Pickups that move between the bridge and neck

[Sir Edward V]

I've had this idea before, but I'm not sure if anyone else has done it before.

My idea is to have pickups that can move closer are further away from the bridge and neck. it wouldn't be too difficult to rig up if you had the right equipment. I think it would be cool and an easy way to experiment with pickup placement if you are interested in making your own basses.

[stingray69]

Cool idea, but has been done before (at least in the 80's). Embarrassing as it is, I had one of these as a kid. But I learned the importance of pickup placement & how just very small position changes would yield vast tone changes.

It's a Westone Rail Bass by the way...

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by stingray69

Cool idea, but has been done before (at least in the 80's). Embarrassing as it is, I had one of these as a kid. But I learned the importance of pickup placement & how just very small position changes would yield vast tone changes.

It's a Westone Rail Bass by the way...

i had a feeling it had been done before... everything has been done before

I might try to find one of those

[JimmyM]

Gibson also made the Grabber bass in the 70's, which featured a sliding pickup. Gene Simmons of KISS used one.

[jim primate]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Gibson also made the Grabber bass in the 70's, which featured a sliding pickup. Gene Simmons of KISS used one.

i think he used a G-3.

[coolrunner989]

I had the idea today of the whole area (or a large part of it) between the neck and bridge being a single pickup, and you could use some kind of slier mechanism to pick which area(s) you wanted to utilize. Sound good to anybody?

[JAUQO III-X]

Check out the Spalt Viper.

http://www.garageguitars.com/vViperhome.html

[coolrunner989]

I like that..

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by jim primate

i think he used a G-3.

Nope, a Grabber. The G-3 had 3 single coils, and the Grabber had a sliding pickup.

[GlennW]

Grabber
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Gibson-G...QQcmdZViewItem

[WarriorJoe7]

Originally Posted by coolrunner989

I had the idea today of the whole area (or a large part of it) between the neck and bridge being a single pickup, and you could use some kind of slier mechanism to pick which area(s) you wanted to utilize. Sound good to anybody?

It's been done and patented (in the early 2000s) by linear pickups who are out of business but still own the patent. I have seen the patent myself online but lost the link for the moment.

I believe the Engard was the model of the pickup but it is very very very hard to find any information let alone the actual pickup. It makes lane poor's seem common like bartolini's. I have some linear radiance pickups on the way but the engard were like sliders on a mixing board.

[SoLongJake]

i've got a 78 grabber, a LOT of tone possibilities with the sliding pickup. when i got it, the pickup was loose, i guess, it slid around too easily. Making it nearly impossible to keep it in place. I went to wal mart and bought a bunch of little sticky back felt pads, and lined the inside area where the pickup slides, to snug it up. Now the pickup stays pretty securely in place wherever i leave it. i play it as my main 4 string. Great tone due to the oversized body, plus its not a bass you see everyday.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by coolrunner989

I like that..

haha me too

[luknfur]

FWIW:

or you could go the crosstie route:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...=1#post4403680