| Author | Message | ||
| rogertvr
Junior Username: rogertvr Post Number: 50 Registered: 1-2003 |
Can you explain to me please how the position of the pick-ups on a bass alters the colour of the tone? Thanks! Rog | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 463 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hi Rog! Let me give it a try! This is gonna be a real looooooo-ooong Paul The Bad One Story (LOL). Let's go back to the ancient Greeks where a "dude" Archimedes discovered that a sound is put together by "harmonics". For a stringed instrument you can easily find them. You can hear them by dividing the string in equally lengths ( dividing in 2 - 3 - 4 - etc...). We -well skilled bass-players (HA)- discover them by playing the "flageolets" for instance above the 12th fret. It's where the note of the string -say A- sounds again an octave higher -A again. (Note: there is 1 instrument that has NO harmonics at all: the hobo. It's why the big classical orchestra's tune on an 440 hz A given by ...the Hobo). Now we know where they are above the neck and use them -if skilled enough- in our playing. We also know that not every string sounds evenly good in those "harmonics" on all places. So not every "spot" is even "sweet". You have to know that those same spots are also and the OTHER side of the 32th position, I mean above the body of the bass. Guitar-builders place the PU UNDER those by physical law (see the Archimedes-dude) determinated places. Now Alembic has PU who capture a WIDE range of sounds, the have a "large aperture". I think you can conclude that for those PU the place is less critical than let's say a very narrow J-bass style PU. HOWEVER: if you see the design of the original Excel bass, you'll see the use of 1 "FAT-boy" PU (the one with the largest tone aperture) and although that wide aperture the Alembicians placed it on the "sweet" spot. This spot is the place where the harmonics of the strings above sound the most "uncoloured" the most "even" for all the strings. Bringing the PU more to the bridge makes it more agressive or let's say very "typical". I think the Music-man "Stingray" thanks lots of its popularity to the giant PU and ...the place more to the bridge. (The Musicman "Sabre" had 2 PU but was never that popular). Alembic did the same in some custom jobs you can find in the "custom of the month" or if you peek around in the "Factory to Customer" department (those guys are a little shy but most of the time they don't throw you out LOL). I even saw some basses here were the 2 PU were moved more to the bridge. (It's a "trick" also played by Warwick, Roscoe, Lakland etc ...etc... . ) However: most of the time this operation is done for "place-for-slapping-technique" reasons. Didi you know that Mr. "slap-Stanley Clarke" has his PU bumped AGAINST the NECK. I don't want to make this thread borderless but in my opinion: "slapping" is a mkore agressive technique than plucking. By shifting the PU to the bridge there will be MORE agression in the tone. My advice would be: alter your slapping technique and keep the PU in place. I mean: don't change the place of the PU for "practical reasons" but for "tonal" reasons So conclusive (at least ...LOL) ... PU are BEST under the by physical law determined spots. Those places where the "harmonics" "wrap" best the sound of the string. "Tone" has to do with those Harmonics they literally "wrapping" the "core" ousnd of the string. Changing the place of a PU is changing the "package" of the sound from your string. 2 PU give you a hell of a choice in tonal mixes but in the classic "set-up" of 2 PU neither of the 2 is under the "ideal sounding Sweet Spot" on a guitar. 1 PU sounds best (neutral) under the Sweet Spot (see the place of the Excel fatboy). My 2 cents (who are merely 20$ now LOL) Paul the bad one (who definitely talks too much) (Message edited by palembic on June 06, 2003) (Message edited by palembic on June 10, 2003) | ||
| hifibassman
Junior Username: hifibassman Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2002 |
I think that Alembic from the early days defined the ultimate bass sound by their pickup position of the early series basses. The neck pickup pushed up close to the fretboard, and the bridge pickup close to the bridge gives the series bass it's awesome signature tone. And the filters enhance the harmonics between the two. The middle hum cancelling pickup does contribute some harmonic tone in the mix from sensing the middle position as well. There are no other basses on the market that can get this exact tone signature. Some players don't like pickups all over the body for comfort reasons- obviously ultra wide range tone is not a priority for them. | ||
| rogertvr
Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 51 Registered: 1-2003 |
Phew! You good people in here know some stuff. Thanks for the info folks, I think I'll leave the pick-up position on the Dragon's Wing to people far better qualified to speak on the subject than I - like Susan and Mica! Cheers, Rog | ||
| rogertvr
Member Username: rogertvr Post Number: 52 Registered: 1-2003 |
Phew! You good people in here know some stuff. Thanks for the info folks, I think I'll leave the pick-up position on the Dragon's Wing to people far better qualified to speak on the subject than I - like Susan and Mica! Cheers, Rog |
