So been kinda working on a pickup design that allows me to control the volume without any pots. On this bass I wanted to try using two pickups connected to a belt and running each pickup to it's own amp.
I guess in a sense it does have more steps as the volume lowers and raises in almost perfect increments With no degradation of signal quality
would this be the anecdote to the dreaded supposed inability of a PJ bass to sound like a true P or J?
lol... No ...Unfortunately only a jazz will sound like a jazz and a P sound like a P , good reasons / excuse to by both .
Whenever I raise or lower pickups an appreciable amount I notice a distinct difference in both volume and tone with the position further from the strings lacking the highs of the position closer to the strings. I use that characteristic to set the overall tone of the bass especially those where I've bypassed or never installed volume and tone controls.
My goal is to see music as a whole progress . I truly believe that equipment is a part of that progression.
I have guitar I built that raises and lowers the pickup, it has a spring loaded paddle on the back it's a much diffrent effect as it can give a very natural overdrive to kinda clean sound all the while raising lowering the volume its actually very dynamic in tone and in volume . This concept above is only dynamic in volume the tone stays the same
In my experience with basses it also varies tone. About an hour ago I finished dialing the tone in on one of mine to get rid of some overly dominant high end.
Interesting idea even though the timbre also changes depending on pickup height and position. Easier to just use an onboard preamp. But no guts, no glory, right? Post some sound clips when it’s done? Be interesting to see how it goes. And who knows? It might be the next new thing.
Raising and lowering the pickup can significantly changes the tone . With This bass the pickup doesn't move only the magnet under it moves so the tone stays exactly the same , no volume to full volume. Although when off the pickup is still somewhat microphonic , as bumps can be heard but none to little string volume is heard
Since it sounds like there is a lot going that can be accomplished by simpler means I have to wonder what would be the advantage?
Not sure if it's an advantage you can change magnets , go from alnico 2 to 5 . Can Also change magnetic popularity. Giving an effect through aposing polarity phases, should also have a solid leslie effect?
Weird, but awesome you are trying new things. What's the point in becoming a craftsman if you aren't going to do your own thing sometimes. Upload soundfiles when you're done. I'm excited to hear it.
Leslie effect would come from using two amps and 2 pickups The pickups are connected by a belt and timed different So when you move the volume knob it switches from left to right amps
Unfortunately I'm not much of a craftsman, would love to make all the fine details more better , but sometimes at 80 hours a week my real Job takes most of my time and energy
So you're alternately turning the two pickups up and down resulting in the sounding coming from the different amps?
Correct The knob location feels somewhat natural to move with the pinky and enough out of the way to not accidentally move it