Pickup and Go

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:29 am

I don't know if there's one of these out there, but I would be happy to find one. Maybe it could look like a smaller version of Coachella's retro unit.

Let's say you have an effects box with two sockets with clips on them, like the back of a stereo speaker. You take the two main wires from a pickup and plug them into the unit. With the controls you are able to play a note, a chord, or a sequence that simulates what the pickup will sound like, either clean or with effects. Additionally, the gizmo will tell you the multimeter output reading for the pickup. Also, there should be a headphone jack so you can listen without bothering anyone, but also use it as an external output so you can record the output. You can also daisy chain to other units or amps, in case you want to test out the sound in your specific setup. You can't simulate everything, but given the work that Variax has done, you can fake it pretty well.

Let's say you are selling a pickup. It doesn't have to be wired into a guitar and have all these other variables--you just plug it in, test it, and make a recording. Every other pickup gets recorded through the same unit, so it would be easy to compare sounds. Save off the recording and post it. You want to compare quickly? Pop it out and try another. If you are playing the same chord or sequence you can instantly get an idea of how each one sounds. Once you have one you like, then perhaps you try some distortion, etc. to make sure it does what you need it to. It's not perfect, but better than guessing.

I would find this useful for swapping out pickups too. Maybe among your guitars you have enough that can be swapped, or extras, loaners, etc. that you'd like to try. Make sure the pickup works, isn't too powerful, and has the sound you are looking for.

Sublimedo · Post by **Sublimedo** » Tue May 08, 2007 2:36 am

Haven't really heard of a unit like that. You should probably patent it right away if there isn't.

Post by **Mike** » Tue May 08, 2007 7:42 am

Sounds like a great idea to me, I'm all in favour of the fair and useful comparison of gear.

Post by **Doog** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:00 am

It's my dream that pickups just plug in and out of guitars, with retrofit adaptors for old pickups so they'll work too.

One day..

I'm not really sure how you could simulate sound going through the pickup without it actually going through the pickup. Maybe some kind of handheld box attached to the unit that has a string in it that's being constantly vibrated, EBow style?

You could just hold it over the pickup.. and maybe it has an adjustable spacer so the string is a realistic distance from the pup.

luke · Post by **luke** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:27 pm

Doog wrote:It's my dream that pickups just plug in and out of guitars, with retrofit adaptors for old pickups so they'll work too.

One day..

I'm not really sure how you could simulate sound going through the pickup without it actually going through the pickup. Maybe some kind of handheld box attached to the unit that has a string in it that's being constantly vibrated, EBow style?

You could just hold it over the pickup.. and maybe it has an adjustable spacer so the string is a realistic distance from the pup.

Hmm, I reckon it'd be cool if guitars had a rear mounting pickup system where you pop the pickup through the hole and it clicks in place and is automatically wired up. That way you don't have to unstring and restring to try different stuff.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:52 pm

It's too bad we are so enamored of old style stuff. Pickups are so fragile.

Post by **Doog** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:56 pm

Malik wrote:
Doog wrote:It's my dream that pickups just plug in and out of guitars, with retrofit adaptors for old pickups so they'll work too.

One day..

I'm not really sure how you could simulate sound going through the pickup without it actually going through the pickup. Maybe some kind of handheld box attached to the unit that has a string in it that's being constantly vibrated, EBow style?

You could just hold it over the pickup.. and maybe it has an adjustable spacer so the string is a realistic distance from the pup.
Hmm, I reckon it'd be cool if guitars had a rear mounting pickup system where you pop the pickup through the hole and it clicks in place and is automatically wired up. That way you don't have to unstring and restring to try different stuff.

Dunno bout you, but I don't fancy 2-3 2" holes in my guitar..

luke · Post by **luke** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:24 pm

Doog wrote:
Malik wrote:
Doog wrote:It's my dream that pickups just plug in and out of guitars, with retrofit adaptors for old pickups so they'll work too.

One day..

I'm not really sure how you could simulate sound going through the pickup without it actually going through the pickup. Maybe some kind of handheld box attached to the unit that has a string in it that's being constantly vibrated, EBow style?

