mar 9 2010, 06:08 PM']and the doctor calls... CK, do you have any recommendations of what i should look out for? what sort of winding/design, give a low end resonancy peak..im in awe of some BC'ers knlowledge [/quote] I don't, but I would call Aron Armstrong or Wizard on this as they suggest they can do what you want... how you reference that with a sound is the hard part..and hearing it in context even harder.. IMV. I think Pre's take some of the wood/construction elements out of the equation plus a luithier will know what combinations work and how after a few trial runs...but I always think you never know until you hear the things..which, maybe, that is not the news we want When I had mine wound... KA was doimg custom stuff for Ken Smith and Fender amongst many others so the winders must have a reference for what sort of manufacture works for what sorts of sounds. It is guess work to me...but their business so I would talk to a pup winder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Dude, seriously drop Andy at wizard a line and ask for a gaffer, seriously good split coil jazz pickup. I'm laid up with man flu but when I'm about your'e welcome to try mine out. But it might be worth seeing if he'll let you try one on approval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 (edited) [quote name='gafbass02' post='769581' date='Mar 9 2010, 07:09 PM']Dude, seriously drop Andy at wizard a line and ask for a gaffer, seriously good split coil jazz pickup. I'm laid up with man flu but when I'm about your'e welcome to try mine out. But it might be worth seeing if he'll let you try one on approval.[/quote] Gaf i would seriously appreciate if i could maybe sometime try yours when your better...you being down the road and all. didnt get the chance to bore you with bass talk at the frog!!! Edited March 9, 2010 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I have a mixture of pick-ups in my basses, but none have hum-cancelling singles. They're either Single-coils, Humbuckers or Soapbars. I, too, use DR MM FatBeams. I really like 'em, but for some basses, I find them a bit too aggressive when coupled to my playing style. For my MIA Jazz, I wanted a softer sound and feel, but with the feel of the FatBeams... The answer (for me)? DR Sunbeams. They're still round-cored, for that lovely easy-to -fret feel, but nickel-wrapped. They feel smoother and sound smoother, but the output (courtesy of the nickel content) is much higher - as though you'd put hotter pick-ups in. except you haven't. I was impressed. Might be worth a shot before you splurge loadsa money on a new set of pick-ups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='bubinga5' post='769513' date='Mar 9 2010, 06:08 PM']and the doctor calls... CK, do you have any recommendations of what i should look out for? what sort of winding/design, give a low end resonancy peak..im in awe of some BC'ers knlowledge [/quote] If its technically possible, Andy at Wizard will know how to do it. There are little tricks and things that can be done using switchable resistors to alter the impedance so its not just down to wire and magnets. Give him a call and don't be afraid to ask for exactly what you want. In the worst case scenario he will be able to tell you what can be achieved and put you in a position where you can choose what trade offs you're prepared to accept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 [quote name='bubinga5' post='769590' date='Mar 9 2010, 07:18 PM']Gaf i would seriously appreciate if i could maybe sometime try yours when your better...you being down the road and all. didnt get the chance to bore you with bass talk at the frog!!! [/quote] No worries dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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