Optical pickups

Optical pickups are instrument pickups that use infrared light LEDs and photodetectors to sense the string vibration on a guitar or electric bass. Typically, electric guitars and bass guitars use magnetic pickups which can induce extraneous noise or magnetic hum to the sound. In contrast, optical pickups have almost no inherent noise.

Manufacturer

The LightWave company, which makes an optical pickups, claims that the company has developed the "first and only [pickup] of its kind for electric string instruments." The LightWave company claims that its pickup is "non-intrusive" and "absolutely transparent", and they argue that the pickups give a "Long, Natural Sustain", because there is not magnetic elements in the pickup to affect the string vibration. http://www.lightwave-systems.com/lightwavepickup/LightWavePickup.htm As of 2008, the Lightwave optical pickup was not available as a retrofit on an existing instrument; it is only available on Lightwave's line of Saber Basses and from a small number of bass makers (who can order builder kits). The optical pickup produces a low-impedance signal which can be plugged directly into a bass amplifier without any special preamplifiers or impedence-matching devices. Since the optical pickup is not magnetic, steel strings do not have to be used; players can also use nylon or gut strings. Some instruments which are fitted with optical pickups also use piezoelectric transducers to add in high frequency tones and percussive sounds.

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