Might be a "duh" kinda question...

[SMILEYSIXX]

I'm looking at getting a BC Rich Widow 5.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....ass?sku=512659

I like the split pickups style on it, along with the fact that it has 2 sets of them... But how do split pickups work on a 5er? For example, on a fender P-bass, each pickup lies under 2 strings. On a 5er, is the middle string covered twice? Is there one pole in each pickup for the middle string? It may sound newb-ish, but this one has me confused.

In addition, I'd want to replace the stock pickups, mainly because I loathe BC Rich's stock pickups. Is there anywhere I can get a split pickup style for a 5er? Musican's friend doesn't seem to have any... Any ideas on where to get a good set?

[line6man]

Sometimes regular four string pickups are used, other times, five string pickups are available.

As long as all the strings are within the sensing area, it doesn't matter if you use a four string pickup.

Fender does pickups with one coil having four pole pieces for two strings, and the other coil having six pole pieces for three strings:


Then there are pickups like Sadowsky's with two three-string sized coils, one of them having a blank spot with no pole pieces.


Considering that the pickups on that BC Rich have no visible pole pieces, I'm guessing that they probably just went with blade style pole pieces that will capture the string's vibration regardless of the string spacing.
Those are probably regular four string pickups.

[SMILEYSIXX]

I figured as much. I'm a big fan of split pickups and five strings, so having both seemed pretty damn awesome to me. So if I had the BC Rich, I could probably replace the pickups with EMG's then right?

[DerHoggz]

Assuming the B.C. Rich uses a 4 string pickup, yeah. Although if it uses a 5 string pickup, it might not do to the different configurations available, you would have to contact B.C. Rich and EMG to see, or buy it and measure it, and possibly hack it up.