JimmyStrange Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hi All. Happy Friday. I've got a few nice bits of wood knocking around and am planning on doing a 5 string (or maybe 4) fretless build. Maybe some kind of offest stretched ric type shape but that's still up in the air. Before I get too stuck in to the design and build I was thinking I'd best decide on hardware. I was contemplating the Babicz full contact bridge and if the budget allows somw schaller mb tuners but am a bit nonplussed about which pickup route to go down. Was wanting to keep to a single pickup passive design but thought it might be nice to get some tonal versatility with maybe a quad coil that has single, dual, series/parallel options but if I'm honest I haven't got my head about how feasible this is. At this point I'm open to any advice/suggestions about which pickup might be best. Lets pretend money isn't an object Well up to say around £150 anyway. All thoughts appreciated. Thanks James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The Enfield Super 8 switchable pickup has always intrigued me. Not sure if it's exclusive to their basses or available separately. The Super Quad version is available from SIms. [url="http://www.enfieldguitars.com/super8.html"]http://www.enfieldguitars.com/super8.html[/url] [url="http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/"]http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) As has the Delano Xtender: http://goo.gl/LA9tiZ Edited January 17, 2014 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I put a Babicz on a build of mine (coincidentally a fretless too) around the time they came out and found it to be all hype and no substance - even just holding it in your hand you know its not got to meet its high expectations. Unless you simply like it for it's striking looks (which in my view is its only plus point) I'd go with something more tried and tested... perhaps with a higher mass if that's your thing. Just my 2p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The best bridge design I've seen is that of the new Yamaha BB - string through but angled to reduce the sharp break angle of the string, plus the string sits on a sharp fulcrum point to give it a more precise anchor point. But hey, this is a pickup thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1967 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 For me there's only one serious choice for a single pickup bass... a Musicman. Have a look at the Delano MC 5 HE or Nordstrand MM5.4. Both are quad coil that you could definitely get a myriad of switching options with per your original thoughts which in my opinion is a fine way to go if you want. Both are in budget for you and available at Bass Direct. On my Fretless 5 build I put a piezo bridge and a Bart dark tone pickup. It's a great combination, I particularly like the 'compressed' kind of sound from the piezo and it gives the bass a smoothness you can't get from magnetics alone IMO, well suited to a fretless, but you definitley need some electronics for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyStrange Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Hmmm. Thanks for everybody's thoughts. It was certainly interesting to take a look at the Enfield and Sims. Thanks for the link ikay. The super8 is just too much for me I think! Particularly found the control configs useful in understanding how the thing worked. Dannybuoy - Took a look at the xtender but I don't think I could live with the shape Reckon I agree with Pete. Delano or Nordstrand quad coil - I think the Sim quad looks similar to either as well just with an LED! Bridge wise you've certainly given me something to think about though OS. It was partly the looks that sold it of course, but engineering wise it looked like it should work. What hi-mass options might you suggest? At this point we're contemplating doing a simpler version first as my dad and I (35 and 52 respectively) are fancying slightly different builds. Once it's further underway (more than some roughcut wood) I'll try and shift this into the build page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 [quote name='JimmyStrange' timestamp='1390256053' post='2343332'] ..... Bridge wise you've certainly given me something to think about though OS. It was partly the looks that sold it of course, but engineering wise it looked like it should work. What hi-mass options might you suggest? .... [/quote] Well obviously there is the Badass but many find them a tad ugly (not to mention overpriced) these days. Hipshot and Gotoh ones are very well constructed and fender do their own version which looks the biz. There are a number of cheaper yet equally as massy versions on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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