Guitar pickups in basses

[NallaBlack]

Is that actually a guitar humbucker in the neck or is it an EMG-HB bass pickup? The HB Bass pickup is actually an EMG P format in a HB housing.

It's an EMG 81 guitar pickup.

 

[DownLowATX]

I just picked up this Gibson Ripper that looks to have a Bill Lawrence guitar pickup near the bridge (among numerous other mods). I scored in on the cheap from eBay.... still eager to hear how it sounds!

 

[Dradder]

Birdsong uses some guitar pickups in their basses.

Birdsong's head honcho Scott Beckwith uses a Lace guitar pickup in the less expensive Shortbass instruments that he builds.

 

[BassHappy]

Paul Reed Smith used Hi-A Beast guitar pickups, made at the time by Bartolini in the late 70's on his basses. He eventually called Bartolini and had him make a small batch which were optimized for bass guitar. I don't know exactly what was done. More windings? Less windings? Fatter wire? Thinner wire? Still one of my all-time favorite pickups. These pickups are truly barking but impossible to find. Bartolini claims there is a replacement or upgrade/evolution of that pickup available - but the common wisdom is - it isn't even close to the originals.

 

[fjadams]

I put a set of Alumitone humbuckers in my latest build. They were the ones recommended by their tech after talking to him. They sound just like a bass humbucker should.

 

[bassrich]

Love my Bronco Bass tone it is a strat pickup

 

[Jeff Scott]

...The original Rick Horseshoe pickup doesn't really care how many strings are running through it; it was originally designed for a little lap steel guitar, anyway. Rick's toaster pickup is equally indifferent; and IIRC, the only difference between bass and guitar ones is the impedance....

The difference between a bass toaster (00031) and a guitar toaster (00030) is the mounting holes; 00031's holes are threaded while 00030's are slightly larger and not threaded. The "impedance/DCR are the same on both, the two pickups are otherwise identical. 00030 toaster pickups were used on all 4005 models until the hi-gain pickup replaced them on later versions, and 00030s can be used very effectively on 4004 models, if desired.

Photograph Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 2004 All rights reserved.

Photograph Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 2015 All rights reserved.

Horseshoe pickups have differing numbers of pole pieces depending on application. They are pretty sensitive to string to pole alignment due to the magnetic flow in a horseshoe pickup that has magnetized shoes so the strings have to be pretty much right above its respective pole piece.