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Placement for mag pup

I'm beginning a new build where I will be using a single coil mag pickup in a special box. I don't want to cut a hole in the top ruining the beautiful graphic. If I mount the pickup under the lid (it's a bit more than 1/4" thick) will I lose any sensitivity from it? I know the wood itself has no effect on the magnetic signal but how far can the pickup be from the strings? I can probably thin the top down in the mounting area to about 1/8", but again, I don't want any poles to stick through the box. Would adding an additional magnet under the poles be of any benefit?

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Permalink Reply by David McQueen on August 17, 2015 at 1:02pm

A couple of options:

1. Change to a rod piezo and equalizer. Your box needs to be deep enough to accommodate the preamp/equalizer on the top side of the box.

2. Use a fairly radicle back angle on the neck and an attached neck to box design instead of a neck through the box design. I did a couple with a 5 degree back angle. That was more than sufficient for just attaching the mag pup to the top of the box. I was actually higher than I wanted to be. I was able to mount both pickups in a P-bass pickup set.

A three degree back angle would probably be better. In my latest pictures, there are two CBG's with radical back angles.

3. Change your mag pup plans and get a Flatpup pickup.

Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on August 17, 2015 at 1:46pm

Thanks David, I appreciate your response but I don't think that's the answer(s):

1. Rod piezo. Nope. No how. No way. I just did a rod piezo git for a charity auction this last weekend. When a famous performer plugged it in on stage in front of several hundred people (even tho he said it was fine) I was mortified by the sound when compared to mag pups. No no no never again.

2. Not sure why you're suggesting this, it would move the strings even farther from the pickup. I don't want to mount the pup on the box (please reread my post), but hidden in the box.

3. Flatpup will have the same issues as #2

Again tho, I do appreciate your thoughts.

Permalink Reply by David McQueen on August 17, 2015 at 11:08pm

I had not realized you wanted zero coverage and zero disturbance of the existing graphic. Hope all works put.

Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on August 18, 2015 at 3:01am

When you see the finished git, you'll see why. Thanks again!

Permalink Reply by Skeesix on August 17, 2015 at 1:08pm

Yes - the extra distance will make it softer sounding. You could potentially mount the pickup under the lid, then stick a neo magnet (or several small neos) to the bottom (so that it touches the magnets or polepieces).

The pickup will get louder and hopefully compensate for the extra distance. After a certain point, it will change the character of the pickup and become more "neo" sounding, so some experimentation with different magnet sizes might be in order.

Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on August 17, 2015 at 2:12pm

Thanks Skeesix. I had to look up what a Neo magnet was. Piggy-backing extra magnets for more output sounds intriguing. Anyone know if it actually works? Besides, according to Wikipedia some of the aspects of these magnets are:

"The greater force exerted by rare-earth magnets creates hazards that are not seen with other types of magnet. Neodymium magnets larger than a few cubic centimeters are strong enough to cause injuries to body parts pinched between two magnets, or a magnet and a metal surface, even causing broken bones.^[16]

Magnets allowed to get too near each other can strike each other with enough force to chip and shatter the brittle material, and the flying chips can cause injuries. There have even been cases where young children who have swallowed several magnets have had sections of the digestive tract pinched between two magnets, causing injury or death.^[17] The stronger magnetic fields can be hazardous to mechanical and electronic devices, as they can erase magnetic media such as floppy disks and credit cards, and magnetize watches and the shadow masks of CRT type monitors at a greater distance than other types of magnet."

A CBG with the potential to cause havoc, injury, or death sounds right up my customer's alley!

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Permalink Reply by John Rivers on August 17, 2015 at 2:40pm

Permalink Reply by Keith Stanford on August 17, 2015 at 6:44pm

Aha, you nailed it John Rivers. Great idea....mount it on the neck! Tell me more about your neck mounting method and wiring. Maybe some pics of that?

Thx, kieta

Permalink Reply by smilingdog1 on August 17, 2015 at 3:04pm

I lean toward Skeesix suggestion. I have tried adding neodymium magnets to increase signal strength and it is very successful. I purchased mine in bulk very cheap on line. It's worth an experiment for what you're trying to accomplish.

Permalink Reply by John Rivers on August 18, 2015 at 2:15am