Pickups and amplification Bass guitar

1 pickups , amplification

1.1 magnetic pickups
1.2 non-magnetic pickups
1.3 amplification , effects

pickups , amplification

magnetic pickups

most electric bass guitars use magnetic pickups. vibrations of instrument s ferrous metal strings within magnetic field of permanent magnets in magnetic pickups produce small variations in magnetic flux threading coils of pickups. in turn produces small electrical voltages in coils. many bass players connect signal bass guitar s pickups bass amplifier , loudspeaker using 1/4 patch cord. these low-level signals strengthened bass amp s preamplifier electronic circuits, , amplified bass amp s power amplifier , played through 1 or more speaker(s) in cabinet.

p-style, split-coil pickups

most basses have volume potentiometer ( pot or knob ), can turned or down, , tone potentiometer, rolls off high frequencies when turned player s right. basses may have pickup selector control or switch, select single-coil or humbucking pickups. since 1980s, basses available battery-powered active electronics boost signal preamplifier , provide equalization controls boost or cut bass , treble frequencies, or both. expensive basses have more equalization options, such bass, middle , treble.

precision pickups (which refers fender precision bass), referred p pickups , 2 distinct single-coil pickups. each offset small amount along length of body each half underneath 2 strings. pickups reverse-wound reversed magnetic polarity reduce unwanted hum. makes p pickup humbucking single coil pickup. less common single-coil p pickup, used on original 1951 fender precision bass. p-style pickups placed in neck or middle position, luthiers , performers have used p pickups in bridge position, or in between 2 jazz pickups.


dual j -style pickups



jazz pickups (referring original fender jazz bass), referred j pickups , wider eight-pole pickups lie underneath 4 strings. j pickups typically single-coil designs, though there large number of humbucking designs. traditionally, 2 of them used, 1 of them near bridge , closer neck. halves of p-pickups, j-pickups reverse-wound reverse magnetic polarity. result, have hum canceling properties when used @ same volume, hum cancellation decreasing when pickups used @ unequal volume , altogether absent when each pickup used individually. j style pickups tend have lower output , thinner sound p style pickups. many bassists combine j pickup @ bridge , p pickup @ neck, can blend 2 sounds.


a yamaha bb404f, has 2 passive single coil pickups



dual coil humbucker pickups, abbreviated dc pickups, have 2 signal-producing coils reverse-wound around opposed polarity magnets (similar in principle 2 individual j-pickups or 2 halves of modern precision pickup, in single housing). reduces unwanted noise electromagnetic interference compared single coil pickups. humbuckers produce higher output level single coil pickups, though many dual-coil pickups marketed retrofits single-coil designs j pickup , advertise similar output , tonal character stock single-coils. dual coil pickups come in 2 main varieties; ceramic or ceramic , steel. ceramic-only magnets have relatively harsher sound ceramic , steel counterparts, , used more commonly in heavier rock styles (heavy metal music, hardcore punk, etc.).

a well-known bass humbucker pickup used on music man series of basses; has 2 coils, each 4 large polepieces. style known mm pickup reason, , many aftermarket pickup manufacturers (companies make , sell pickups can custom-add bass) , custom bass builders incorporate these pickups in designs. common configurations single pickup @ bridge, 2 pickups similar in placement jazz bass, or mm pickup @ bridge single-coil pickup (often j ) @ neck. these pickups can tapped , meaning 1 of 2 coils can turned off, giving sound similar single-coil pickup.


soapbar pickups so-named due resemblance bar of soap , referred gibson p-90 guitar pickup. term used describe pickup rectangular shape (no protruding screw mounting ears on p, j or mm pickups) , no visible pole pieces. of pickups falling category humbucking, though few single-coil soapbar designs exist. commonly found in basses designed rock , metal genres, such gibson, esp guitars, , schecter, found on 5- , 6-string basses made popular jazz , jazz fusion music, such yamaha s trb , various peavey model lines. soapbar pickups called extended housing pickups , because rectangular shape achieved making pickup cover longer and/or wider have to cover pickup coils, , mounting holes recessed inside these wider dimensions of housing.

