Super P-pup?Possible?

[Daffy Funk]

The P-pup in half post got me thinking,as several posters
stated of lining the pup to get humbucking with 2 string bass;
it gave me the idea,if you use that method on a normal
4 string bass would it be possible to make a super humbucker
P-pup?Like this
one set P
(same ) P
one set. p
(same ). p
One set for E&A,one for D&G.Is it logical?Has it been done
before?Or is it just overkill
Please let me know what you think.
Thanks

[basadam]

DiMarzio has one; Split P DP127. Each half is individually humbucker...

[Pantsman]

I saw a bass on Ebay here in Aus that had 4 lipstick pickups, one for each string and they were running lengthwise along the strings. I'd say your idea would be do-able, no idea on what it would sound like though. But if you do it, pics.

[Trevorus]

Originally Posted by Pantsman

I saw a bass on Ebay here in Aus that had 4 lipstick pickups, one for each string and they were running lengthwise along the strings. I'd say your idea would be do-able, no idea on what it would sound like though. But if you do it, pics.

That's most likely an Italia bass.

[ScubaSteve]

Well between the neck and the bridge you should be able to fit about 4 Music Man humbuckers

It's probably just not worth it. A precision pickup has always given me a lot of punch. Theres that Dimarzio pickup if you want humbuckers for each pickup half. If you want just a ton of output and punch, an active preamp would give you that.

[Daffy Funk]

I do know about both of those,but I am intrested in the one
P-pup used for the E&A strings,and one P-pup for D&G strings.
Would it improve the the sound,or weaken the low end
like pups in half-tone?
Would stereo output be more logical?
I would really like to know,because I am interested in
trying this out.

[ToneRanger]

Originally Posted by Daffy Funk

I do know about both of those,but I am intrested in the one
P-pup used for the E&A strings,and one P-pup for D&G strings.
Would it improve the the sound,or weaken the low end
like pups in half-tone?
Would stereo output be more logical?
I would really like to know,because I am interested in
trying this out.

I'm assuming you mean half a P-Bass pickup on each string, with the 4 pole pieces in line with the string.
I did it with one piece of P-pickup on a 1-string fun bass.
Works fine.

The theory on tone is this: if you pick up sound from one focussed point (eg single coil) you get more high harmonics, because they are very localised on the string. If you sample from multiple points, you get the same (or more) mids & lows but less of the extreme highs because they can cancel out at the different 'sampling' positions. For bass it's probably not relevant, but is one of the reasons a Tele sounds different to a LesPaul.

If I was going to put a different pickup on each string, I'd be tempted to put a separate volume & tone control on each. Or even run a multi-output to a little mixer.
Fender Rhodes pianos have a pickup on each string, all daisy-chained together. I know a player who cut the pickup chain into several sections and runs it through a mixer - means he can eq each sections of the keyboard independantly. Maybe even patch effects onto different parts...

Now, I wonder if those Rodes pickups work on bass strings?

Since we're talking multiple pickups, check out this: http://www.atlansia.jp/OXFORD.3.JPG

[Daffy Funk]

Thanks,yah those Atlansia basses are crazy.
I think I will try this on a Squier or an Sx,make it 2x vol.and
2x tone,then I could kill the tone on the E&A strings and
keep the tone on max with the D&G strings.
Maybe try stereo output.
Might take a while,but when its done I'll post pics and sound
clips.

[RyreInc]

If you mean to align them side-by-side, that wouldn't work (the pups are too wide):

i.e. (ignore the periods, they are placeholders)
...-.-
...-.-

You'd have to put them like this:
...-
.....-
...-
.....-

which is bassically a double P bass. (with closer spacing between the pups)

I wouldn't do it like this:

...-
...-
.....-
.....-

or you'll have a more significant tonal difference between the E&A and D&G strings.

[ToneRanger]

Originally Posted by Pantsman

....4 lipstick pickups, one for each string and they were running lengthwise along the strings.

You got me thinking - that could be a neat way to make a magnetic pickup for my EUB.