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Difference between a guitar pickup and bass pickup

L

LotusCarsLtd52

Dec 6, 2009
398
1
#1
What is the difference between a single-coil pickup on a bass and a single-coil pickup on a guitar in terms of materials used in it's construction, wiring, type of magnet used, the way it was constructed, etc. What makes them so different if the technology (seemingly) is the same? Assume a passive instrument, if that matters.
 
#4
whiteP said:
ive wondered about putting a ''guitar'' humbucker on a pbass - with the pbass pickup. would this add some crunch / od ?
Click to expand...

I would think "crunch" would come from the post-processing (preamp/effects/poweramp) rather than the pickups themselves. FWIW guitars don't sound crunchy (to me) when clean, so unless you're going to use effects or an overdriven tube amp you'll be disappointed.

Then again, if you're using effects/tubes then the pbass pickup probably also can sound rather crunchy.
 
#5
Putting a guitar 'bucker into a bass might give you crunch and overdrive, but it might not. It depends on how the pickup was designed, and the amp you're plugging it into. A Gibson humbucker can be very very clean and smooth because the crunch and overdrive don't come from the pickup, they're coming from the interaction of the PUP and the amplifier.

In the case of the original Fender Musicmaster, there was NO difference between the guitar and bass pickups. They were exactly the same part.

John
 
#7
I've been delighted with many Strat pickups in a bass, DeArmond gold foils too.

IME the main to things to avoid (as already mentioned) are:
1) pickups with pole spacing too narrow for your strings
2) "hot" pickups, they'll sound muddy on a bass
 
#9
In the case of the original Fender Musicmaster, there was NO difference between the guitar and bass pickups. They were exactly the same part.
Click to expand...
True. Also -- one of the most popular replacements for the original Musicmaster bass pu's is the Fast Track 2 Strat replacement pickup from DiMarzio. Those pickups sound nice and fat on a Strat plaeyed through a guitar amp, but smooth as silk on a Musicmaster bass through a bass amp. It ain't in the guitar vs bass pickup - it's usually going to be in the amp and effects.
 
#10
GlennW said:
I've been delighted with many Strat pickups in a bass, DeArmond gold foils too.

IME the main to things to avoid (as already mentioned) are:
1) pickups with pole spacing too narrow for your strings
2) "hot" pickups, they'll sound muddy on a bass
Click to expand...

Makes sense. I could see lipstick pickups working, for instance, or other pickups without the individual poles. It would also work for basses with narrow string spacing.
 

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