many basses have 1 pickup, typically p or mm pickup, though single soapbars not unheard of. multiple pickups quite common, 2 of common configurations being 2 j pickups (as on stock fender jazz), or p near neck , j near bridge (e.g., fender precision bass special, fender precision bass plus). two- soapbar configuration common, on basses makes such ibanez , yamaha. combination of j or other single-coil pickup @ neck , music man-style humbucker in bridge has become popular among boutique instrument builders, giving bright, focused tone jazz, funk , thumbstyle.

some basses, particularly expensive boutique instruments or custom-made guitars, use more unusual pickup configurations. examples include soapbar , p pickup (found on fender basses), bassist stu hamm s urge basses, have p pickup sandwiched between 2 j pickups, , of funk bassist bootsy collins custom basses, had many 5 j pickups. unusual pickup configuration found on of custom basses virtuoso bassist billy sheehan uses, in there 1 humbucker @ neck , split-coil pickup @ middle position.

the placement of pickup affects sound, timbre , tone of instrument. pickup near neck joint emphasizes fundamental , low-order harmonics , produces deeper, bassier sound, while pickup near bridge emphasizes higher-order harmonics , makes tighter or sharper sound. basses multiple pickups allow blending of output pickups, electrical , acoustical interactions between 2 pickups (such partial phase cancellations) allowing range of tonal , timbral effects.

non-magnetic pickups

the use of non-magnetic pickups allows bassists use non-ferrous strings such nylon, brass, polyurethane , silicone rubber. these materials produce different tones and, in case of polyurethane or silicone rubber strings, allow shorter scale lengths.

piezoelectric pickups (also called piezo pickups) non-magnetic pickups use transducer convert vibrations in instrument s body or bridge electrical signal. typically mounted under bridge saddle or near bridge , produce different tone magnetic pickups, similar of acoustic bass. piezo pickups used in acoustic bass guitars allow amplification without microphone.
optical pickups type of non-magnetic pickup. use infrared led optically track movement of string, similar mechanism of modern computer mice, allows them reproduce low-frequency tones @ high volumes without hum or excessive resonance associated conventional magnetic pickups. since optical pickups not pick high frequencies or percussive sounds well, commonly paired piezoelectric pickups fill in missing frequencies. lightwave systems builds basses optical pickups.

amplification , effects


bass-stack amp , speaker configuration

like electric guitar, electric bass guitar connected amplifier , speaker patch cord live performances. electric bassists use either combo amplifier, combines amplifier , speaker in single cabinet, or amplifier , 1 or more speaker cabinets (typically stacked, amplifier sitting on speaker cabinets, leading term half-stack 1 cabinet setups , full stack two).

in genres, clean bass tone (without amplifier-induced overdrive or distortion ) desirable, , while guitarists prefer more desirable distorted tones of tube-transistor amplifiers, bassists commonly use solid-state amplifier circuitry achieve necessary high output wattages less weight tubes (though smaller tubes can still found in low-power preamplifier sections of system, provide warmer, smoother character bass tone relatively little additional weight). few all-tube bass amplifiers still available, notably ampeg brand.

in cases, when bass used large-scale pa amplification, plugged di or direct box, routes signal bass amp while sending signal directly mixing console, , thence main , monitor speakers. when recording of bass being made, engineers may use microphone set in front of amplifier s speaker cabinet amplified signal, direct box signal feeds recording console, or mix of both.

various electronic bass effects such preamplifiers, stomp box -style pedals , signal processors , configuration of amplifier , speaker can used alter basic sound of instrument. in 1990s , 2000s (decade), signal processors such equalizers, overdrive devices (sometimes referred fuzz bass ), , compressors or limiters became increasingly popular. modulation effects chorus, flanging, phase shifting, , time effects such delay , looping less commonly used bass electric guitar, used in styles of music.