Code Breaker 4

Magnets - Thin neodymium magnets sandwich each core/coil.  

• The wide magnets charge a large portion of the string, ensuring that harmonics from a broad portion of the string are sent back to the coil.
• Because the magnets are so thin, we can fit the coils between the magnets rather than around them.  This ensures that the coils sit in the most efficient part of the magnetic field.
• The magnets we use have a field strength similar to an A5 alnico magnet.

Cores - Compact, proprietary steel core.

• Because the coils sit between 2 magnets, and they are already in the most efficient part of the magnetic field, a large core isn't needed to bring the sonic information from the string back into the coil, so we can keep the core diameter to a minimum.
• This narrower core reduces eddy currents which helps increase clarity throughout the sonic spectrum.

Coils - Compact and efficient

• In order to create a lot of output, you need a lot of turns of wire, and since the cores of our coils are narrower, we can fit more turns of wire in a narrower size.  This increases the output while keeping the resistance lower.

Modular Design

• Since each coil is a single unit independent of each other, it's easy to vary the string spacing.
• String spacing can go as low as 15mm

Alternating Magnetic Fields

• Since each coil has its own magnet, we can change the polarity so that each coil is humbucking with its neighbor.  This ensures that no matter how you run them, you'll be free from 60 cycle hum.

Wiring Options

• This is how Wal Bass configures their pickups.  The pair of coils for each string form a humbucking pair.  This arrangement makes it so that every string has its own humbucker, which increases string-to-string definition.  However, if each pair is being run in parallel, the output will be low, and a pre-amp made for this type of pickup should be used (Luthisand Devices makes the ideal pre-amp for this setup). 

• This wires the coils together so that each row is like a J style humbucking pickup, similar to a 2-coil setup except that each row is humbucking.  The neck coils form 1 set, while the bridge coils form the other.  The 4-wire hookup will allow you to run each set in parallel (standard) for clarity, series for more beef, or either row on its own.  Anyway you wire it, its humbucking.  Works well passively or with an active preamp.

• This arrangement lets you run a standard P, reverse P, both P's in series, or both P's in parallel.  Plus, any way you run it, you'll be humbucking.  Works well passively or with an active preamp.

Resonant Frequency

Believe it or not, pickups don't "hear" every frequency that you play on your guitar the same.  They are better at hearing some frequencies better than others.  The frequency that they are best at hearing is known as the resonant peak.  This is what gives a pickup its character.  Pickups with a very high resonant peak can sound brittle, while a very low resonant peak may sound muddy.  Finding the sweet spot is the trick, and it's this peak that really defines the "voice" of your bass.

Filter Based Preamps

Filter based preamps don't work like typical preamps.  Rather than adjusting lows, mids, or highs, they instead adjust where the resonant peak of your bass is.  They are essentially adjusting the voice of your instrument!  Adjusting the peak in this way allows you to dial in the character of your bass and lets you really define your own unique sound.

Multi-Coil Pickups

Multi-coil pickups are a huge benefit to filter-based preamps because they present a very flat frequency response to the preamp, especially when wired for 1 humbucker per string.  This is a huge benefit because it allows the preamp to shape the sound without already having a built-in peak to deal with.  Preamps made by Lusithand Devices actually have inputs to deal with each string separately, and only multicoil pickups can be wired this way.  This also greatly increases string-to-string separation, while having a strong, driving voice.