P Pickups: Top-Bottom/ Left-Right. What's the difference?

[lavmonga]

I've always kind of wondered and couldn't find anything searching here and google. Is there an actual different between the E-A and D-G split coils pickups on a P bass? Does one 'belong' in one spot versus the other?

 

[Bassamatic]

I've wondered the same thing. However, I have experimented with several sets of P style pups and none of them were marked any differently, and the installation instructions didn't say anything about that either. My guess is that they are the same.

 

[spade2you]

Delano makes a P pickup that has the pole pieces actually line wup with the D and G strings....so that one is easy to spot as unique.

 

[walterw]

Delano makes a P pickup that has the pole pieces actually line wup with the D and G strings....so that one is easy to spot as unique.

that makes them fairly unusual, as with most P pickups the two coils are identical.

some vintage fenders (and some antiquity remakes) have taller polepieces for the A string, making then string-specific as well.

 

[atheos]

How about the way the "single pieces" are installed? If they're not the "same way" will there be some phase issues or something?

 

[walterw]

unless you somehow flip one upside down, no.

 

[lowtide]

You could always go by a wiring diagram:
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[spade2you]

that makes them fairly unusual, as with most P pickups the two coils are identical.

True, but I think the point was having the pole pieces in a place that guarantees a little better string to string consistency.

 

[eedo]

True, but I think the point was having the pole pieces in a place that guarantees a little better string to string consistency.

I don't find it so important on a P as long as you are able to adjust pickup's halves individually. It's more a problem on slanted non-rail pickups