Does anyone make a universal pickup?

[James Collins]

By that, I mean does anyone make a pickup that would look like a Humbucker, but could be split to a J, a P, or a reverse P with something like a turn pot?

I searched on the forums and have looked online, but don't see anything like it.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Seymour Duncan makes a pickup ring that is selectable like that, but only for guitar pickups:

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/...the-heck-did-that-sound-emerge-from-my-guitar

 

[ctmullins]

There are more architectures in the universe than J, P, and humbucker.

 

[Wfrance3]

Have you seen this:
Super Quad Pickup

 

[James Collins]

There are more architectures in the universe than J, P, and humbucker.

I get that. Maybe I should list it as "universal" since that would encompass the vast majority of pickup types. Thank you for the useful comment.

 

[James Collins]

Have you seen this:
Super Quad Pickup

EDIT: I stand corrected. Thank you for your help.


----

I have something similar to this already. But its a good start. The only difference would be that it would split something like...
Position 1:
_______
/ O O O O \
\ O O O O /

Position 2:
_______
/ X X X X \
\ O O O O /

Position 3:
_______
/ X X X X \
\ O O O O /

Position 4:
_______
/ O O X X \
\ X X O O /

Position 5:
_______
/ X X O O \
\ O O X X /

 

[two fingers]

Pretty much all of the major players in the pickup game are making a "quad coil" pickup. You can wire them in humbucker (both series and parallel) by engaging all four coils, "P bass" by using the coils on opposing corners, "reverse P", and "Jazz" by using either pair of coils. They all come in various sizes and shapes and seem to all come in 4, 5, and 6 strings variations.

MM4.4 Quad Coil

xxP46C-B | Bartolini Pickups and Electronics

Products

 

[James Collins]

Oh ok...maybe i misunderstood the link above then. This is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[socialleper]

I saw Rudy Sarzo talking about the SIMS Super Quad. I haven't seen or heard them in person, so I can't vouch for how well they pull it off. I like the idea.

 

[ctmullins]

I get that. Maybe I should list it as "universal" since that would encompass the vast majority of pickup types. Thank you for the useful comment.

Even within the realm of J and P, you won’t get exactly what you’re looking for, as the J pickup coil is tall and thin and the P pickup coil is short and fat. These characteristics contribute to the signature tone. But if all you’re interested in is the position of the coils, then the quad-coils will work for you.

 

[James Collins]

Even within the realm of J and P, you won’t get exactly what you’re looking for, as the J pickup coil is tall and thin and the P pickup coil is short and fat. These characteristics contribute to the signature tone. But if all you’re interested in is the position of the coils, then the quad-coils will work for you.

I was thinking of getting an inexpensive HH bass and swapping out the pickups for the fun of it. That is all. My plan right now (because of the bass I'm looking at) is to go with something like a stacked volume/volume (or volume/blend) and two 5 way rotary selectors like PRS uses to control what sort of pickup is in each. Again, it is mostly for fun if I go through with it and I am not seeking any particular tone with the project.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

If you want some interesting configuration sounds, do the dual humbuckers bit, but use a 5-way blade switch to select individual coils of each humbucker in positions 4 & 2. (one is parallel coils vs. series)
My guitar is set up like this & it is pretty incredible how different the timbre of each position is.

or another option would be to put in a push/pull volume for each pickup & have it set up to switch between series & parallel coils of each humbucker:

 

[socialleper]

Even within the realm of J and P, you won’t get exactly what you’re looking for, as the J pickup coil is tall and thin and the P pickup coil is short and fat. These characteristics contribute to the signature tone. But if all you’re interested in is the position of the coils, then the quad-coils will work for you.

I recently conducted a test on TB that concluded that while not every pickup in a mid\neck position can convincingly imitate a split single coil, the right jazz style single coil in the right position will fool people 9 times out of 10.
Generally position\configuration means more to your tone than coil size.

 

[two fingers]

I was thinking of getting an inexpensive HH bass and swapping out the pickups for the fun of it. That is all. My plan right now (because of the bass I'm looking at) is to go with something like a stacked volume/volume (or volume/blend) and two 5 way rotary selectors like PRS uses to control what sort of pickup is in each. Again, it is mostly for fun if I go through with it and I am not seeking any particular tone with the project.

That would be a super fun project. Sharpen your soldering iron!!!!

 

[Axstar]

I saw Rudy Sarzo talking about the SIMS Super Quad.

If anything that would put me off them.

 

[InhumanResource]

I recently conducted a test on TB that concluded that while not every pickup in a mid\neck position can convincingly imitate a split single coil, the right jazz style single coil in the right position will fool people 9 times out of 10.
Generally position\configuration means more to your tone than coil size.

Absolutely. I do this all the time on my jazz and with the right tweak to the mids I'd say it is indistinguishable.

 

[non]

Have you seen this:
Super Quad Pickup

i believe mark from talkingbass uses these pickups in two of his basses.

 

[TheMaynorD]

Do some digging on the nordstrand website. It takes some serious electonics work, but a lot of boutique nordstrand equipped basses have ridiculous amounts of options between single coil, dual coil, etc. Your average GC guitar tech probably can't wire it for you though.

 

[Wfrance3]

i believe mark from talkingbass uses these pickups in two of his basses.

I saw that too.

 

[Nephilymbass]

By that, I mean does anyone make a pickup that would look like a Humbucker, but could be split to a J, a P, or a reverse P with something like a turn pot?

I searched on the forums and have looked online, but don't see anything like it.

There are lots of possibilities with today’s aftermarket pickups.

I get a lot of variety out of this bass. HH, HS, SH, SS, single H, single S are all possible.

Lot of companies now make a p pickup in a soap bar or humbucker shell. ESP has used EMG p pickups in with the 35dc and 40dc shells in several of their models including the surveyor and the newer stream basses.