Gwilym Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Quick question about pickup height - I'm sure I've read about this before on this forum, but I can't find an answer, and I've googled to no avail. If all else is equal, how would the frequency response of a pickup vary as a function of the distance from the pickup to the string? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I'm pretty sure that within the relatively narrow range of adjustment most basses have it wouldn't make a huge difference unless you move a magnetically powerful pickup too close to the strings, choking them. Maybe an experiment could be done with a pickup handheld over the bass and run into a compressor to even out the volume. The closer you can get to the strings without choking the better, as it's in the best position to utilise its' frequency response by keeping it closer to the weaker, higher harmonics. I'm Finished! You can wake up now!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 [just speculating] I've often wondered if those of us that play relatively hard (generating a good deal of string excursion) run the risk of having the string move [i]beyond[/i] the "view" of the polepieces- particularly with 2x4 pole "P" pick-ups, 8-pole Jazz pick-ups and MM style designs. I guess blade-type pick-ups have broader coverage in terms of string sensing. What impact this may have in terms of tone I couldn't begin to say, but it strikes me that [b]lowering[/b] the pick-ups may give better tring sensing at extremes of excursion- provided you play hard enough to compensate for a decrease in output. [/still just speculating!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I used to play with the pups as high as poss without the string vibrations actually hitting them, to get the highest output I could from the pups. I found that by dropping the pups and increasing the gap to the strings the whole tone opened up really nicely - sort of allowed the vibrations and the resonance to breathe more - it didn't sound like I'd stopped the strings choking, as I was not convinced they were choking before, but it just sounded more open and a lot more pleasing. This was on a squier jazz bass and my warmoth gecko fitted with SD Basslines pups, as well as a home-made P-bass type, also SD pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcrow Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 height affects output...both low and high the pup is optimised for a piece of moving carbon steel around 1/8 above it....guesswork here as for tone.. certain frequencies could be attenuated more than others especially harmonics giving an apparent thinning of tone...guesswork your guess is as good as mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 thanks for the thoughts/comments on this - i've yet to experiment, but when I do I will report back. If the string is vibrating in a weaker magnetic field then there will at least be differences due to it being to vibrate more naturally/freely. So I'm guessing it will sound a little less "compressed" for want of a better word. Whether the differences will be discernible is another matter I suppose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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