pls help! Bass pick ups

[sindrom]

Hi there!
I wanna start building my own bass guitar.Can I build my own pick ups as well or I must buy them? If it's possible how hard will it be?
Pls HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!

[runebivrin]

Possible? Yes, sure!

All you need is 4 magnets (for a 4-string bass) and some magnet wire. Add some kind of bobin and time, and you're off.

A magnetic guitar mic is a conceptually very simple device. You just have to find the right strength magnets, the right thickness wire and the right number of turns.

One thing is for sure though: I'd hate doing the winding!

Rune

[sindrom]

this is like for e-bass right?
You are talking about that kind of pick up right?
Thank's for the info B.T.W.
:rock:

[sindrom]

Does someone knows some web page where are pictures and explanation on how to build pickup?

[sreten]

Hi,

you don't even need 4 magnets
- you can use one bar magnet and 4 soft iron pole pieces.

If you search you should be able to find explanations of guitar pickups.

You need to understand the various types and trade-offs.

If you can't work out how to build them from this then perhaps you should buy the pickups.

Sky pickups are good value :

http://www.guitarparts.com/guitarparts/index.html

/sreten.

[Brion55]

A friend of mine has experimented with building pickups and found some very interesting things. The stronger the magnets the more output they have, but it starts cutting off the top end. Also, the stronger magnets will actually "pull" the strings and reduce sustain! More windings also produce a high output but again can reduce the high end. Then there's the "single coil" vs "dual coil" (humbucking) crisp sound vs noise trade-off.

A low impedance (balanced line - like microphone) moderate output with a preamp produces a very high quality sound with low noise. Some guitar makers (can't remember who) started making these several years ago with good success as I recall.