ead Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) I notice that there are a few basses knocking about with pickups that are not at right angles to the strings (I'm observant you know). Also combinations of "normal" and angled. Is this an aethetic thing or is there a noticable difference to the sound of the bass. Do the manufacturers increase the pole pice spacings to accommodate this; I imagine they must do so as not to loose output on the E and G strings? Yes, yes, my Dad did tell me about strange beings among us who have more than four strings on their basses so please imagine that I have plundered the alphabet extensively! I'm interested to know more about this subject. Edited February 24, 2012 by ead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 It all depends. On lots of things. It might be simply aesthetic. It might be to accentuate the bass (or treble) response of certain strings (like a split P pickup). If you think about it, the split P pickup is an angled pickup. Sometimes it's the only way to get pickups with wider pole piece spacing than the string spacing to fit. With blade polepieces it doesn't really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin E Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Good question. One can understand the logic of a bridge pick up being definitely angled towards the bridge on the treble side but I suspect the main reason is just to be cosmetically different. As an ex draughtsman I find some of these designs frankly look absolutely awful from an aesthetic point of view. On some Warwicks for example they seem to be placed at a totally random angle. I'd be keen to know as well if there's any logic to this otherwise it just spoils the appearance of a perfectly good instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Any luthiers on BC that would like to comment? I have owned a few basses with angled pup's and I have always wondered what the benefits are, if any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 The other aspect of an angle pickup is how it interacts with a straight pickup when both are used in parallel - the mid scoop will alter across the strings giving more tonal difference from low to high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Personally I think it looks terrible. In particular on Ritter basses where the angle is so small that (to me) it just looks like a mistake. The only basses where it look even remotely right are Dingwalls where the fan-frets put everything on an angle but even then not all the pickup angles look right to me. Also if you play using the pickup as a thumb-rest having it at an angle makes it very uncomfortable. Finally if you are going to angle the pickup then IMO it should be so that they are positioned so that the higher strings are being "picked up" closer to the neck and not the other way around as the majority of angled pickups seem to be. This is so the higher and thinner sounding strings could do with more body to their sound which having the pickup closer to the neck gets. However I am still to be convinced that any of the usual angles of pick up we see make enough of a difference for them to be anything other than a visual affectation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330089963' post='1552547'] However I am still to be convinced that any of the usual angles of pick up we see make enough of a difference for them to be anything other than a visual affectation. [/quote] It's quite subtle but I'm pretty sure I can hear the difference on my P/J aerodyne between the low and high strings due to the different cancellations, compared to a standard jazz bass with both pickups on full. Plus I first noticed the difference, and went looking for the explanation rather than the other way round (ie reasoning there must be a difference and going hunting for it). Bass strings are closer to 70s jazz sound, top more like standard jazz, but both obviously with a bit more heft from the P pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1330077138' post='1552245'] If you think about it, the split P pickup is an angled pickup. [/quote] Good point and iirc on the P/J equipped Spectors they are the opposite way around to P basses. Edited February 24, 2012 by ead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankdave Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) It looks right on the Dingwalls, but that's about it. Edited February 24, 2012 by Tankdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 They serve a purpose, as Neepheid said. Like my ideal bass would probably have bridge Pup like those on the Warwick Thumb for more bridge pickup treble response on the low strings and more warmth on the higher ones, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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