Problems With Multi-scale And Straight Pick-ups?

[ElRay]

I'm planning-out a "simplified" 8-string, multi-scaled build, and I'd like to have the "warmer" neck pick-up sounds from the treble strings and the "tighter" bridge sounds for the bass strings. One idea that popped into my head was to use Lace Alumatone P's; however, I'd have to keep the pick-ups straight, even thought the frets/bridge is slanted.

Anybody see problems with straight pick-ups in this application? I know folks here have done that, but I couldn't find any feedback regarding how it affects the sound.

Another idea would be to make custom bobbins and have somebody wind them, but I have no idea of the cost or who would be amicable to wind four, four string coils.

Anybody have better ideas?

Ray

[~davie]

I'm planning-out a "simplified" 8-string, multi-scaled build, and I'd like to have the "warmer" neck pick-up sounds from the treble strings and the "tighter" bridge sounds for the bass strings. One idea that popped into my head was to use Lace Alumatone P's; however, I'd have to keep the pick-ups straight, even thought the frets/bridge is slanted.

Anybody see problems with straight pick-ups in this application? I know folks here have done that, but I couldn't find any feedback regarding how it affects the sound.

Another idea would be to make custom bobbins and have somebody wind them, but I have no idea of the cost or who would be amicable to wind four, four string coils.

Anybody have better ideas?

Ray

I'm not sure if you care for the aesthetic look of the build. What you could do is angle the pickup similar to a strat bridge pickup, but in this case angled the other way. Instead of having the treble poles closer to the bridge and bass poles closer to the neck, you can do vice versa; make the treble poles closer to the neck, whereas the bass poles closer to the bridge.

[WezV]

i have done it a few times on 6 string ones. as far as bridge pickup goes, mounting a normal pickup straight is similar to the angle you get on a strat bridge pickup

i think it makes less difference on the neck pickup

here is my cousin playing a couple of mine:

and a baritone with single bridge pickup:

[RestorationAD]

I am currently designing an A8 based pickup for PRS_tait's 7 string that can easily be expanded to an 8 string design. I had to move away from the traditional PAF design because custom Magnets are very expensive and take forever to be made. I just ordered a pile of A8 rods so if you are serious about a mutli 8 ping me. I wouldn't try a passive 8 string pickup without Alnico 8s.

I have wanted to try using different rods throughout the pickup like an A5 or A4 on the higher strings and A8 on the lower strings. That might give you the clean bass and warm highs you are looking for.

[ElRay]

I'm not sure if you care for the aesthetic look of the build.

It's for a travel guitar, so aesthetics are only mildly important.

What you could do is angle the pickup ...

The AlumaTone P's are bass pickups (but the folks at Lace say that their response is flat enough that they should be suitable for use in a guitar) that come as two separate pick-ups. They're typically mounted right next to each other, but I was thinking about mounting one near the bridge and the other near the neck. I'm looking for more of a difference than you can get simply by angling the pick-up.

Ray

[~davie]

I'm not sure if you care for the aesthetic look of the build.

It's for a travel guitar, so aesthetics are only mildly important.

What you could do is angle the pickup ...

The AlumaTone P's are bass pickups (but the folks at Lace say that their response is flat enough that they should be suitable for use in a guitar) that come as two separate pick-ups. They're typically mounted right next to each other, but I was thinking about mounting one near the bridge and the other near the neck. I'm looking for more of a difference than you can get simply by angling the pick-up.

Ray

yeah, that could work. They're like P-Bass style pickups, right? You can separate them and put one side closer to the bridge and the other side closer to the neck.

[ElRay]

yeah, that could work. They're like P-Bass style pickups, right? You can separate them and put one side closer to the bridge and the other side closer to the neck.

Exactly. My only concern is that they might sound a bit wonky because the lower treble strings would have that "22 fret sound" and the higher ones would have more of a "24 fret sound". Similarly with the bass -- Lower bass strings having more volume because they're being sensed further from the bridge.

Ray

[~davie]

yeah, that could work. They're like P-Bass style pickups, right? You can separate them and put one side closer to the bridge and the other side closer to the neck.

Exactly. My only concern is that they might sound a bit wonky because the lower treble strings would have that "22 fret sound" and the higher ones would have more of a "24 fret sound". Similarly with the bass -- Lower bass strings having more volume because they're being sensed further from the bridge.

Ray

you should probably try experimenting with it. like.. don't route any holes yet and hold up the pickups right above the strings and play.. if its not assembled then try on another bass and just move the pickups along the strings and test for sound balance.

[ansil]

they make split bass pickups with a rail so you could use two sets of them and make them hum cancelling. they are actually pretty beefy pickups i used one on a metal mandolin once. it was more of a detuned mandolin with an octave box and distortion.

anyway fat bucker on neck side fat treble bottom on bass side.

[verhoevenc]

I was thinking... you could angle the pickup like that... but in a humbucker that would only address one of the coils... you'd be even MORE off on the other coil now... So why not just pull the bobbins off the humbucker baseplate, fabricated a new one that allows you to angle AND shift them so that both are angled and staggered so everything lines up?

Chris

[Prostheta]

Nothing much to add here. I do have to say that for some reason, blade pickups popped into my head. Specifically, I imagined curved blades to exaggerate the slant more....curved magnets would be even more difficult to acquire X'D

[ElRay]

Thanks all! I'm working on the final design aspects and will start a build thread in the not too distant future.

Ray