hooky_lowdown Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 (edited) I picked up a cheap p bass to mod, and found the routing under the pickguard to be really large, easily big enough me thinks for a BIG pickup to be dropped into the P position to replace the standard split coils. I'm looking for a high output, nasty, dirty rock sound, and came up with the idea to maybe put an Artec EBC4 mudbucker in there. Which should overdrive my amp, and at the same time I will run it through my sansamp to make a huge, overdriven sound (especially as I play with a pick). Also, thinking i should put some 500k pots and a 0.022 cap to squeeze out a little high end. What are people's thoughts? Edited May 7, 2019 by hooky_lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 There was a run of Gibson EB3 ("SG-type") basses at one point in the '70s, on which they moved the mudbucker further back - not quite P-bass position, but not right under the neck like they normally are. Haven't heard one myself, but by all accounts they kept a lot of the characteristic "woof" while giving better definition due to the new position. (I do have an Epi EB-3 stock mudbucker knocking around if you're interested in getting hold of one cheaply...?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 24 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said: There was a run of Gibson EB3 ("SG-type") basses at one point in the '70s, on which they moved the mudbucker further back - not quite P-bass position, but not right under the neck like they normally are. Haven't heard one myself, but by all accounts they kept a lot of the characteristic "woof" while giving better definition due to the new position. (I do have an Epi EB-3 stock mudbucker knocking around if you're interested in getting hold of one cheaply...?) Thanks, I know the Epi EB-0 mudbuckers are super lower output (which is the opposite to what I'm looking for!), is the EB-3 pup higher (Artec is 30k)? Wanting to get something like this sound... tonnes of bottom end with a deep, warm tone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Dark Stars were all the rage some years ago, with Lakland offering them on their P-alike. Not cheap, though https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/bs-ds/ There was a BC thread around that time too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 18 minutes ago, ezbass said: Dark Stars were all the rage some years ago, with Lakland offering them on their P-alike. Not cheap, though https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/bs-ds/ There was a BC thread around that time too Darkstar's would be amazing, but are overkill for a cheap bass (rock n roll) project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 The issue you need to check is the spacing of the pickup pole pieces. You may not be able align the strings accurately over the PUP pole pieces due to the difference between the Gibson 30ins scale and the Fender P 34ins. I ran into this when trying to fit a Gibson EB3 Humbucker to P bass,the best solution I found was to use a '72 Telecaster Bass PUP which has huge gain and has a greater range of tones than the EB3 PUP. The value of the tone cap you choose also has a major effect on what you are trying to create. Alternatively you could change the bridge for one with a smaller string spacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 The DiMarzio Model One (DP120) is a WONDERFUL pickup. I've fitted them in two builds, Pete's EB-3ish tribute: And @gelfin 's Mouradian-ish: They sounded epic in both. Power of a mudbucker without the mud 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom skool Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 I often wonder why the mudbucker isn't put in a less muddy position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 @hooky_lowdown There's a Gibson Humbucker for sale here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 oooh oooh i have a bass in the that catergory ! An original ( and rare ) Schaller 232 Bass Bucker at the neck and Dimarzio Model 1 DP120 at the bridge. Yum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 It looks handsome. Is it 34ins scale? Because the string alignment over the PUP pole pieces looks spot on. The bridge string spacing looks really tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) Yup, it's a 34 " String spacing is around the 17mm area. My digital caliper battery decided to die, so i may be a .5 mm out Strings over the DP120 poles is bang on. Strings over the Bassbucker poles is a tad out but its only a tad. Basically, if that Bassbucker was a bit nearer the bridge, it would be bang on, because the poles on both pups are the same distance apart. So the reason they're not bang on for the Bassbucker is because, of course, that the string spacing narrows as we get towards the neck. Edited May 12, 2019 by fleabag 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfguy13 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I have a mid 60s EBO and have done a pretty exhaustive search for alternative pickups. As already mentioned, Curtis Novak does a great replacement but at $265 plus $65 shipping and then duty on top........!!!! Anyway, I stumbled across a guy in Spain who makes 2 different types of Mudbucker at reasonably decent prices. Essentially one is a direct EBO replacement and is 109 Euros and the other is pretty much based on the Fender mudbucker found in tele basses in the late 60s/early 70s and is 99 Euros. This was the one I was interested in as it was a little different: https://www.jlguitars.com/index.php?id_product=57&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=p-bass-51-replica-envejecida&controller=product&id_lang=8 I reckon the Fender'ish version may work for your P bass fairly well? Maybe worth getting in touch with Jess? Nice guy but after sending me technical specs he offered to send me sound clips which never turned up. Probably just buy. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfguy13 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 PS scroll down to the bottom of the page for technical specs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 4 hours ago, surfguy13 said: PS scroll down to the bottom of the page for technical specs Thanks, but I don't need a pickup, as I plan on using the Artec as mentioned in my original post! I was interested in the thoughts of the placement of the pup in the traditional P position, which some people seem to have missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfguy13 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 16 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said: Thanks, but I don't need a pickup, as I plan on using the Artec as mentioned in my original post! I was interested in the thoughts of the placement of the pup in the traditional P position, which some people seem to have missed. My main failing, speed reading everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 1 hour ago, surfguy13 said: My main failing, speed reading everything! No worries bud 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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