Adding pickups to increase volume?

[hrafnigaur]

I was wondering whether adding another pickup to a passive bass will increase or decrease the output volume.
I have a spare pickup lying around, thinking about popping it into the bass.
Anybody care to enlighten me?

 

[maturanesa]

will increase the volume if the pups are wired in series. if they´re wired parallel the output would be the same

 

[line6man]

will increase the volume if the pups are wired in series. if they´re wired parallel the output would be the same

Not necessarily.

If the pickups are of similar output impedances, wiring them parallel could cause a slight drop in volume due to insertion loss.

 

[darkstorm]

Best way to increase basses output volume is to use good high output pups and combine that with good preamp that boosts signal some even with tone controls flat. Adding pups isnt the same as adding speakers to amp setup. Its more like adding aq mic and that generally doesnt add volume for recording levels. When I switch from 1 pup to both pups on any of my basses or guitars there isa no increase in volume just a tone change. So adding pups wont add volume but replaceing existing pups with higher output ones will.

 

[markanini]

+1 on above posts

 

[line6man]

Best way to increase basses output volume is to use good high output pups and combine that with good preamp that boosts signal some even with tone controls flat. Adding pups isnt the same as adding speakers to amp setup. Its more like adding aq mic and that generally doesnt add volume for recording levels. When I switch from 1 pup to both pups on any of my basses or guitars there isa no increase in volume just a tone change. So adding pups wont add volume but replaceing existing pups with higher output ones will.

Switching to higher output pickups isn't always the best way to go.
Depending on the design of the pickups, higher output levels are generally attributed to overwinding, which shifts the resonant frequency downward, giving you more mids and less treble.
Personally, I generally find lower output pickups to sound better.

A gain-boosting preamp is all that is necessary.