DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I own a reasonably good but roadwarn unmodified ZZB and i love how it plays and feels and being in a `70`s `80`s rock covers band it looks the part, however the original pups are very weak compared to everything else i own. Problem is the pups are an odd size, theyre inbetween 4 string width and 5 string width and i would like to keep originality if at all possible. My options are:- 1, Live with it (not the one i want really) 2, Get it routed for 5 string pups but lose originality 3, A preamp bearing in mind its a 2 knob and a selector switch configuration (my preferred option but im clueless about preamps) 4, Get the original pups rewound (possibly the best option depending on cost) Im all ears, any help with this will be gratefully received, id like to stick to a budget of around£120 tops! this is the beasty [URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/SNV80455_zps59556e49.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/SNV80455_zps59556e49.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 What about a preamp pedal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 If they're the usual Aria pickups they'll be potted in resin. Not much chance of getting them rewound. A Finnish company make replacements: http://www.rautiaguitars.net/aria-pro-ii.html but they're not that cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 ive ditched all my pedals except my tuner and gone wireless, unless someone makes one that would attach to a strap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 110 euros, pity the £ isnt strong at the moment. Yeah they are the originals, just looking on the kent armstrong website for possible rewinds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 This is what's under the pup cover. [attachment=189160:IMG_3467.JPG] Rather a lot of solid resin. Getting that rewound might cost more than the new replacements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Ah........bugger. looks like its probably a pre amp then, having said that ive fired off an email to Armstrongs anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I looked into a replacement for my SB Elite a while back. One day I'll get a Rautia one, for now there's a generic soapbar pickup with a couple of shims to fill the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 My SB Elite has suffered a lot in its life. I'd love to get it restored one day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 have a look on armstrongs website, they seem to offer a very similar pickup to the Rautia one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Ta, I've just emailed them asking for prices... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 me too, im hoping its cost effective to replace both or maybe just get the neck one of mine done for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 [quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1428852241' post='2745249'] This is what's under the pup cover. [attachment=189160:IMG_3467.JPG] Rather a lot of solid resin. Getting that rewound might cost more than the new replacements [/quote] The resin can be softened & removed by immersing it in a jar of Dichloromethane (keep the lid on the jar as it's vile stuff). However... The OP's pickups are unlikely to be potted. Here's one of the MB-IVs out of my ZZB Custom:— The windings are protected by a silk tape & little else. The brass plate on the left acts as a shielding plate & is glued in with something like Evo-Stik - it'll probably just pop out. My ZZB is no slouch in the volume department. This pattern has magnetic poles & I wonder if it's those that are the cause - maybe they've become de-magnetised. If that's the cause, it might be worth trying a bar magnet across the underside - essentially turning it into an MB-III:— Failing that a rewind should be pretty straightforward. As for replacements, Armstrongs ought to be able to provide pretty much anything that'll fit in their Aria mould, whereas Rautia tend towards direct clones complete with separate covers. Personally I'd steer away from the rewind option & get a pair of Armstrongs, then sell the MB-IVs on in their original condition. They won't hang around. Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) Ah, the ZZB is couple of years older than my SB Elite. I guess that accounts for the potting/no potting... I may go with Armstrongs, as I think I want to customise the pickup slightly. Edited April 13, 2015 by bartelby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Aaron Armstrong just replied. The Aria bass p/ups are not stock items, but made to order so £100. But it means there's no extra charge for basic mods. I fancy getting a full humbucker instead of a split coil type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 I got that email as well. Think i might try selling my Squier P to fund the pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I've been looking around for things to sell too... Not spying anything though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Hmmm this is the back of one of my pups, im going to go the new pup route from Armstrongs but unless i can sell my Squier P its going to get done one pup at a time. [URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/P1060111_zpsj8cmncxg.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/P1060111_zpsj8cmncxg.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 [quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1429363006' post='2750809'] Hmmm this is the back of one of my pups, im going to go the new pup route from Armstrongs but unless i can sell my Squier P its going to get done one pup at a time.[/quote] Yup, same as mine. If you run a Stanley blade (or even a flat-bladed screwdriver) around the glue line, the brass plate will pop out revealing the bobbin. That gives you the option to have them rewound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Hi,same kinda pick up on the CSB cardinal series,they are quiet hot in fact. Played a zzb back in the day and it was no slouch in the sound department,as usual with arias of the period they have great playing necks. Try raising the pick ups closer to the strings or have you tried that already?,not being cheeky just wondering. Pre amp pedal is a good idea if the core sound is there,I take it that they sound good just a bit quiet compared to other basses.To keep prices down get a behringer bdi21 pedal s/h to try out,cheap as chips and not a big loss if you don,t like it-a lot of bass players use them and like them.They also double up as a DI box so you can play live through PA and record without an amp/cab/combo-sans amp. Another route is to get a loud rig like Orange or summit of that ilk and a pre amp pedal/multi fx unit and DI into PA as well. I bought my bdi21 s/h for £6 and have been using it for close on 8-9 years solid and it still works perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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