What a stupid looking pickup

[sir juice]

I think you know which is the one that looks silly. This is a pair of custom pickups I ordered about a month ago. I wanted a P style pickup on a bass I have that was built using a guitar body and they are the same size as guitar humbuckers.

I would have gone with non-exposed pole pieces, but I have a radiused fingerboard so I need them to be adjustable.

I've got work done from this guy before, so I know they'll sound like I want them to.

But boy does it look stupid.

[4 + 1 is lower]

FWIW i think it looks pretty neat

[meev992]

Originally Posted by sir juice

I would have gone with non-exposed pole pieces, but I have a radiused fingerboard so I need them to be adjustable.

My local shop owner says that adjustable pieces are a thing of the past....when Strings used to be inconsistent, and adjusting the gain was necessary....but nowadays, adjustable poles are just gimmicks.

[dcr]

Not so much stupid looking; just incongruous. Either one style or the other would be cool, just not both.

I guess you could also go with matching -- or contrasting -- wood covers to change the look.


dcr

[smogg]

should have been
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not

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[agreatheight]

Originally Posted by smogg

should have been
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not

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Why?

I think it looks interesting.

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by meev992

My local shop owner says that adjustable pieces are a thing of the past....when Strings used to be inconsistent, and adjusting the gain was necessary....but nowadays, adjustable poles are just gimmicks.

Tell that to all of the guys who complain that E and G strings on their Jazz basses are louder than the A and D strings. Its not a gimmick. The idea is to have all of the strings the same distance from the pickup's pole pieces. With a radiused fingerboard, it is necessary for the middle pole pieces to be slightly higher than the outer pole pieces -- to follow the radius of the fingerboard and strings.

[Steve]

How about...you get a sharpie and make the screws black?

[dcr]

Originally Posted by smogg

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Actually, I think that a pair like this would have been uber-cool!




dcr

[smogg]

Originally Posted by agreatheight

Why?

I think it looks interesting.

look a P bass

[Mon Rominee]

Originally Posted by sir juice

I've got work done from this guy before, so I know they'll sound like I want them to.

But boy does it look stupid.

So, no more work from this guy then? I wouldn't do work for you anymore....

[NJL]

Originally Posted by Steve

How about...you get a sharpie and make the screws black?

Sounds like a plan!

[Alowishus]

It looks more unique than stupid but to each his own I guess.

[bongomania]

I think the maker should have engraved a line perpendicular between the EA and the DG halves, and painted that line white or silver- so the pups would look even more like dominoes!

[4 + 1 is lower]

lol dominoes...I gotta do that on a bass sometime.

[agreatheight]

Originally Posted by smogg

look a P bass

What's a P bass? I've never seen one of those

Just because Mr. Fender did something on a P bass it does not mean there is no value in doing it another way.

[mashed potatoes]

i kinda dig them.

and if you don't like them, shouldn't you take it up with the builder before knocking his/her work in front of others the internet?

[cybersnyder]

On the right bass, those would look very cool.

[not_jason]

Personally, I think they look cool. They made me go "what the...?" and most generally, I like it when things get that kind of reaction out of me.

but if it really bothers you, I'd suggest maybe installing some dummy poles on the empty spots to fill it out. I don't know what that pickup looks like under the cover, but that could be a pretty easy fix.

[smogg]

Originally Posted by agreatheight

What's a P bass? I've never seen one of those

Just because Mr. Fender did something on a P bass it does not mean there is no value in doing it another way.

lol, "what's a P bass?" that is a keeper dude.

But seriously, I think you misunderstand me. I am not saying that design is bad in any way and would have no problem using a bass with a pair of them installed.
What I'm saying is if I ordered a pup wanting a "P bass" pole piece design in a soapbar pup I would want/expect a specific look and would have gone as far as to specify traditional P vs reverse P. Thats all, no slam intended.
As a matter of fact I think a pair of those (slanted P soapbar?)
would look uber hot on a reverend bass, Let the GAS begin.