Custom bass needs replacement pickup. Suggestions?

[sirmuppet]

Hi all.

I have a custom build bass which I feel I need a new pickup for. It's a Thunderbird body with a maple jazz neck, the pickup is a Musicman style with a passive volume and tone. The exact pickup is a Kent Armstrong ( This one http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/electronics-c17/kent-armstrong-guitar-pickups-c100/kent-armstrong-bass-pickups-c101/kent-armstrong-musicman-bass-replacement-pickup-p707 ).

The issue I have is I play mainly P-basses and a Gibson thunderbird. I find the Kent Armstrong pickup too bright. I want to stick with passive so no adding a pre amp. The sound I'm looking for is fat with enough output to match my P-Basses and Thunderbird. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Dan Dare]

Why not speak to Armstrong's. They're very helpful in my experience and may be able to make suggestions. That way, you'll get an exact size replacement. The other thing that occurs is the question as to whether you are looking for a P sound from it, which perhaps isn't in its palette and you'd be better sticking with the P.

[sirmuppet]

I might just do that. It's not getting a size that's an issue as it's a standard MM size pickup. It's tone and output. I could have the bass routed for a P-bass pickup if it comes to that but most people seem to use active preamps with MM pickups but I want to keep it passive due to the control spacing and my other basses being passive.

[Muzz]

Ooooo, any pics? I love a Thunderbird/Fenderbird...

I've replaced a standard MM pickup in a bass not too long ago with a Nordstrand Bigman, which is basically two Big Singles in one casing. I've got a three-way switch which allows either single separately, or both in parallel, and I find this gives a surprising range of sounds from one pickup.

[sirmuppet]

I have but not with the new neck. It had a mighty mite neck on it but that was really bendy. Everytime I went to use it I had to make minor setup adjustments. Ended up getting a USA Jazz bass that someone had destroyed the body. So I took the neck from that and had my tech put it on. Plays great but compared with my other basses it doesn't sound great thus the issue. I'll get a few pics and post them up for you later.

[Grangur]

[quote name='sirmuppet' timestamp='1469907128' post='3101964']
Hi all.

I have a custom build bass which I feel I need a new pickup for. It's a Thunderbird body with a maple jazz neck, the pickup is a Musicman style with a passive volume and tone. The exact pickup is a Kent Armstrong ( This one [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/electronics-c17/kent-armstrong-guitar-pickups-c100/kent-armstrong-bass-pickups-c101/kent-armstrong-musicman-bass-replacement-pickup-p707"]http://www.wdmusic.c...ent-pickup-p707[/url] ).

The issue I have is I play mainly P-basses and a Gibson thunderbird. I find the Kent Armstrong pickup too bright. I want to stick with passive so no adding a pre amp. The sound I'm looking for is fat with enough output to match my P-Basses and Thunderbird. Any suggestions? Thanks.
[/quote]

I had that pup in a Wishbass. The tone wasn't that bright in mine, and I'm not a fan of too my much "zing". It's very possible that what you're not liking is the position of the pup. Don't forget a P-bass has the pup about 50mm further north than the usual "sweet-spot" for a MM style humbucker.

You could always have a P-pup routed into the body if you wanted. But I appreciate this needs weighing up with the cost and your dedication to THAT bass.

Could you post pics of the bass please, then we can see if this might be viable?

[geoffbyrne]

If the pup is a 4 conductor & wired in parallel, you could try wiring it in series. It may not sound so trebley and it'll have a bundle more mids.

G.