Wilde (Bill Lawrence) P-46 owners - need a measurement/pic
 

I'm considering the P-46 for a custom 6-string I'm having built. The question is, will it cover 6 strings?

If someone could measure the distance across the pole pieces of one half of the pickup, or better yet post a pic with a small ruler across the top of one half, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance.

Bump... anyone?

P pickups on a 6 string? Ask your builder if its possible.

They are great pickups but I don't know if I buy the idea that they will fit a 6 string bass with "normal" string spacing (17.5-19mm).

The total length of each pickup housing (not including the mounting tabs) is 2.24" and the magnet spread (measured from the end of the top magnet to the end of the bottom magnet) is 1.65". So if you space the coils so there is no magnet overlap and allow for some string vibration, they can accommodate a string spread of roughly 3" or 3.1". My Sadowsky 5 string spread is 2.9" over the P-pickup so unless you have really narrow string spacing I don't think this will work well, especially with the low B string.

That said Nordstrand can make a proper 6 string P pickup since he already has cases made to accommodate 3 strings per coil.

Thanks testing1two, that's what I needed to know.

If I go with a Nordstrand neck pickup it'll be a Big Split.

Actually my math is flawed. Let me go remeasure something and report back.

Ok, as stated before each coil of the P-46 is 2.24" and the magnet spread is 1.65". My mistake was measuring the string spread of my bass across all 5 strings instead of measuring 3 strings. So adding the magnet spread of each coil and comparing it to the total string width doesn't factor in the gap between the two middle strings (the space between the two coils). But anyways...

The string spread across the B-E-A strings of my bass over the P-pickup is 1.49" (with 19mm spacing at the bridge) which would technically fit underneath a P-46. However, I would want a little more room for string vibration, especially since the B string will have a fairly wide vibrational path. If the string's vibrational path drifts too far away from the magnet you will lose output on that string. I have a 5 string PJ with EMGs that has this problem (EMG P5 pickup magnets are prohibitively narrow IMO but that's another topic).

So my verdict still stands but if you had a narrow string spacing like 16-17.5mm it would probably work.

a while back I asked a question to them regarding string spacing, this is the response I got from them:

the P-46 pickup is a part of Bill's multi-polepiece system for bass so it will work for either 4,5,or 6 string Precision Basses. You space the coils under the strings where one pole piece from either coil runs under one of the strings -- very easy!


hope this helps!

I had asked Becky Lawrence directly on Facebook but she never got back to me with the pole piece measurement. Thanks to all for the help.

i have the pic if you still need it.

Great, thanks bassfreakah!

Pickups sound so so smooth and organic. very well made.