Poll: How do you blend your pickups?

[4stringsjack]

Just curious... If you play a bass with 2 pickups, how do you typically blend them, and why (that is, what is your tonal goal)?

 

[Selta]

For my basses (2 and 3 pickups), they are not set in stone. I will change based on the needs of the song, room, or my mood.

 

[StyleOverShow]

it varies with the tone I'm after but largely mostly bridge with some neck.

 

[bholder]

I'm usually both but shaded a tad towards the neck, just enough to get that slight volume / tone change.

 

[FunkHead]

None of the above.

 

[electracoyote]

With a lot of standard Jazz two-rail arrays, you get a significant tonal variation when you dime the neck and slightly roll off the bridge. So, that's my jam.

 

[JRA]

they are not set in stone. I will change based on the needs of the song, room, or my mood.

there is no "right way" and compromises are made in the real world, anyway. the poll doesn't have a choice which references variability and spontaneity. i voted "black."

 

[fretno]

by ear

 

[bholder]

Need two more options - both, slightly towards neck, and both, slightly towards bridge - my favorite settings.

 

[arbiterusa]

Only two different settings: everything on full blast; or bridge soloed with tone rolled off.

 

[jd56hawk]

I adjust until it's bass with a capital B!

 

[grrg63]

On my Jazz I always have the neck pu up all the way and use the bridge pu and tone control to adjust accordingly depending on what sound Im going for, the amp Im using, the room and PA, etc.

 

[megarat]

I have no single pickup blend configuration that prevails enough to answer this question.

If there was a survey option for "It depends on the song", that would be my choice.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Most of the time, I go with "Mostly bridge, some neck added". However, with my new FBass VF6-PJ Fretless, I happen to prefer more of the Precision pickup with a little of the Jazz pickup.

 

[AndyPanda]

It makes a huge difference depending on how close the pickups are to the strings and/or how hot the bridge pickup is relative to the neck pickup. One person's blend setting won't sound the same as someone else's identical bass with bridge pickup closer to the strings.

For basses with 3-way switch instead of V-V-T or blend, I adjust to taste by raising/lowering the pickups to get the preferred tone.

 

[IconBasser]

Usually nudged a bit toward the bridge. Maybe a 1/4 turn toward it or so, from the center. Keeps the nice thick low end of centered pickups, but gives me a bit more midrange bite to play with.

 

[maplenecked]

Stingray Special HH: fourth position

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

None of the above.

+1
It took me close to 30yrs of playing to realize one of the best sound on a Jazz is around 70% neck and 70% bridge which does not sound as scooped and bright as 100/100 but not as throtty as favoring one pickup over the other. It is the punchest sound with a Jazz Bass IMO

 

[deste]

View attachment 3145645

there is no "right way" and compromises are made in the real world, anyway. the poll doesn't have a choice which references variability and spontaneity. i voted "black."

May I vote "reverse wound reverse polarity carrots"?

 

[Wolford]

Of course there's nothing I always do, but yeah, both on full, tone=100%, Rick or Jazz.