I need to know if bridge and neck pickup outputs are the same on new hi-gains. I also wonder if they are the same in older (pre hi gain) 4003's and 4001's.
Can I use one pickup instead of the other?
I want to change the bridge pickup of a 4001 with a hi-gain (2009) neck pickup. Would it be convenient?
Thanks.
that is a difficult task and would not recommend it. the regular 4003 neck pickup has a smaller magnet structure than the rear pickup and you will lose gain as the string vibration is less the closer you get to it's saddle point. the string vibrates more at the neck pickup thus the lesser magnet. it would be different if you wanted to put a toaster with the six extended magnets, (they are more powerful than the flush magnet toaster) but then you get into a mounting hardware fiasco, mis-alignment, spacers , etc. for rigid mounting. if you are unable to perform this work properly, i would hand it off to someone capable of doing so...properly. or, just leave it as is. it may cost you more than it's worth mechanically and sonic wise. it's your firewood, do as you must ! i have successfully put a neck pickup surround on a rear pickup assembly (without the rear pickup mounting plate) with longer screws to hold the top and bottom to sandwich the coil mangnet structure. this and a neck pickup were mounted it a student model gibson 30" scale bass ( previously equipped with single coil melody maker single coils) i had for tourbus practice. worked and sounded great.
On basses with the plastic mounting plate it is easy to install a neck hi-gain pickup, the holes are already in place. All you need to do, after removing the original bridge pickup from the plate, is to screw the new pickup in place with, ideally, stainless steel screws, washers, and nuts. I did this with my former '04 4003FL, putting a toaster pickup on the mounting plate.
as you can see, jeff knows what he's doing, so kudos to being able to accomplish a task without causing yourself greif ! the mounting of a neck pickup is a little more involved that way than with the plastic plate that replaces the surround and its hardware. good job jeff !
The pole spacing on the neck pickups are narrower than the bridge ones, It would probably work but you could end up with hot and cold spots in the sound.
A new adjustable pole pickup will help even things out but it still could sound funny.
i'm going to assume that the adjustable poles extend down into the rubber magnet structure underneath the coil (via drilled holes or a routed slot) to maintain field integrity as the gibson humbucker does ? can anyone confirm ? i would think adjusting a bottom flush pole (as the older high gains were constructed) upwards to the string would pull it away from the surface of the magnet thus weakening the field ?
Which means that the current higains would be a fine candidate for an P90 style alnico magnet conversion. you would lose a little output but perhaps gain a little.... something....
weemac wrote:The pole spacing on the neck pickups are narrower than the bridge ones, It would probably work but you could end up with hot and cold spots in the sound.
A new adjustable pole pickup will help even things out but it still could sound funny.
Eden.
Eden is right, the spacings are different and you will compromise the outside string's sensing. If you have a neck higain that is loose, hold it to the strings at the bridge pup position and see what we mean.
