There are multiple methods for creating a bass guitar pickup. These include magnetic, piezoelectric, and optical approaches.
Magnetic pickups are the most widely used type. These pickups work by sensing vibrations of steel strings and translating those vibrations into an audible signal that can then be amplified acoustically.
Coiled wire, magnets, and pole pieces all play an integral part in sound production. Alnico magnets have become particularly popular as they minimize distortion.
Single Coil
Original bass guitar pickups were relatively simple devices: magnets enclosing coils of wire. As steel strings vibrated within this magnetic field, they generated small electrical current in the coil that could then be amplified before being sent through a speaker and translated into sound that could then be modified with various electronics to provide numerous tonal variations for bass playing.
How we create everything from the classic Fender sound to full, rich tones from Gretsch basses or even Gibson Les Paul guitars is through electromagnet pickups: these convert vibrations into electric signals for use in signal processing.
Different materials used, the number and type of magnetic polepieces and winding patterns enable bass pickups to produce an array of tones. Alnico V magnets provide sharp yet focused tone; Alnico II magnets offer warmer, fuller tones. Copper coil wrapping produces crisp high output sounds; while nickel delivers warm tones that excel for bass sounds.
Though the debate between single-coil and humbucker pickups will likely rage on for years to come, it’s worth keeping in mind that one style doesn’t automatically beat out another; what’s important is finding one that best fits with your musical style.
Single-coil pickups can be particularly susceptible to feedback due to their exposed pole pieces acting like antennae that pick up interference from nearby electronic devices. While this can be useful when creating controlled wails of feedback for some musicians, it can become disruptive if playing at gigs where volume needs to remain consistent.
Humbuckers provide a more consistent signal, with two individual coils of wire providing more output and resistance to distortion. Humbuckers can be split-wired so the coils can be wired parallel or series to alter tonal characteristics; some models even work similarly to single-coil pickups by being tapped so only one coil sends signals out of the bass.
Split Coil
Single-coil pickups produce an open sound with a variety of tones depending on factors like the amount of wire coiled and type of magnets employed. A bass with more windings will have hotter output; however, another single-coil bass with different magnets could sound exactly the same as another single-coil bass with similar number of windings.
Coil tap can be added to both dual and single coil pickups to effectively remove part of the coil by taking signal from an earlier section – effectively cancelling out full effect of magnet and decreasing overall power of pickups. However, coil splitting essentially halves the coil creating true single-coil pickups – something coil tap cannot replicate.
P-style basses feature a split-coil design featuring four magnetic slugs – two for each string – staggered to achieve optimal tones from each string and produce full, bouncy tones that feature plenty of midrange punch and bottom end punch, clear overtones, as well as zero hum. They also eliminate any electrical current leakage through both coils which causes hum.
Humbuckers are one of the most commonly found bass guitar pickups today. Constructed of two single coils wired together in order to “buck the hum,” these pickups eliminate one of single-coil pickups’ major drawbacks – electrical noise pick-up. There are various styles and configurations of humbuckers such as stacked coils, rail humbuckers, mini-humbuckers and others, but all share this basic principle of operation.
Humbuckers don’t offer the traditional single-coil sound of jangle and spank, but can offer full sound with lots of warmth, depth, and responsive EQ settings that makes them suitable for almost any bass genre or playing style. While they may sometimes sound thin or lifeless compared to single coils, however this can often be remedied through proper set up and EQ settings; and can become very aggressive sounding when coupled with high gain amplifiers.
Humbucker
Your bass pickup choice has an enormous effect on its tone. Common types include humbuckers and single coils; some guitars even use both (such as Gibson EB-3 basses). But what exactly are they different and which option is right for you?
Humbucker bass guitars utilize two electromagnets instead of a single coil to produce thicker and fuller tones than what would otherwise be possible from single coil models, with reduced feedback as well as no 60Hz hum that single coil models often suffer from.
Single-coil pickups boast higher output than their single-coil counterparts, providing your bass with additional punch and power. That is why these are often preferred when playing heavy styles like Jimi Hendrix/Jefferson Airplane-era metal or Rage Against the Machine/Metallica’s high gain metalcore music; but also become an attractive option for blues/jazz players looking for additional bite and sustain in their playing.
Humbucker pickups may come in various forms (with various magnets and poles being switched around), but all serve the same basic function – to eliminate electromagnetic interference and deliver clearer and warmer sound. Because they accomplish this feat so efficiently, humbuckers have become popular among bassists who play both hard rock and metal music but who desire a more natural bassline tone.
If you’re a bassist looking to add more depth and warmth to your playing, look no further than a guitar equipped with a humbucker. These instruments can add depth and warmth across a range of genres from blues and funk to high-gain metal; but also lend themselves well for jazz cleans. Many bassists opt for both split-coil bridge pickups with humbuckers neck positions to maximize versatility in their guitar setups.
P-Style
Bass guitar pickups are at the core of your instrument – they capture string vibrations and convert them to electrical signals that can then be amplified and altered to achieve your desired tone. As any owner or player of a bass knows, selecting appropriate pickups is of vital importance for creating sound with each bass instrument you own or play; plus changing them allows for endless creative expression through tone and style variations.
The most widely-used bass pickup design is the split-coil pickup, comprised of two single coil pickups arranged next to one another and designed to deliver an equally versatile tone, ideal for most musical genres. However, other pickup options exist with different tones that could work better for specific musical genres – it is important to understand their variations before selecting which pickup works for you.
Jazz-style pickups often produce more midrange-forward tones than Precision-style ones due to being closer to the neck and having larger nut sizes; bridge pickups tend to pick up more upper partials that can make you sound twangier while those nearer the neck may pick up middle and lower partials that give more mellow tones.
P-style bass pickups provide what many consider the signature bass tone. Their big, booming, bottom-heavy sound gives your bass an established base while leaving enough space for other instruments to shine through.
Consider whether or not you prefer an active or passive P-style bass pickup when making your selection. An active pickup features an inbuilt preamp that boosts signal, while passive ones do not. Active models often produce higher output than their passive counterparts and help create the high-fidelity sound many players require.