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Are you a 1, 2 or 3+ pickup person?

Are you a 1, 2 or 3+ pickup person?

  • 1

    Votes: 135 51.9%

  • 2

    Votes: 169 65.0%

  • 3+

    Votes: 29 11.2%
  • Total voters
    260
J

Just Wrong

Mar 30, 2023
1,449
2,317
#1
Maybe it's an odd question, but I was playing around with Serek's customization tool, and it made me realize that I'm sort of a two-pickup person, if there's such a thing.

I've had a number of Precisions and Stingrays in the past, but, while I loved everything about them, they never lasted long in my stable. I think it's because I always play above the pickup -- I think that's you get the best tone out of a bass -- and there's always something missing about one-pickup basses.

Then again, I've never tried a 3-pickup bass....

Are you a 1, 2 or 3+ pickup person?
 
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#3
All my basses have two pickups, so that was easy! One is a P/J (G&L SB-2), but I would actually prefer a straight-up P-bass with just the split-coil. I miss having the minimalist option, and might sell the SB-2 to fund an LB-100 or SB-1.
 
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#8
Poll doesn't allow for multiple selections!

I own 8 basses:
- 3 of them have 1 pickup...although you could make a very compelling argument that one of those basses has a pickup that is really two separate pickups in the same housing
- 5 of them have 2 pickups...although you could make a slightly less compelling argument that one of those basses has a pickup that is really two separate pickups in the same housing

What was the question?
 
#10
Historically, I've tended to be a two pickup guy. I've had single pickup basses, and sold them. I've always found it easier to find "my" tone with a two pickup bass - I guess I like that slight scoop... However, my modded Epiphone EB-0 that I added a bridge pickup to has changed everything. I find myself using the bridge pickup almost exclusively on that one!
 
#13
I have 3 pickups in my Dingwall Z but right now I only use 1 or 2 pickups at a time. I am thinking about adding an all on option though (stock, Dingwalls allow for 4 pickup selections but I am thinking about getting a 6-way selector).

My other Dingwall has P and J pickup.

My only other bass is a 5 string fretless that only has piezo pickups so I guess that is technically 5 pickups, right?
 
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Reactions: Jefus
#16
At least two pickups. I can get a lot of variety by just using the pickup pan.

However, I have one bass (Warwick Thumb BO 5) that has the standard two magnetic pickups, and piezos in the bridge. Is that a 3 pickup, or an 7 pickup? Lol!

I also have another instrument on order with 3 magnetic pickups, which will be a first for me. But it also has 2 outputs, so, I guess that's weird too.
 
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#17
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:)
 
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#19
I have basses with one, two and three pickups. In one band and for most of my studio work I use the bass with three pickups. For one band, and any time I need a low B string I grab my only 5-string, which happens to be a two pickup instrument... albeit a two pickup instrument with 24 different coil selection options, so... Does it still count as just a two pickup bass at that point?
 
#20
I have several basses with two pickups, and handful with three (VIs and custom made). But I don't need, or even use, any more than one pickup, 99 (or more) percent of the time. On a VI, I'm almost always on the middle pickup. On an L-2000, I almost never use the bridge pickup.
 
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