Crazy 12 strings prototype hybrid bass wiring.

[Yves Lavoie]

Hi.I'm working on a different instrument,R&D prototype.I want to use 3 MM5 5 strings pickups and wondering if I can wired them 3 to 1 like one big pickup and if so,what potentiometer is needed.Looking for a passive wiring inspired from an Ernie Ball Stingray bass.

 

[Keith Guitars]

You can wire all three pickups in series (or any number of pickups, theoretically).
However, the sound is not likely to be that nice.
With that number of coils in series, you would have a very high output, with probably not much high end or upper midrange.

I'd suggest putting series/parallel switches on each pickup, which make a big difference for MM-style pickups.
With those and a volume control for each pickup, you would have loads of tones available without too much difficult wiring.
You could even do the series/parallel on push-pull pots to keep it clean looking.

Also- with a setup like this, you will have to worry about the amount of magnetic force pulling on the string.
You will have to set the pickups further from the strings to avoid this.
Otherwise, the field strength will interfere with the vibration of the string and cause strange tones, odd harmonics etc.

 

[Yves Lavoie]

You can wire all three pickups in series (or any number of pickups, theoretically).
However, the sound is not likely to be that nice.
With that number of coils in series, you would have a very high output, with probably not much high end or upper midrange.

I'd suggest putting series/parallel switches on each pickup, which make a big difference for MM-style pickups.
With those and a volume control for each pickup, you would have loads of tones available without too much difficult wiring.
You could even do the series/parallel on push-pull pots to keep it clean looking.

Also- with a setup like this, you will have to worry about the amount of magnetic force pulling on the string.
You will have to set the pickups further from the strings to avoid this.
Otherwise, the field strength will interfere with the vibration of the string and cause strange tones, odd harmonics etc.

Hi.I'm working on a different instrument,R&D prototype.I want to use 3 MM5 5 strings pickups and wondering if I can wired them 3 to 1 like one big pickup and if so,what potentiometer is needed.Looking for a passive wiring inspired from an Ernie Ball Stingray bass.

You can wire all three pickups in series (or any number of pickups, theoretically).
However, the sound is not likely to be that nice.
With that number of coils in series, you would have a very high output, with probably not much high end or upper midrange.

I'd suggest putting series/parallel switches on each pickup, which make a big difference for MM-style pickups.
With those and a volume control for each pickup, you would have loads of tones available without too much difficult wiring.
You could even do the series/parallel on push-pull pots to keep it clean looking.

Also- with a setup like this, you will have to worry about the amount of magnetic force pulling on the string.
You will have to set the pickups further from the strings to avoid this.
Otherwise, the field strength will interfere with the vibration of the string and cause strange tones, odd harmonics etc.

Using series/parallel on push-pull pots,should use type "A" or "B"?

 

[Keith Guitars]

This depends on the potentiometer - different brands use different codes:
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You want an audio taper. This is type "A" for most common Asian-made pots such as Alpha etc.
I like the Alpha push-pull pots - they are inexpensive and reliable.

 

[ixlramp]

Yves, are you doing this for a single-course 12 string in order to create a pickup wide enough?

 

[TheLowDown33]

Interested to see where this goes. 19mm spacing over 12 strings seems like it would be huge. You're also going to have to offset the pickups to account for the mounting screws, like a P style split, but with 3 "splits" if that makes sense

 

[Yves Lavoie]

Interested to see where this goes. 19mm spacing over 12 strings seems like it would be huge. You're also going to have to offset the pickups to account for the mounting screws, like a P style split, but with 3 "splits" if that makes sense

It does make sense,I'm already on it.The indstrument that I'm working on is acoustic at start with 3 MM5 bass pickups and also piezo.I have my wiring diagram.Still need some hardware.