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Bass with single humbucker


TPTroll

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I'm looking for a bass with a single humbucker in the mid position, closer to the space covering both P bass pickups.  

There's the old Warwick Streamer Standard, and some of the Ibanez artcore semi-hollow basses, but everything else is short scale that I could find, so wanted to see if anyone had other recommendations. 

MM stingrays have the pickup too for back, for clarity. Looking for it to be closer to the neck than the MM placement. 

I appreciate the easiest option may be to get a P-bass and mod with a custom guard, but wanted to check first. 

Thanks 

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7 minutes ago, Cato said:

Not sure what your budget is but the Aria SB1000 fits the bill.

sb1000rib_sbk-185x500.jpg.1b1c1808f9148ddd8ecb0e196d8d4319.jpg

New ones are not cheap but I suspect most people would recommend trying to get hold of an 80s or 90s model. Which can still be quite expensive.

The pickup in the single pickup SB models is just a little too far back for the P bass 'sweet-spot'. The neck pickup position on the dual pickup models is pretty much bang on.

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Again a bit of a rare bird, but the late '70's Martin EB18 fits the bill, and has the very useful phase switch (my one pictured.....).  As said above, most basses in this format tend to use the MM Stingray position with the pickup further towards the bridge. 

A self-build bitsa might be the way to go?

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

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47 minutes ago, Cato said:

Not sure what your budget is but the Aria SB1000 fits the bill.

sb1000rib_sbk-185x500.jpg.1b1c1808f9148ddd8ecb0e196d8d4319.jpg

New ones are not cheap but I suspect most people would recommend trying to get hold of an 80s or 90s model. Which can still be quite expensive.

Currently on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-II-1979-Longscale-24-Frets-Bass-Guitar-Original-Case/174359970768?hash=item2898aa03d0:g:tooAAOSwRqJfGcR6

Aria-Pro-II-1979-Longscale-24-Frets-Bass-Guitar-Original-Case

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2 hours ago, TPTroll said:

MM stingrays have the pickup too for back, for clarity.

Sorry to be a bit of a nit-picker here, but I always thought that the point of the StingRay's pickup was where it was because it gave a very clear, defined sound. A beefed up rear J pickup. In fact the StingRay is known as quite a trebly bass (though it can do low end very well).

I am assuming your meaning by the term "clarity", you mean that you'd like a fuller spectrum of sounds from the pickup, not just "quite trebly".

Don't forget that, the the Precision bass split coil pickup is a humbucker (one coil wound in one direction, the other coil in the other direction = no hum), and will also give a fuller spectrum of sounds when it's EQ'd right. Might not look quite as "cool" as a big, beefy, twin coil pickup, but it's been doing the job for a long time with very few complaints (and that's before you look at the aftermarket replacement P pickups!).

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47 minutes ago, Skybone said:

...I am assuming your meaning by the term "clarity", you mean that you'd like a fuller spectrum of sounds from the pickup, not just "quite trebly"...

Crossed wires here, I think (if I may...). I believe that by 'for clarity', he means 'to clarify my original request as regards p/u placing', nothing to do with having a more clear sound. I'm happy to be wrong, but that's how I read it. :friends:

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2 hours ago, Shaggy said:

Again a bit of a rare bird, but the late '70's Martin EB18 fits the bill, and has the very useful phase switch (my one pictured.....).  As said above, most basses in this format tend to use the MM Stingray position with the pickup further towards the bridge. 

A self-build bitsa might be the way to go?

image.jpeg

 

Ooh I say, that's a proper hen's tooth and a rather lovely thing of loveliness... but the headstock is, errm, visually challenging :lol: 

Edited by Rich
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A couple of things to bear in mind about old Aria SBs is, firstly, the ones with fretboard dots tend to have incredibly narrow string spacing at the bridge, which may or may not be acceptable. Secondly, there is a problem with a lot of the old MB pickups where one of the coils dies, meaning your E and A or D and G strings don’t get heard. Since the pickups are epoxy sealed they cannot be repaired. Aaron Armstrong makes a replacement which is the right size and shape but it doesn’t sound anything like the originals.

I’d second the L1000. It’s a beast with the pickup in the right place but also comfortably the most versatile single pickup passive bass out there.

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3 hours ago, Rich said:

Ooh I say, that's a proper hen's tooth and a rather lovely thing of loveliness... but the headstock is, errm, visually challenging :lol: 

Haha yes - usually termed a Viennese or Stauffer style headstock, and a nod towards CF Martin's 19th century German/Austrian origins, but it does rather resemble a wilting phallus.......o.O

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On 09/09/2020 at 10:48, Cato said:

Not sure what your budget is but the Aria SB1000 fits the bill.

sb1000rib_sbk-185x500.jpg.1b1c1808f9148ddd8ecb0e196d8d4319.jpg

New ones are not cheap but I suspect most people would recommend trying to get hold of an 80s or 90s model. Which can still be quite expensive.

I've been looking out an original but used prices are high at around £1,500 -2,000

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These are all really helpful, thank you. That Sandberg Basic is gorgeous, hadn't seen that before. 

I think as suggested, a bitsa might be the way to go without spending silly money. I may keep an eye out for a peavey forum though, as that ticks alot of boxes. 

Thanks for the help. 

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On 09/09/2020 at 17:58, kodiakblair said:

Peavey Forum.

Peavey Forum Bass Guitar Made in USA | Bassus Maniacus | Reverb

 

The one bass I regret selling is a 95 US Forum in white with black p/g. Only got like £100 for it on eBay, but needed to make some room for whatever I was buying at the time. Sounded awesome, though weighted a tonne. Really hard to find too.

😭😭😭

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