My homemade pickups have more low frequency compression than the original

[Zontuk]

Hello! I made homemade pickups for my Squier Precision bass guitar. In the end, when I compared these pickups with the original Squier pickups, I noticed that the handmade pickups compress the low frequencies more. I guess the new set of pickups has a brighter sound (more highs) and therefore the low strings have a smaller amplitude of oscillation, but I wonder what other factors could affect the compression of low frequencies?

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Hello! I made homemade pickups for my Squier Precision bass guitar. In the end, when I compared these pickups with the original Squier pickups, I noticed that the handmade pickups compress the low frequencies more. I guess the new set of pickups has a brighter sound (more highs) and therefore the low strings have a smaller amplitude of oscillation, but I wonder what other factors could affect the compression of low frequencies?

In magnetic pickup design, the low end is mostly affected by how tightly the coil wire is tucked into the magnetic field, from the magnets. If the magnetic field is weaker and/or the wire turns are farther out from it, the low end is reduced. Are you using smaller, weaker magnets than the Squier pickup? Are your coils more loosely wound and fatter? Those are factors that will reduce the bottom end, compressing it and making it more muddy or wooley.

 

[El Güero]

Do both pickups have the same coil shape, same number of turns of the same gauge wire, same type and strength magnets?

 

[Zontuk]

Do both pickups have the same coil shape, same number of turns of the same gauge wire, same type and strength magnets?

Yes

 

[dwizum]

Can you show us some photos of the pickups and talk through the design? Also, your coil winding process, what tools you use, etc.? Also, how you determined that low frequencies were being compressed?

Otherwise we're taking a bit of a shot in the dark on guessing what's up!