Can you use bass pickups on guitar.

C.Thep · #1 08-11-2006, 01:41 AM

Silly question here, can i use a bass pickup on my 7 string?

Reason I asked is because there is a EMG bass pup that has splittable coils, and I've been thinking about getting them for a while. I know that a few 8 strings use bass pickups.

I was also wanting do something a little different like putting bartolinis in a project.

Thanks for any advice.

sniperfrommars1 · #2 08-11-2006, 03:21 AM

edite by sniperfrommars1 *incorrect information*

C.Thep · #3 08-11-2006, 03:48 AM

LGM guitars use EMG45 DC bass pickups on the 8 string.
It's on Rustey Cooleys guitar i believe too. The only company that makes 8 string pickups is lungdren. Other than that, You'll have to use bass pickups.

I was looking at the EMG-35TW for my 7. splitable coils is the only reason

aloymetal · #4 08-11-2006, 04:24 AM

just give it a try C.Thep.
we are here also want to know the result

C.Thep · #5 08-11-2006, 11:53 AM

I don't want to spend over a hundred bucks and not be able to return it if it doesn't turn out good.

mfergel · #6 08-11-2006, 11:59 AM

Yup. From what I understand, Rusty's 8 string uses bass pickups. Could problaby get in touch with EMG to verify.

moebius · #7 08-11-2006, 12:02 PM

I remember a guy in a band called "Local H" that used both bass pickups and regular on his guitar. The bass pickups were situated so that only the bottom three strings were over the pickup. This allowed him to play bass and guitar at the same time.
Cheers,
-Andrew

frankfalbo · #8 08-11-2006, 12:32 PM

Bartolini is by far your best bet if you're thinking about a splittable bass pickup in a guitar. The active preamps can be manipulated to give you a custom EQ curve that's more suitable to what you want from a guitar pickup. When anyone talks about EMG's they always over use the word "sterile" but in this case, (bass pickups in a guitar) I can't think of a better word to use. The magnetic fields on the EMG bass pickups are expecting to see huge bass strings vibrating robustly, and instead you've got three unwound treble strings on the guitar. It's just a bad match up. It's not to say that Bartolini's bass pickups AREN'T calibrated for bass strings, but they give you a lot more to work with, and generally speaking, their bass pickups are not described as "sterile" ESPECIALLY when compared to EMG's. And Bartolini has plenty of bass pickups that are trying to get the thicker, rounder vintage Fender bass sound, which again is more suitable for a guitar crossover.

Bartolini also makes excellent 7-string guitar humbuckers that I have in stock.

**jim777** · #9 08-11-2006, 01:52 PM

Bartolini 7 string guitar pickups are excellent, I'd just go with those myself.

Demiurge · #10 08-11-2006, 02:36 PM

Just make sure the pickups you use have a blade-style magnet and not pole pieces, so you get an even magnetic field for the guitar string spacing.

I'm actually using 2 soapbar 5-string bass pickups on a custom 6-string baritone guitar project I have. It's kind of an experiment in getting better bass response, but I love the look of the oversize soapbar pickups on a guitar.

C.Thep · #11 08-11-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

Bartolini 7 string guitar pickups are excellent, I'd just go with those myself.

Cool, I didn't know Bartonlini had 7 string pickups. it's not on thier site i don't think.

Do you have any more info one them frank?

frankfalbo · #12 08-11-2006, 03:38 PM

They have a few models. I have the 492C-B (neck humbucker) and the 494-D (bridge) in stock. An EXTREMELY loose comparison I could make for these would be a Tone Zone/Air Norton combo. They don't sound like Dimarzios, really, and they have better low note clarity and definition. But it's kind of the only way I can begin to describe them. And I don't mean TZ7/AN7 either, because those are different beasts. I don't think they sound like the 6-string counterparts much at all. As a matter of fact the TZ7 uses a ceramic magnet, while the TZ6 uses Alnico. So for the loose comparision purposes I'm talking about the 6-string versions. You can email me if you're interested. They're 4-conductor, so they're splittable and they'll work with the TC-5 preamp if you want one (also in stock)

They're special order from Bartolini, but I can get them every once in awhile. I just happen to have these here now, but in the future I can get them again, but possibly with a long wait.