I there a difference between neck and bridge Pickup?

keytthom · #1 10-23-2010, 09:44 AM

Besides size, is there a difference between bridge and neck pickups, e.g tone, output, etc...

I ask because on my squier jazz active deluxe, both pickups are 91mm, meaning i would have to buy 2 neck pickups

corinpills · #2 10-23-2010, 09:47 AM

You mean as far as replacing them? There's a big difference in tone between the two because of where they are on the bass. Some pickups are voiced specifically as a neck or bridge pickup, but they function the same way.

**line6man** · #3 10-23-2010, 09:49 AM

You need to make sure the pickups are RWRP from each other if you want them to humcancel.

brendanbassist · #4 10-23-2010, 09:51 AM

I believe most bridge pickups are wound for a higher impedance, but I could be wrong.

keytthom · #5 10-23-2010, 10:50 AM

So, if i were to replace the bridge with a 91mm (Neck) Pup, would it sound rather strange??

thanks

Ric5 · #6 10-23-2010, 10:54 AM

Some jazz basses use the same exact pickup in both locations. Most jazz basses the pickups are different sizes, the bridge pickup is wider. Most jazz basses the bridge pickup will be wound hotter and the neck pickup will be reverse wound. Most jazz basses the pickups will be single coil but when both volumes are full on they act together as a humbucker. Some jazz basses will have one or both pickup as individual humbucking pickups. There may be another scenario that I haven't thoght of.

**line6man** · #7 10-23-2010, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keytthom

So, if i were to replace the bridge with a 91mm (Neck) Pup, would it sound rather strange??

thanks

It will sound fine, but the pickups will not humcancel, and the neck pickup will probably be louder than the bridge pickup.

keytthom · #8 10-23-2010, 11:43 AM

I'm thinking I'm just gonna' Have to make a 95mm Fit

only problem I can think of is the bits where the screws go through, might not line up with the originals

**line6man** · #9 10-23-2010, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keytthom

I'm thinking I'm just gonna' Have to make a 95mm Fit

only problem I can think of is the bits where the screws go through, might not line up with the originals

Why not just have an overwound, RWRP neck pickup made?

keytthom · #10 10-23-2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

Why not just have an overwound, RWRP neck pickup made?

Because I dont have a clue what one of those is

**line6man** · #11 10-23-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keytthom

Because I dont have a clue what one of those is

You will want an over-wound pickup if it is neck sized, because the string vibrates less closer to the bridge, and thus, the pickup has a lower output than a pickup at the neck position. Because of the size difference between traditional neck and bridge pickups, bridge pickups always have more wire than necks. Winding a neck-sized bridge pickup with more wire than usual will give it a hotter output, so that the two pickups will match.

You will also want a pickup set with pickups that are reverse wound and reverse polarity. This ensures that the 60Hz hum picked up by each coil is 180 degrees out of phase from the other coil. The opposing phases cause a destructive interference that cancels the 60Hz hum out.
If the pickups are not RWRP, they will not humcancel when used together.