EMG-MMCS And EMG-MMTW. Which One Is The Best?

[jonny616]

OK, so I'm designing a new bass and would love to use a Stingray styled pick up. The only trouble is, which one do I use? I must admit, I'm not the smartest person on the planet so the babble on EMG's site is no help to me whatsoever. At a guess (and I’m guessing a wrong guess) is the EMG-MMCS a basic Stingray style pick up and the EMG-MMTW the same pick up, but slightly better? ANY help would be great before I blow a load of money and become disappointed!

Thanks

PS. Sorry if a similar post is already on the board

[Mika]

The MMCS should be identical to the MMTW when the MMTW is in dual coil mode. The added feature in the MMTW is that it can be used in single coil mode as there are two separate stacked coils on the bridge magnet blade.

Edit: There are also several passive MM style pickups available from for example Bartolini, Seymour Duncan, Delano and Nordstrand to name a few.

[James Banner]

The CS and DC have different tones.

CS is more traditional sounding than DC

Seymour Duncan do a music man pickup with open pole pieces

[MaskedJackal]

My MMTW sounds pretty sweet on my homemade fretless, but also rather sterile. Zero warmth.

[elros]

As Mika says. The TW is like the CS, but has the extra option of single coil sound.

I swapped out the DC pickups on my old Acacia fretless with the TW models, and added a switch to select between the two modes on the TW. The difference is cool and subtle. I like both modes.
Note that these two outputs have slightly different levels. If you want it switchable, you may use this hack to equalize the levels.

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by Mika

The MMCS should be identical to the MMTW when the MMTW is in dual coil mode. The added feature in the MMTW is that it can be used in single coil mode as there are two separate stacked coils on the bridge magnet blade.

+1 - that's pretty much all that's different. If you get an MMTW, you'll need to find a place for the switch.

IMO... I wouldn't get the MMTW unless you planned on having a neck Jazz pickup to pair with it (to get a "J-bass" pickup arrangement when the MMTW is in single-coil mode).

There is no MMDC - it'd probably be too harsh.

Originally Posted by Mika

Edit: There are also several passive MM style pickups available from for example Bartolini, Seymour Duncan, Delano and Nordstrand to name a few.

+1 - Personally, I'd prefer to get one of these instead of an EMG MM pickup.

[jonny616]

Thanks Guys! Very Helpful

[FunkyFlashFive]

push pull switch knobs work for the tws and come with them. that is all the switch you need.

[frank_rena]

IMO... I wouldn't get the MMTW unless you planned on having a neck Jazz pickup to pair with it (to get a "J-bass" pickup arrangement when the MMTW is in single-coil mode).

I have a cheap bass (Crimson made in china) and i'll put a EMG MM5TW on the bridge. I wanna keep the original Wilkinson neck pickup... can you give me some advice to the replacement? i mean... is everything gonna be find if i do that? is the first time i change a pickup (sorry for my english, i'm from argentina)

[Luis Fabara]

Originally Posted by elros

Note that these two outputs have slightly different levels. If you want it switchable, you may use this hack to equalize the levels.

Link is broken!! Do you have the pdf? i would like to see it.