Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Korrigan on April 27, 2018 at 2:38pm

I'm thinking it wouldn't work very well, your outside strings (being over or closer to the magnets) would probably be louder than your middle string.

But I've never tried it so don't let me discourage you from experimenting and, if you do, let us know your findings Wal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on April 27, 2018 at 3:24pm

I don't understand the question?  But if you put all the magnets under one string or two, they could have more magnetic pull than other strings, this could effect the equal sustain of strings, plus what Kerrigan said.

Taff

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on April 27, 2018 at 7:49pm

You are speaking of the coils running lengthwise with the strings yes?

How many strings you using?

6 string pickup? 4 string? 3 string?

If you have only 2 strings and put a 6 string humbucker running 6 poles under each string it could have a negative effect of shortening the string's sustain. Depends on how high the pickup is adjusted and how strong the magnet is.

Need more input.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on April 27, 2018 at 9:13pm

Thanks for for the responses so far. I hadn't considered the sustain issue, so that's a point against.  Three strings, so the middle string's being less loud than the other two might be a problem (that's usually my melody string). I'd be mounting it flush- or almost flush- with the top, so the distance between the strings and the pup would be similar to the string separation, say 11- 12mm. Invoking Pythagorus, a 12mm vertical distance with 11mm string sep would put the middle string around 16mm from both sets of poles- might that mitigate against the sustain and volume issus?

The chief reason I had considered was aesthetic, so I went for a range of opinions before cutting the 'wrong' hole in piece of A4 ply. In truth, all that being proved mistaken would cost me would be time, and less than £1 for the piece of ply. It won't happen immediately (got a pair of LPGs 'on the bench' at the moment), but I will certainly post a vid when it does.

PS Ah, thank you Mr Rat. Hadn't considered phase either. That could be the clincher I think. So perhaps there are some rules after all!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on April 27, 2018 at 9:21pm

no rules...lol.  give it a trywould be interesting to see what happens. with 12 mm to the magnets it may not dampen the string as much. most guitars are set up with the pickups much closer than that.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on April 28, 2018 at 12:40pm

Luckily there aren't many rules for CBGs. However as of yet physics and the law of gravity have defeated every attempt to break them. One day. A real air guitar with frets and pickups. I will make this happen!! : )

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on April 27, 2018 at 9:05pm

Yes. The larger the magnetic field the more it interferes with the vibrations from the strings. 

A humbucker uses one coil to cancel noise. So if you run the pickup parallel to the strings your only going to hear one of the outer strings and a bit of the center. The other outer string will be quieter and out of phase. Even if you got in and separated the two coil leads or did a coil tap wiring and switch you would end up with a bad out of phase sound. In and out of phase coil tapping works on a humbucker because both coils are picking up the same string. The reverse wound center pickup on a Strat works because the pickups are far apart. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on April 28, 2018 at 3:04pm

Hi again, what has not been mentioned, maybe not so important to a CBG, is tone. A pickup is placed in a certain position along the strings length that gives changes in tone. Also pickups are would to read certain frequencies, eg neck middle and bridge areas of the string.

Taff

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on April 28, 2018 at 10:59pm

A fair point Taff. I almost invariably go for the neck position (3/4 scale length), so a two or so inch vertical spread would compromise that too. I don't think the particular one I had planned to experiment with would have been built for any position- not by China and retailing at less than £9 with free postage it wouldn't...

i still may give it a go. As above, all I have to lose is an A4 ply top!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Milt Haselmire on April 29, 2018 at 1:44am

The difference between pickups designed for neck and bridge positions is in the magnet spacing. On a traditional guitar string spacing becomes narrower as you move from the bridge to the nut. On a 3 stringer the magnets probably won't line up with strings anyway.  

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on April 29, 2018 at 2:25am

Which kinda informed my 'parallel instead of perpendicular' idea in the first place. Never really noticed the difference on a six- string, but I take your point about the individual poles- thanks.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on April 29, 2018 at 6:30am

The Turner Model One guitar that Lindsey Buckingham plays all the time has on humbucker in the middle position that can be rotated at an angle( bottom towards the neck and top towards the bridge or vise versa) to change the tone.

You could something similar, just make sure each string is close enough to the poles of each coil for best results. A rail pole pickup or Lipstick Tube in single coil or double coil humbucker would work great for even string coverage. Too much angle could lead to sustain problems. You may need to test it out for best results.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page