You could just hold it over the pickup.. and maybe it has an adjustable spacer so the string is a realistic distance from the pup.
Hmm, I reckon it'd be cool if guitars had a rear mounting pickup system where you pop the pickup through the hole and it clicks in place and is automatically wired up. That way you don't have to unstring and restring to try different stuff.
Dunno bout you, but I don't fancy 2-3 2" holes in my guitar..

Well, covers are one option, cutting out wooden blocks to plug the holes when you've changed is another. It's on the back, so personally I don't mind. All my rear mounted tremolo guitars have the back covers off. It's alright until your belt catches on a trem spring.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Wed May 09, 2007 12:27 am

buy pants that fit your waistline better and don't need a belt, it's way cooler.

they've made a guitar with a rear-removable "module" which has the pickups mounted to it... so you just get a couple different modules and replace the pickups in your guitar in one go, by tugging on something/plugging a different one in. meaning you don't have to remove the strings to change your entire pickup scheme. don't know how easy/quick it is, exactly.

also the different types of pickups just slide in/out the treble string side on those ampeg dan armstrong lucite guitars, it has to be a proper dan armstrong pickup though.

James · Post by **James** » Wed May 09, 2007 1:20 am

I really like the idea of being able to plug pickups in, rather than solder them I've wanted to do that for ages. I remember thinking that using a small jack and socket inside the guitar would be a decent enough way of doing it. You would need to solder jacks to your pickups, but you'd be able to swap them quickly after that. Obviously it wouldnt be ideal for some pickups, say tele bridge or whatever, but it'd work for a fair few.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Wed May 09, 2007 2:33 pm

Saga makes kits that have what they call Quick Release on the wires. I have no idea what that is. Clips, I guess. It makes more sense to have a way to test pups IN a guitar. I guess I could have one that's always dismantled.

Or wait--they're all always dismantled!

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Wed May 09, 2007 6:58 pm

There is a guitar that was designed with the easy in/out pickup thing, but i'm not sure who makes it. I thought it was a great idea, but the guitar looked shite. the jcycle will probably know.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:28 am

anyone could do it now (and some on the forum have, if i remember correctly) by soldering push connectors onto their pickup leads and onto the ends of the corresponding wires before they go into the control cavity.

rodvonbon · Post by **rodvonbon** » Thu May 10, 2007 2:59 am

Sloan wrote:There is a guitar that was designed with the easy in/out pickup thing, but i'm not sure who makes it.

It was the Dan Armstrong lucite guitar. They had a bunch of different pickups that were all interchangeable. They slid into a groove on the front of the guitar and the connectors popped into place. You didnt even have to loosen the strings to switch them.
This one I think has the rock pickup in it.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu May 10, 2007 4:15 am

i think sloan's referring to the first one i mentioned in my post, a guitar where the entire area around the pickups can be removed from the back, leaving it looking like that shopped mustang with the route all the way through. neither of us can remember what it's called. i never saw one in person, they reviewed it in GP.

the controls and jack are on the pickup module too, so they made a few different ones: strat/tele singles, hummys, p-90s, mixes, etc... with different control configurations, and the idea was you just slide one of these modules out the back of the guitar so you don't have to slacken/remove the strings or anything. i guess you could play it unamplified without a module in too but then you run the risk of catching your todger in the strings when you're playing dazed and confused in the nude at 2 in the morning when my parents are out of town.

Post by **Doog** » Thu May 10, 2007 9:56 am

paul_ wrote:i guess you could play it unamplified without a module in too but then you run the risk of catching your todger in the strings when you're playing dazed and confused in the nude at 2 in the morning when my parents are out of town.

HAHAHA

rodvonbon · Post by **rodvonbon** » Fri May 11, 2007 2:25 am

paul_ wrote:i think sloan's referring to the first one i mentioned in my post, a guitar where the entire area around the pickups can be removed from the back, leaving it looking like that shopped mustang with the route all the way through. neither of us can remember what it's called. i never saw one in person, they reviewed it in GP.

Ahhhhh.. I didnt read close enough. Sorry.