Pickup and bridge recommendations

Yvarg · #1 09-08-2007, 10:52 PM

I'm starting my first bass guitar build this month and I have been planning to have a stingray styled pickup in the bridge position and a jazz pickup in neck position. The bass will be a six string with 18mm string spacing at the bridge; anyone know where I can get some decent pickups with those requirements? I know Carvin generally sells their pickups in six string versions, but they seem to be pretty pricey and money is an object here. Also, would it be easier/cheaper to buy six single string bridges or use one adjustable bridge? Thanks in advance for any help!

SDB Guitars · #2 09-09-2007, 04:23 AM

You will be hard pressed to find a decent 6-string MM or Jazz pickup that doesn't cost you at least what Carvin wants for theirs, I would think. Decent pickups aren't cheap.

Regarding bridges, I would say that there are inexpensive 6 string bridges all over eBay, but you need to pick your bridge for the string spacing of your pickups, because if the spacing at the bridge isn't right, your pickup pole pieces won't line up right. I'm fond of the individual string bridges, because you can make them basically whatever spacing you need.

Yvarg · #3 09-12-2007, 08:13 PM

Well, I seem to have run across a good way to acquire some money, so maybe I will be able to afford some Carvins. About them, how do they sound, what experiences has anyone had with them? How about Wilkinson? I was thinking this, because of price: http://cgi.ebay.com/Wilkinson-Lic-Pi...ayphotohosting

It says the pole spacing is 75mm (3 inches) and the full pickup width is 117.5mm (4.6 inches), Do the strings need to be lined up with the poles for optimal sound? I am worried because at the bridge the spacing between my outside strings is 4.5 inches (I like wide spacing) and they will not line up with the poles . . . Thanks again.

cricketfever32 · #4 09-13-2007, 05:11 PM

yes the strings should be over the poles for optimal sound, you can always try to make a custom bridge, they dont seem to be that hard, and there are tutorials all over tb for bridges, and even pickups

Yvarg · #5 09-13-2007, 08:59 PM

A bridge I had considered making, but pickups seem like a lot of work to make and if I'm not mistaken require specific tools to do them correctly. I'd rather stick to something a little less complicated on my first build. Thanks for answers SDB and Cricketfever!

SDB Guitars · #6 09-15-2007, 06:53 AM

the Wilkinson pickups are likely made in China, and use ceramic magnets. This doesn't necessarily make them bad, but they won't sound a whole lot like real MusicMan pickups, which use AlNiCo magnets. Overall, expect the Wilkinson's to be much brighter and more "crisp". Not as "warm"...

As for winding your own pickups, iot's not super difficult, you just have to source the parts, make a bobbin, and locate a device to produce the rotation for winding... in a pinch, you can wind a pickups with an electric hand drill, or even a record turntable. Would it take FOREVER using the record player? Yes... even 78 RPM the record player would take nearly 2 hours to wind the coil, and you might get awfully tired of sitting there, feeding the wire by hand to ensure a good wind.

I've seen people wind pickups on a drill press before, with good success. I built a winder from the plans in Jason Lollar's book (sadly, no longer available) using parts from a sewing machine I got at Goodwill for $10, and a single 1/4 sheet of void-free birch plywood. It doesn't take a whole lot of money, mostly an investment in time and effort.