Musicman Pickups

[WithoutRisk_BassPlayer]

Hello

I am embarking upon a new random custom bass which will use a single Musicman style pickup. I am after some guidance about them as its safe to say I'm fairly clueless on this subject!
I have looked at Seymour Duncans, EMGs and Bartolini however except for a name they all seem pretty much the same! I'm planning on using active circuitary for it. I don't really have a budget planned as of yet (awaiting quotes for a body and sourcing a neck, whatever I'm left with will be spent on the pickup and controls).
Was also wondering about preamps and things to use with said pickup...?

Cheers in advance

Will

[warwickhunt]

If you are starting from scratch then I have a genuine EB/MM Sterling pup for sale... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20623"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20623[/url]

[Old Horse Murphy]

[quote name='WithoutRisk_BassPlayer' post='212103' date='Jun 3 2008, 09:19 PM']Hello

I am embarking upon a new random custom bass which will use a single Musicman style pickup. I am after some guidance about them as its safe to say I'm fairly clueless on this subject!
I have looked at Seymour Duncans, EMGs and Bartolini however except for a name they all seem pretty much the same! I'm planning on using active circuitary for it. I don't really have a budget planned as of yet (awaiting quotes for a body and sourcing a neck, whatever I'm left with will be spent on the pickup and controls).
Was also wondering about preamps and things to use with said pickup...?

Cheers in advance

Will[/quote]

Will

I've possibly got a John East Stingray circuit for sale, so drop me a PM when you know what you want to do.

[budget bassist]

Honestly, i'd go for a real musicman pickup like the one warwickhunt is selling. I'd also advise trying to get hold of an EBMM preamp (might be able to through EBMM customer services?), because nothing sounds like a musicman. I believe they're the best MM style pickups you can get, anything other than an EBMM pickup in a musicman is a downgrade in my opinion, so like i say, try and get hold of one.

[obbm]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='214641' date='Jun 7 2008, 09:43 PM']Honestly, i'd go for a real musicman pickup like the one warwickhunt is selling. I'd also advise trying to get hold of an EBMM preamp (might be able to through EBMM customer services?), because nothing sounds like a musicman. I believe they're the best MM style pickups you can get, anything other than an EBMM pickup in a musicman is a downgrade in my opinion, so like i say, try and get hold of one.[/quote]

EBMM will only sell on an exchange basis. They will not do an outright sale.

The closest that you will get to an early Stingray sound is a Nordstand pick-up and a John East MM style 2-band pre-amp, in fact there is really nothing in it.

[budget bassist]

You can always just wait for a real MM preamp to come on ebay, it happens

[CPF]

I've been playing with the idea of replacing the pickup in my stingray for a while. I get a really weak G string sound, and tbh sounds a lttle.. i dunno dead. it's doubtless the desire to fiddle added in as well. I've heard great things about the Nordstrand and thats what i'd go for. Also i remember john east doing a 2 band based on a very early pre-amp, but with a sweepable mid added in, so you'd have bass and treble on one stacked, and gain and sweep for the mid on another.

Since you're building it all from scratch a series/parallel switch has gotta be on there. it'd be rude not to..

these 3 are all things i'm thinking of doing to my stock ray.

[quote name='obbm' post='214646' date='Jun 7 2008, 09:51 PM']EBMM will only sell on an exchange basis. They will not do an outright sale.

The closest that you will get to an early Stingray sound is a Nordstand pick-up and a John East MM style 2-band pre-amp, in fact there is really nothing in it.[/quote]

By nothing, could you please elaborate?

Cheers

[obbm]

[quote name='CPF' post='230692' date='Jul 1 2008, 05:10 PM']I've been playing with the idea of replacing the pickup in my stingray for a while. I get a really weak G string sound, and tbh sounds a lttle.. i dunno dead. it's doubtless the desire to fiddle added in as well. I've heard great things about the Nordstrand and thats what i'd go for. Also i remember john east doing a 2 band based on a very early pre-amp, but with a sweepable mid added in, so you'd have bass and treble on one stacked, and gain and sweep for the mid on another.

Since you're building it all from scratch a series/parallel switch has gotta be on there. it'd be rude not to..

these 3 are all things i'm thinking of doing to my stock ray.



By nothing, could you please elaborate?

Cheers[/quote]

That comment was based on information posted by others who have done this mod, mainly on the former Dudepit Forum. The Nordstrand is designed to be very close to the original MM Alnico pick-up and John East's pre-amp emulates the original pre-EB version without copying it and infringing copyright. You'd be best talking to John directly.

I have an Alnico Nordstrand in an SR5 and am very pleased with it.

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='CPF' post='230692' date='Jul 1 2008, 11:10 AM']I've been playing with the idea of replacing the pickup in my stingray for a while. I get a really weak G string sound, and tbh sounds a lttle.. i dunno dead...[/quote]

I understand there are a couple editions of the pre that go with the EBMM p'ups. One has a black Epoxy jacket, and the other (earlier... funny that earlier is almost alway the 'better' one) has a dark green Epoxy jacket. The green is said by my MM in-the-know friends to be noticeably more responsive to a broader freq range. If you have the black Epoxy, that might be the issue and not the p'up.

Just a random, maybe-useful thought.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Count Bassie