What's the real difference???

[southpaw76]

Hello fellow TBer's,
I'm going to be ordering a custom bass soon and one of the thoughts that keep crossing my mind is this...
What is the real difference between pickups???

Let's say for instance, I had a custom bass with Bartolini's soapbars in them, and then I replaced them with Nordstrand soapbars with the same string spacing and the same polepieces etc..etc..how much different would they sound???

I've only heard Bartolini's, Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio's, but never in the same configuration nor in the same type of instrument so naturally it's difficult to make a judgment call.

Any ideas or comments would be much appreciated, thanks....

[GlennW]

Pickups are like sandwiches - while they all sort of look the same, they aren't.

[kyral210]

Pickups are like sandwiches - while they all sort of look the same, they aren't.

+10!

Thats the best analogy I have ever heard. What makes a bass sound how it does? it is a whole load of different things!

• Body wood(s)
• neck wood(s)
• neck construction
• neck/ body joint
• saddle construction
• saddle materials
• nut construction
• nut materials
• pickup type
• pickup placement
• pickup blending
• string type
• setup
• ect..

Get the picture? The best thing to do is put your money in a savings account, a little each month. While you do that research what configuration is perfect for you. read allot, learn allot, play all kinds of bass's. By the time you are experienced enough to make the right choices that will last and last, you will hae saved up enough to go out and buy a custom bass!

personally, I want a maple through neck (maple fret board too) with mahogany wings, 2 EMG DC's at Fender Jazz bass distances, a Bad Ass II bridge and vintage tuners. Oh yeah, I also only use Graph Tech Trem Nut nuts on my guitars and bass's.

[seanm]

Given the same pole pieces, the biggest difference between pickups would be the number of turns of wire.

[fullrangebass]

Originally Posted by seanm

Given the same pole pieces, the biggest difference between pickups would be the number of turns of wire.

and the thickness of the wire too

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Each pickup can sound pretty different

And yeah, +1 on the difference in wire thickness, number of windings, and remember, the type of magnet used

On the winding note, recently switched out the bridge pickup on my guitarists squier tele, (he keeps it as a backup, but was sick of it sounding dire).

Here is the new pickup that went in, beside the old pickup:


If you cant see clearly, the new pickup was practically the same width as the bobbin, through the section with the windings.
(sorry for the not too great picture, but it does show the differences you get "under the hood" )

[allexcosta]

The difference is that the Nordstrand will sound much better than the Bartolini.

[southpaw76]

The difference is that the Nordstrand will sound much better than the Bartolini.

Although you may be right, it still is a matter of personal preference

[markdavid]

This interests me as well , I have recently aquire an Aria Stb P Bass which I intend of doing some upgrades to , plugged the bass in and did a comparison against my P Bass with Quarterpounders, I was taken aback to hear that the two basses sounded very , very , very similar, The P bass with the Quarterpounders was a little louder with a little more thump but other than that they sounded very similar

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I found the stock aria pickups in my arias to be the downfall, a pickup swap helped them alot , wish mine had sounded like quarter pounders!

[markdavid]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

I found the stock aria pickups in my arias to be the downfall, a pickup swap helped them alot , wish mine had sounded like quarter pounders!

Well the P Bass with Quarterpounders is a Squire , I swapped the pickups but kept the stock pots , I dont know if that would make any difference to the tone at all. Having said that my rig is rather modest and a larger/better rig would probably show the differences more clearly

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by GlennW

Pickups are like sandwiches - while they all sort of look the same, they aren't.

yes sir.

[DavidRavenMoon]

Originally Posted by allexcosta

The difference is that the Nordstrand will sound much better than the Bartolini.

Different. Better is not qualitative.

For those that don't like Barts, try the Classic Bass series. They sound like the old Hi-A pickups. Lots of top and bottom end. Not like the dark sounding Barts.