I wouldn't say it's a bad idea, but the solution shown is...inelegant (to put it tactfully).
Maybe if you had a world class designer address the issue they'd come up with something cool.
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Is a modular bass a dumb idea?
- Thread starter DeanGallberry
- Start date
Maybe if you had a world class designer address the issue they'd come up with something cool.
Yeah, the sliding pickup basses all neglect that a lot of great bass tones are two pickups. But what if we had two sliding pickups? That'd give me nearly everything I'd want. Take the Westone Rail, reduce it to 20 frets to be able to slide the neck pickup to Rickenbacker position, give it a second pickup assembly, and put coil split and tone knobs on there, then it'd be perfect. Carbon fiber neck please so we can make it completely wood-free.
I think the sliding pickup idea is actually really cool. Too bad it never gained much traction. Would be pretty nifty to have say a p-style bass where you could slide the pickup around. Scoot it back a bit for funk, shove it up by the neck for reggae! Just be sure you have a clear marker for the "correct" P position to go back to
Right! Or hang gliders, beer, mushrooms, hockey, rock’n’roll, every great thing started with some knuckleheads goofing off.
I don't think it is necessary.
If you really need that much variability in a single instrument, you'd probably be better off with a pair of Fishman Fluence pickups.
I also don't think the body is going to make a difference. I expect that even if you have 2 bodies with different woods, the sound difference will be so utterly tiny that just bumping an EQ dial by a tiny amount will overwhelm the tonal variance.
Smooth_bass88
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- Oct 31, 2006
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Shergold Guitars - Modulator Modules
I'm not sure how special a pick up and preamp would have to be to only want to have one of each to switch back-and-forth between two bodies. Considering the time and expense going into building something like this, it seems 2 identical pickups and preamps would be a more efficient and cost effective solution.
It might be another story if you wanted to be able to have different wiring configurations available on demand in the same instrument. Shergold did this, Though I don't think they exactly set the world on fire with this idea.
I'm not sure how special a pick up and preamp would have to be to only want to have one of each to switch back-and-forth between two bodies. Considering the time and expense going into building something like this, it seems 2 identical pickups and preamps would be a more efficient and cost effective solution.
It might be another story if you wanted to be able to have different wiring configurations available on demand in the same instrument. Shergold did this, Though I don't think they exactly set the world on fire with this idea.
I don't disagree with you. I just think some things are a bit weirder than others; like the cow thing ... and beer and mushrooms.
i think it's cool! it's not for me (looks like more futzing than i'd want to do), but i think it's a really neat concept. 
a luthier friend of mine has his own guitar version of something similar --- achieves the same result.
a luthier friend of mine has his own guitar version of something similar --- achieves the same result.
For variety in a single ax I have a Marleux Voton. But a 1 to 3 pup sliding rail system with interchangeable pups might be cool. If done right…
It’s cool, but mostly unnecessary. I think sliding pickups are more useful, at least on bass. Both concepts are hard to execute well to balance reliability, looks, and cost.
I think the fundamental problem is that the concept itself is elegantly simple, but it's fairly difficult to implement in a way that's both useful and problem-free. Moving parts on electric guitars and basses already cause plenty of problems -- even switches, pots, and tuners, which are as simple as they come. Ensuring a mechanism slides when you want it to, always slides smoothly and perfectly noiselessly, and never slides when you don't want it to, is going to be hard.I think the sliding pickup idea is actually really cool. Too bad it never gained much traction. Would be pretty nifty to have say a p-style bass where you could slide the pickup around. Scoot it back a bit for funk, shove it up by the neck for reggae! Just be sure you have a clear marker for the "correct" P position to go back to
Well, I certainly wouldn't slide the pickup mid-song, but I hear ya. It would certainly be another thing to break on the instrument, or for there to be varying degrees of quality in the construction.
I think the value in the idea lies in using it as a tool to help players or builders experiment and find out what they really want.
If I could go to the store and rent such a kit for a while to play in live rehearsals... that'd be pretty cool.
I don't think it'd be something a player would want long term. At least I wouldn't.
So it's not a bad idea, but it's a very niche idea. IMO
If I could go to the store and rent such a kit for a while to play in live rehearsals... that'd be pretty cool.
I don't think it'd be something a player would want long term. At least I wouldn't.
So it's not a bad idea, but it's a very niche idea. IMO
Builders have been using test mules for years. Some of them hollow out the middle of a solid body guitar or bass and use that. Leo Fender used a slab o' lumber and slid the pickups around on top. He wasn't a luthier, he designed electronics.
G&L has some stuff about it, they're interesting bits of history.
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