Hot pickups with narrow string spacing..

knucklehead G · #1 11-11-2010, 02:49 PM

I've got a 30" fretless with narrow string spacing, a fuzz over 2" at the bridge. I'm looking to put a new neck on it and extend the fingerboard down most of the body ala Hyperbass and using it like a big ramp, basically.

The problem is, it runs over where my pickups are. I have the action set low, so I'm trying to find a pickup that'll be hot enough I can put it under the fretboard and it'll still work well, and hopefully not hang out the sides. I was looking at SD Hot Rails or Hot Stacks with the bar magnets but the outsides of the pup would show. The board is only 2 1/8" wide at the neck position, so anything wider than that would hang out the sides and look stupid, as well as interrupting the ramp bit of it.

What might fit? I'm not sure if Darkstars would, minus the chrome ring around the sides. The string spacing is right at 1 7/8 at what is currently the 21st fret, as high as it goes currently. I'd like to be able to do this without SD charging me my firstborn for some custom shop job if possible.

I know a piezo would be a good bet but I'm trying to avoid batteries.

**line6man** · #2 11-11-2010, 03:01 PM

I don't like the idea of having a pickup under the fingerboard that cannot be adjusted.
In any case, I think a custom wound pickup would probably be your best bet.

knucklehead G · #3 11-11-2010, 03:06 PM

Its a bolt-on, so if I needed I could raise or lower it.

**line6man** · #4 11-11-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead G

Its a bolt-on, so if I needed I could raise or lower it.

Yeah, but you have the thickness of the fingerboard inhibiting you from raising it any higher than a certain point.
Hopefully you like super low action.