Maude

You have a laser beam for an E string!? That's effing cool! 😎

I've found these pages which are quite interesting, and well explained for a non-electrically minded person like myself. I'm just trying to understand the basics as people seems to keep quoting the resistance figures of a pickup, but I'm increasingly reading that the inductance value is more important in estimating the performance of a pickup. I was hoping it would boil down to something simple like resistance value would indicate the brightness and inductance would indicate the power, in a similar pickup. Obviously everything else plays a part but it can't just be a wild stab in the dark, else a manufacturer wouldn't be able to custom wind a pickup to give the tone you ask of them. http://www.planetz.com/pickup-dc-resistance-and-output-levels/ https://www.planetz.com/pickup-inductance/#:~:text=Inductance is measured in Henrys,is DC resistance (DCR).

Thank you @itu. Does the inductance (H) indicate the power of the output? Eg, a low R and high H pickup would, very generally speaking, have a thick bottom end with plenty of oomph. Also, is there any difference, other than string spacing or amount of pole pieces, between a guitar and bass pickup? Eg, if a pickup advertised as a guitar pickup had the same R and H values as the ones in my bass, then it should, in theory, sound alright. I don't want to say the same as different manufacturers etc sound different. I'm trying to find suitable pickups at a price I'm comfortable with and I've found two pairs with very different values and I'm just trying to get my head around what those different values will likely equate to.

That's a useful article but doesn't really cover what I'd like to know. I probably hit on to many points in one post to make much sense. I understand the differences placement and style of pickup makes so I'll concentrate on one topic for a minute. If I want a mini humbucker in one fixed position, what determines it's sound, ie magnet material, resistance, inductance, etc? I should, within reason, be able to tell how a pickup will sound just by it's physical values shouldn't I? And if so what is it that those values reveal? I understand a bit like a higher resistance will lose some low end (?) but is inductance value (Henry) more important in estimating the output power? I'd like to understand this so that if I had the value of the original Hofner pickups, which were mini humbuckers, then I could compare replacements with some idea of what results any changes to these values would have on the tone. For example if the resistance and inductance were the same but the magnet material was different, what would the effect be, or if the magnet and resistance were the same but the inductance was different, what would be the result? I realise this is quite specialist but it would be good to know.

Night Crawler - Judas Priest

I'm currently trying to choose a pair of pickups for a Hofner I'm doing and I've come across some points that, either I don't understand, or aren't really points at all. Essentially a pickup is magnet and a coil of wire, the string moves through the magnetic field and produces an ekectrical current in the coil, job done, yes? So does it matter whether the pickup is a bass or guitar pickup, other than physical dimensions? The Seymour Duncan SM-1 & SM-3 mini humbuckers are, apparently, a good upgrade to the standard Hofner staple type pickups., but expensive. The Seymour Duncans appear to be Gibson Firebird replacements so designed for guitar. I think the toasters in Rickenbacker 4005 basses were just guitar pickups. So can I just find some cheaper minihumbers, or other style, that physically fit, and all will be good? What determines the tone of a pickup? Does the 'bassiness' come from the string gauge or the pickup? Sorry for all the questions but it would be an interesting discussion I think. 🙂👍

Gourd love a duck!

Woodpecker From Mars - Faith No More

Girl From Mars - Ash

In The Midnight Hour - The Jam (greatest cover band evaaar!!)

That freaky looking weirdo gives me the creeps, I don't mind Marilyn Manson though.

Raise Your Glass - Pink

I was about to say that looks great until you pointed out that it could be dismental. I'm in two minds now. 🤔

Is that Eddi Reader? Time Bomb - Rancid

This rings particularly true with me. I don't count or really have much knowledge of time signatures, but don't struggle playing them, unlike some of my more theory knowledgeable band mates. I just somehow know when it feels right. When I first started to play guitar, RHCP's Breaking The Girl was probably the first song I learnt, I had no idea it was an odd timing, it just felt nice. It's in 6/8 but I wouldn't know that without looking it up. I also learnt to play in the grunge era so maybe that does have a bearing on odd time signatures feeling relatively normal.

D'addario half rounds are my go to 34" string. I put a set of their short scale half rounds on my Longhorn (30") and they feel the same. I've also got LaBella flats on my Hofner Club. I'd say both of these strings are on the stiffer end of the scale and certainly don't feel at all floppy. I like a good stiff string too. This is a good page on SS strings on Scott Whitley's website. https://www.shortscalebass.co.uk/short-scale-string-choice/

Greetings From Shitsville - The Wildhearts

Yes, Rickenbacker. 😁

Man At C&A - The Specials

I really like the look of that now. The scratchplate works well and looks like it should be there. 🙂👍

Queen Of The New Year - Deacon Blue

Yep, they're decent flats, and as mentioned, offer a tenner 😉.

His book 'Ska'd For Life' is a good read. Amazingly he hadn't really been playing long when he joined The Specials and seemed genuinely giddy with the rollercoaster ride.

Orinoco Flow - Enya

Isn't it just. It looks like gold velvet. I could certainly give this bass a home.