• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why do i have to solder when changing pickups?

#42
gpx1200 said:
emg makes a total plug and play system, all except the output jack I believe. the pickups and tone controles all have simple plug in conections.
Click to expand...

Nope... Even the output jack is plug and play.

the problem is I think frequent use of these plugs would cause excessive wear and result in loose plugs, combine this with all the vibration involved and you get bad conections and noise.
Click to expand...

You could use these connectors the way the OP wants to and not have a problem, but, you'd have to add the right connector to every pickup you want to use. EMGs would be easy to swap because the output from each pickup is a quick connect instead of hard wired.

So, as long as you want to switch between different flavors of EMG pickups, you've got your wish...
 
#44
FretNoMore said:
I think their definitions of "effortless" and "fast" differs a bit from mine. :)

Anyway, when would this really make sense? If you only sometimes switch out pickups it is still too much work, if you would do it often it will always be more convenient to grab another instrument.

Some form of slot-in system, OK, but having to open up control cavities, loosen strings etc, no.
Click to expand...

Much work..? Loosen the strings and pop it in. Thats not much work. And wouldnt it be nice to be able to go to a store with your bass, try out a bunch of pickups in no time. Have a box with you fav. pups and have the opportunity to use em all on your bass?
 
#46
topo morto said:
Musical instrument manufacturers like to churn out the same old sh*te and don't like to innovate.

When they do innovate, the punters don't buy it.

This is why all instruments you can buy are desperately poorly-designed.
Click to expand...

I don't buy that; the reason the old designs keep being rehashed is because the designs are proven over time to be great and actually work because they have been refined with use. A lot of innovation attempts are based on form rather than function, and fail because they don't work in real use.
 
#48
odin70 said:
Much work..? Loosen the strings and pop it in. Thats not much work. And wouldnt it be nice to be able to go to a store with your bass, try out a bunch of pickups in no time. Have a box with you fav. pups and have the opportunity to use em all on your bass?
Click to expand...

Grabbing another bass from the bag is much less work and quicker. ;)

I don't have the need for changing out pickups that often, maybe others have and would appreciate the idea.
 
#51
odin70 said:
But its much more expensive and much more weight to carry. Why not go to work with one bass p-bass instead of five?
Click to expand...

Because if something other than the pickup on my one bass breaks I don't have a backup?

Anyway, in real life you may want more variety than just different pickups. Maybe different pickup positions (P vs J), maybe fretless instead of fretted, maybe different looking basses for different music styles and venues, etc. All in all you don't solve all of this with just interchangeable pickups.

I'm out of here, the idea is not for me, but good luck selling it.
 
#53
FretNoMore said:
I don't buy that; the reason the old designs keep being rehashed is because the designs are proven over time to be great and actually work because they have been refined with use. A lot of innovation attempts are based on form rather than function, and fail because they don't work in real use.
Click to expand...

I agree there are a lot of cases like that, but there are also cases where the standard remains the standard even though it's only just about good enough, just because there's too much inertia for it to change.

FretNoMore said:
Grabbing another bass from the bag is much less work and quicker. ;)

I don't have the need for changing out pickups that often, maybe others have and would appreciate the idea.
Click to expand...

I think the most useful time would be when you were trying different pickups out. If you want to try out a bunch of pickups, it's a big job; if you could just drop them in the back of the bass, people could try different ones out a lot easier.
 
#55
odin70 said:
But its much more expensive and much more weight to carry. Why not go to work with one bass p-bass instead of five?
Click to expand...

Well, because pickups are just one part of the equation? ;)

I did take 3 P-basses to a session once. One with rounds, one with flats and a fretless. I suppose that's different though.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back