Q Tuners and string spacing

You can use them with any string spacing up to the max allowable that's shown on the drawings on their site. They act like a blade that also has sensitivity/height adjustment per string. Also, all but the BS/J model allow you to vary aperture width as well as doing narrow aperture nearer the neck side, the center, or the bridge side.

 

To my understanding, they are not blade type, but their pole pieces are many and tight enough, so I don't think that they would be sensitive to string spacing issues (as long as they are in the field (spacing) of the pickup

 

I don't "think". I know

I've owned Q tuners both for bass as well as for guitar.

 

They are different in many ways. I need to search for a thread that compared the two pickups (it was 1-2yrs back IIRC)

Having tried both, my vote goes to Villex pickups

 

And mine goes to the Q-Tuners. Funny how that works ; }

Everybody's got different basses and string preferences, and different rigs. And different ears and tone prefs. Thus diversity in pickups also serves a purpose.

 

Nope. I queried Villex about a certain design in a J form factor and he didn't want to build in that size and type. So I bought a Q-Tuner BS. And it was exactly what I've always wanted for both general tonal approach and adjustability. Then I bought a used older BL-5 version for the same bass, and two BL-6 for another.

After many J pickups especially, I need look no further. This is permanent : }

 

I have both.

It's hard to do a direct comparison as the Villex set is in my Fender and the Q-tuners are in my MTD Kingston. To put into simple terms I would call Q-Tuners clean and transparent, and Villex clean with very present fundamental and hint of warmth across the spectrum.

Doesn't get any more vague than that.


There are soundclips of both around here somewhere. They should give you a good idea of what you can expect.

 

Will Q-Tuner BS pickups drop into a vintage Jazz bass without having to rout anything?

Thanks!

 

They dropped straight in my MIJ 62RI Jazz if that helps

 

Thank you, Matt. I just communicated with Erno, who confirmed that they will drop right in. Also, I checked the drawing on Q-Tuner's website (duh) and it checks out.

Do you have any comments on these pickups in your particular bass?

 

Yeah they are superb - they have far more clarity than the barts I swapped out. They give some great tones for fretless playing (especially for harmonics and slap/popping).

A lot of people have recommended that you wire them direct to the jack (no volume/tone control etc) but i've got them hooked up to My John East J-retro and I'm yet to find another bass that sounds this good or this versatile.

A bit of a G.A.S. killer IMHO