Summary of "Let's Talk Bass Pickups (feat. the Ibanez BTB805MS)"

Summary of the Video’s Technological / Gear Concepts

1) How bass pickups shape tone (core electronics explanation)

Bass pickups work through magnets + copper windings (inductance): when the string moves in the magnetic field, it generates an electrical signal in the coil. That signal then travels through the bass’s instrument electronics (active/passive preamps, EQ, effects, and/or amp) and ultimately reaches the speaker.

2) Single-coil vs humbucker: noise vs frequency behavior

Single-coil pickups (e.g., Fender Jazz/Strat style) can sound clear, but they are noisy because the coil behaves like an antenna and picks up radio/electrical interference.
Humbuckers / dual-coil designs reduce noise by using two coils in a coordinated way.
The tradeoff: dual coils can also cause frequency cancellation because each coil “sees” the string at slightly different positions.
- In some designs, this can produce a mid-scooped feel (e.g., Jazz bass or Stingray style), which may be desirable.

3) The video’s main critique: dual-coil setups in many modern basses

The speaker argues that many modern bass dual-coil pickups—common in entry-level brands like Schecter/ESP/Yamaha/Ibanez—place the two coils too close together, leading to cancellation that:

reduces high-mids (where clarity lives),
emphasizes more honkier mids,
can make the low end feel muddy.

He also claims that when owners with these basses ask online how to improve tone, the pickup wiring/design is often the root issue.

4) Real-world comparison (DI recording test)

The demo compares:

Ibanez BTB 805MS (multi-scale 5-string, ~37” low B)
the speaker’s Ormsby bass (similar scale length ~36.9”)

Method

Active preamps bypassed
Pure DI into an interface

Conclusion The Ormsby “blows the Ibanez out of the water” in the demo, attributed to the Ormsby using a different pickup approach (split/single-coil-like behavior).

5) Best-practice concept introduced: split-coil design (noise canceling while keeping clarity)

A Fender Precision-style split-coil:

uses two coils, but each coil “covers” half the strings relative to its detection geometry,
resulting in a tone closer to single-coils, but with noise reduction.

The speaker describes the Ormsby pickups as Nordstrand-built Dingwall Nordstrand versions, functioning like P-style split coils, but with:

thinner coils
multiple pickups per bass

He also demonstrates the internal structure:

On a 6-string, one pickup’s two coils each cover three strings.

6) The mod plan: convert the Ibanez dual-coil/blend system into switchable coil combinations

The speaker modifies two Ibanez BTB basses for friends.

Stock controls (Ibanez BTB)

volume pot
pickup blend pot
three EQ pots
switches for active EQ bypass
switch for midband frequency

Key mod

Remove the blend pot
Replace it with a 6-way switch selecting among six combinations of the four total coils

Goal

Find at least one setting that uses:
- a single coil from the neck pickup
- a single coil from the bridge pickup
aiming for a clearer, more “jazz bass”-like aggressive scooped sound.

7) Why wiring method matters: parallel vs pot/switch effects on treble

He prefers wiring all coil combinations in parallel because it:

yields more treble than the stock method

He notes parallel wiring may slightly reduce output, but claims modern rigs can tolerate the difference.

Why the pot matters

Pots can introduce treble loss depending on impedance relationships.
Switches generally don’t add the same impedance loading; they just make/break contacts.
So replacing the blend pot helps preserve high frequencies.

8) Testing results: switch-based coil combinations restore clarity

After installing the test switch, he compares tones with:

onboard EQ off
DI recording

Findings

Treble increases are described as “night and day” versus stock blend-pot wiring (especially for usable treble).

Among the six combinations Most sound good, but two are singled out as poor:

inner bridge coil + outer neck coil
inner neck coil + outer bridge coil

Why those two fail Those coil pairs are wound similarly and share magnetic polarity, so noise cancellation doesn’t occur.

He confirms this by boosting gain and listening for noise differences.

Favorites

Two inner coils: most similar to the Ormsby’s go-to neck+bridge behavior.
Two outer coils: produce a “cool hollowness” reminiscent of a Fender Jazz, framed as a modern/vintage flavor split (inner vs outer approach).

9) Final wiring and position demo

He rewires the rotary/6-way switch into the layout requested, with positions for:

both bridge coils
bridge inner coil solo
both inner coils (favorite)
both outer coils
neck inner coil solo
both neck coils

He calls the mod a “tremendous improvement” over stock wiring, with several positions usable even for recordings.

10) Longer-term recommendation: if you want true single-coil-like tone with noise canceling, consider pickup changes

The speaker frames the mod as the best possible outcome with stock pickups.

If upgrading pickups, he recommends looking for:

split-coil designs (single-coil clarity + noise canceling)

Pickup manufacturers mentioned

Bartolini: described as divisive; he suspects common dual-coil versions affect his opinion. He mentions split-coil models conceptually (e.g., P soapbar, J soapbar ideas).
Nordstrand: highly regarded; references Dingwall Nordstrand “walls” split-coil approach.
Fat Stack: not split-coil, but stacked-coil (still noise canceling; aims to retain single-coil-like focus).
Lacompte: unusual designs with multiple pole pieces per string; mentions split-coil options like crooked J splits and standard J splits. He personally isn’t sure he’d choose them due to preferring the narrower J-bass pickup focus.

General philosophy Pickup upgrades are foundational: EQ/amps/pedals help, but pickup design is the starting point.

Main Speakers / Sources

Cole Millward (main speaker; pickup mod and DI comparison test)

References / Analogies

Humorous framing: “Dr. Doofenshmirtz”
Pickup and brand references / examples:
- Fender (single-coil and P split-coil concepts)
- Dingwall / Nordstrand (split/stacked designs)
- Mentioned brands as examples of common stock implementations: Schecter, ESP, Yamaha, Ibanez
- Other pickup makers: Bartolini, Lacompte, Fat Stack