One pickup or two?

[Speedbird]

I prefer one because;
-I've read/heard about "phase cancellation w/ two.
-I've experienced noise when two were not split 50/50.
-When I stoped pivoting my thumb on my two p/u's my playing improved.
-I can change the tone A-LOT on my Moduli-sweet spot by where I "pluck" (ex: over last fret = fat upright/ fenderish & right behind p/u = focused and punchy ect.) All this without touching a knob or even taking my hand off the strings.

RGDS

 

[kurosawa]

Maybe it all boils down to there being 2 kinds of players, those who find the best sound on their bass and stick to it all night, and those who change the sound depending on the tune. I'm in the first group; I don't feel limited by having only one sound as long as it's a quality sound (hey, vocalists are stuck with one sound for life, for crying out loud, and I don't know anybody who brings, say, two tenor saxes to a gig). But I can also see the other standpoint--more like the way guitarists and keyboardists are always looking for the perfect sound song by song.

 

[Bassline1414]

Well, I have a P-Bass, and I like it better than my Danelectro which has 2 pickups, does that answer your question?
It depends on the bass really, I love Stingrays and P's, but I also love J's and many other 2 pickup basses so it really does depend on the overall quality of the bass.

 

[Munjibunga]

Two pickups rule. All my basses except one have two pickups. What's the one with one? Stingray 5 ... the ol' "one-trick-pony." With two pickups, it's a two-trick-pony. Two tricks are better than one. That's all.

 

[Brendan]

I like 2 pup basses primarily because it means more knobs for me to fiddle with!!

Really. I'm not joking.

 

[Copycat]

As with most things bass, it comes down to personal preference. One is not better than two. Two is not better than one. The right pickup placed properly by a great bass builder will give you plenty of tonal options and will do the trick nicely. Stingray, Pedulla Rapture, etc. What sound do you prefer? A Stingray doesn't sound like a Jazz, and vice versa. Myself, I've enjoyed both, but I like to rest my thumb on the bridge J pickup to get that attack when playing fingerstyle, so I'm a two-pup guy at the moment.

 

[cassanova]

i prefer the 2 pickups, preferably j style, I like haveing more than one pickup because of the added options. if i dont like the sound of one p/u i can blend in some of the other one, although i usually leave it centerd running both at the same time, gives me a nice deep, phat tone.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Two.

 

[halfnote]

I like to have just one volume control. If the bass has two pickups I like it fine but I like it better if it has a blend knob instead of two volumes. Maybe I just need to get used to it.

1/2note

 

[Michael Jewels]

Halfnote, I agree with you. A blend control seems more practical in my opinion; you know what I'd like
in a two pickup bass? A Gibson type varitone switch. OOPPS, I just got a few guys sick to their
stomach!

Mike J.

 

[Watchootognbout]

As long as I've played bass,I've always had a two pickup(p/u) bass.But I noticed over the years that 99.999% of the time I play on the bridge p/u.To me,the sound of the neck p/u seems to leave much to be desired.I like the punchy,burpy sound of the bridge p/u.So I figure why not just find a suitable single p/u bass?The problem is is that most stores carry far more two p/u basses,and very few single p/u basses.And if there are,they are the same ol' same ol'.Not enough variety.So In essence,I have to settle.So I have a list of five string basses I'd like to try out and play.But are not readily available.Cort Curbow 51.Yamaha RBXJM2.Tobias Growler.Dean SledgeHammer.Washburn RB2500.Washburn T-35.All of them I am keeping an eye out for.The Cort curbow 51 is just released this year so my hopes are high on that one.

 

[arsie]

Maybe check out the Sterling by Musicman basses.

 

[Dan B]

Anyway I like having 2 pickups. I don't know why; I just do.

 

[Munjibunga]

Anyway I like having 2 pickups. I don't know why; I just do.

If don't do a search, you get "do a search." If you do do a search, you get "zombie thread."

 

[Tupac]

There's nothing meaner sounding than a single humbucker. Fear the humbucker. Fear it!

 

[Dan B]

If don't do a search, you get "do a search." If you do do a search, you get "zombie thread."

I see where you are getting at but one could've found a thread from say, 2007. Wouldn't that make a bit more sense then one from 2001?

 

[MarthaSamira]

I see where you are getting at but one could've found a thread from say, 2007. Wouldn't that make a bit more sense then one from 2001?

Anything particularly wrong with 2001?

Or maybe the effects of having 1 or 2 pickups changed from 2001 to 2007?

 

[Dan B]

Anything particularly wrong with 2001?

Or maybe the effects of having 1 or 2 pickups changed from 2001 to 2007?

Touché.

 

[Munjibunga]

I see where you are getting at but one could've found a thread from say, 2007. Wouldn't that make a bit more sense then one from 2001?

It just goes to show you that aren't going to be too many new topics popping up on TB.

 

[madbassplaya]

It just goes to show you that aren't going to be too many new topics popping up on TB.

Not true.

Did you guys hear their making basses without frets now?

Oh wait...I should do a search first.