headstack Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) Westhemann, Prostheta (some one else) and I began to talk about the pros and cons of each of these. Direct mount pickups being coupled have a lot of mid bass and mid (the wood tone) added to them, which can be nice or detrimental, like to metal as Wes says. The through neck, and the long tennon have a lot going for them, does this come at a loss of single note definition in chordal playing? Shall we discuss? Edited October 10, 2012 by headstack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headstack Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Wow, Nobody wants to put their thoughts, personal experiences or advice in this thread? I am a bit surprized!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Souls inc. Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 don't be. it's all opinion anyway and these topics have been discussed/argued over before. [/beating a dead horse] Do up some sound samples and post 'em. Without scientific evidence it can't be proven, or so you'll be told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headstack Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 I had posted a distillation ofmwhat some other folks had said in another thread, but it was getting hacked (I think initially by me) so I figured it was time for the subjects own thread. If every one feels the horse has been beaten, it is all subjective bla bla bla, then I guess this thread is already dead, eh? As far as posting sound files of all the different variations, it is only scientific if the same pickups are used, same amp, same settings, mic, gain stages, air temp and humidity etc. oh, and the same woods for each type of guitar in the neck through vs set vs bolt on etc. I do not own all of the variations, but I suppose I could snap the shims off my Telecaster neck pup after recording a coupled track and then glue it all back together. For me, The coupled mount is not a subjective thing, I know I get controlled feedback at lower volumes and can get feedback at more harmonic points along the neck more easily. One way worked great (coupled) and the other way was a PITA unless I really cranked thing up big time. Scientific, I don't know about that but factual real life experience for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Well, I plan on experimenting with direct mounting. The five-string Music Man bass pickup I have on the bench is fairly shallow and has a flat bottom so if I plan it out I should be able to fit countersunk inserts into the body after routing the pickup recess at the same angle as the strings. This will help to screw the pickup tight to the body. How this will differ on a bass to a guitar I am unsure. I would like to think it would be advantageous, however I have no idea at the moment. Will report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headstack Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 I think you will get great bottom out of a bass like that, but you may (don't know) run into the resonant frequency/ies of the body and get some loud notes due to additive effects, or get some odd phasing due to additive subtractive effects as the string and body resonate. Cant wait to haer from you about what you get with this, it could be really all round great too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I direct mount my pickups whenever I can. I don't like plastic or wood rings holding my pickups. I feel that direct mounted pickups give me a tone and more sustain. I explain this by the fact that the pickup is in sync with the vibration and resonance of the guitar. Some people may say that this is BS but I feel that it does make a difference. I have an explorer on which I tried this (direct vs ring) and the direct mount definitely had more oomph and that extra complexity to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Direct mount seems to be preferred more by those who use lower gain settings. I needed to use the foam rubber pads for my bass, so perhaps next time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headstack Posted October 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 Direct mount seems to be preferred more by those who use lower gain settings. I needed to use the foam rubber pads for my bass, so perhaps next time! Were you having a lot of feedback problems? I love it for recording, because once the gain is high enough I can get continuous controlled sustain (feedback, lol) of chords and single notes. By standing behind a gobo which first off keeps me from being blown away while tracking, I can step out and lean the guitar around the edge, controlling the feedback and sustain with great precision. Almost like a theremin... It's great fun, especially when my little hot rodded Fender Deluxe Reverb blows the assistant eng across the room for the first time. Like Men In Black and the little gun "The Noisy Cricket" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 29, 2012 Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 Nice story. No, my personal issue in this instance (it obviously will vary from instrument to instrument, pickup to pickup) is that I pick so hard that I got a gronk gronk gronk overtone. That's just fingerstyle too, sawing away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 29, 2012 Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 Yeah I pick very aggressively myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 The motion of fingers on bass produces all kinds of weird attacks and thumps so mounting is important. I anchor on the pickups too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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