NBD - Ibanez EHB Short Multi Scale Headless

[Obrienp]

On 15/08/2021 at 22:57, Marvin_ said:

I think it certainly helps, but not enough in my view to save the Bartolinis...

I put Pro Steels on my 4 string and I think it has made it sound nasal and emphasises the unbalanced nature of the hybrid 45-110 set. I am going back to nickels but a proper 50-110 set of mediums. I suspect it is not going to be enough though and eventually I am going to have to shell out for Aguilars but maybe Super Splits rather than DCBs.

[fretmeister]

Did anyone do the preamp plug change  mod before swapping pickups?

[fretmeister]

Also, does anyone know if EMGs fit without routing?

[Marvin_]

37 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Did anyone do the preamp plug change  mod before swapping pickups?

 

I didn't hear about it until afterwards. Does sound like it's worth a go.

 

32 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Also, does anyone know if EMGs fit without routing?

 

I don't believe so - if they do then they'll not fill the cavity, but IIRC they're shorter but wider than the Bartolinis, so the cavities would need widening. Also with the pikcups being slanted, you'd have to consider whether the pole pieces are the right spacing, and aligned correctly (if they're pole-piece humbuckers).

 

The Aguilars I used are rails so less sensitive to placement (in fact they're designed for a 6 string). Nordstrand will build most of their pickups in exactly the right configuration as they know the instrument anyway, so I believe you can have more or less any of their designs in the right size. Pricey though I do accept.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Marvin_

[fretmeister]

2 minutes ago, Marvin_ said:

 

I didn't hear about it until afterwards. Does sound like it's worth a go.

 

 

I don't believe so - if they do then they'll not fill the cavity, but IIRC they're shorter but wider than the Bartolinis, so the cavities would need widening. Also with the pikcups being slanted, you'd have to consider whether the pole pieces are the right spacing, and aligned correctly (if they're pole-piece humbuckers).

 

The Aguilars I used are rails so less sensitive to placement (in fact they're designed for a 6 string). Nordstrand will build most of their pickups in exactly the right configuration as they know the instrument anyway, so I believe you can have more or less any of their designs in the right size. Pricey though I do accept.

EMGs are rails under the covers.

 

I just really like them and I put them in whenever I can.

[Marvin_]

6 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

EMGs are rails under the covers.

 

I just really like them and I put them in whenever I can.

Ah - never seemed clear to me exactly what they were. Still I've checked the documentation and the 6 string EMGs in a 45 format are exactly the right length (115mm) but ~4mm too wide (38mm vs the cavity which is ~34-35mm).

 

The 40 housings are just shorter, but the same 38mm width - so routing will be necessary with whichever EMG option it seems. I did remember checking before I settled on the Aguilars, and it's a bit of an odd size so there's not many options if you don't want to get the router out.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Marvin_

[fretmeister]

I like Aguilars for passive stuff so I'll have a look.

[fretmeister]

What’s the biggest string that will fit through the B headstock doohickey?

 

[Marvin_]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

What’s the biggest string that will fit through the B headstock doohickey?

 

I've currently got a .135. There's some room to spare, I expect a .140 would fit, but I wouldn't like to say about anything higher than that. Main thing to watch out for is the bridge-end with that size string. A .135 Elixir was realistically as big as it could go, whereas the .135 D'Addario has a bit of room to spare. Tapered ball-ends would help of course.

[Killed_by_Death]

 

Just measure it, IIRC a 0.16" would fit through the clamp, but the trouble was at the bridge end, you need a taper end at the ball-end.

 

[fretmeister]

10 hours ago, Marvin_ said:

I've currently got a .135. There's some room to spare, I expect a .140 would fit, but I wouldn't like to say about anything higher than that. Main thing to watch out for is the bridge-end with that size string. A .135 Elixir was realistically as big as it could go, whereas the .135 D'Addario has a bit of room to spare. Tapered ball-ends would help of course.

 

9 hours ago, Killed_by_Death said:

 

Just measure it, IIRC a 0.16" would fit through the clamp, but the trouble was at the bridge end, you need a taper end at the ball-end.

 

 

Ace.

 

I have a tapered Warwick on my Mezzo 32 scale at .135 and it's fine for most things but is a bit flappy for slap. 

 

I'll probably need Newtone to make me a .140 tapered string though. Not many of them around.

[Woodinblack]

Put some of those markbass coated strings on the EHB last week, the nickels (I have stainless too, but the ehb doesn't need to be brighter!). That was a 130 bottom string I think, with no issues - they are the ones I couldn't fit to the shuker as it was too wide at the bottom

[fretmeister]

I've taken the plunge and ordered the 5 string.

 

Should be here on the weekend (Saturday delivery now includes Sunday!)

 

Looking forward to it.

[Marvin_]

Congratulations! I hope you like it

[fretmeister]

Funnily enough I read a review that said players would likely be disappointed with the pickups if they played anything newer than about 1970.

 

But that sounded perfect for me! 😀

 

Found this too. Sounds lovely.

 

 

[fretmeister]

What is the correct Aguilar model for an upgrade please?

I think I’m going to do it too.

[fretmeister]

On 17/07/2021 at 06:45, visog said:

Andertons bass chaps demo'ing Laney amps but muchio EHB short scale goodness from 16m in...

 

Has that Ibby been modified?

 

it looks like there is tape on the pickups in the bottom right edge if the bass was pointing at the sky.

 

Pickup swap they didn’t want to admit?

[Obrienp]

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

What is the correct Aguilar model for an upgrade please?

I think I’m going to do it too.

You are going to have to wait for Marvin to confirm the size. I think it is the D4 for the 5 string multi scale, which is actually a 6 string version (4.65” x 1.25”). Of course, you have to decide whether you are going to stick with the humbucker vibe (DCB), or go for the Jazz type Super Single, or the humbucker on steroids Super Double. It doesn’t look as though they do the Super Split (noise free Jazz) in the D4 size.

[Marvin_]

As

12 hours ago, fretmeister said:

What is the correct Aguilar model for an upgrade please?

I think I’m going to do it too.

As Obrienp rightly says, they're D4 sized. That tends to mean a six string pickup, so just be careful of the configuration as a pole-piece style pickup is unlikely to be aligned properly with the strings.

[fretmeister]

47 minutes ago, Marvin_ said:

As

As Obrienp rightly says, they're D4 sized. That tends to mean a six string pickup, so just be careful of the configuration as a pole-piece style pickup is unlikely to be aligned properly with the strings.

I’ve been listening to sound samples. The Aguilar DCB sounds nice but doesn’t  have the single coil tones I tend to go for. In an ideal world I’d have EMG J but that would need a fair bit of routing, and with the quick connector I don’t know of routing deeper would interfere with any body chambering spaces.

 

I’m now actually wondering whether to get a set of Nordstrand single coils. I’ll have to email them and ask for a quote. Hopefully won’t be too expensive as they make the perfectly fitting ones anyway for the other EHB models.

[Obrienp]

1 hour ago, Marvin_ said:

As

As Obrienp rightly says, they're D4 sized. That tends to mean a six string pickup, so just be careful of the configuration as a pole-piece style pickup is unlikely to be aligned properly with the strings.

Ah! Good point. The Aguilars probably need to be rails but I am sure Nordstrand can make custom single poles with the right alignment.

[Woodinblack]

18 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

Ah! Good point. The Aguilars probably need to be rails but I am sure Nordstrand can make custom single poles with the right alignment.

 

They dont' need to make customs, they already produce the pickups for the 1505s etc.

[visog]

Best video I've seen on this bass...

 

 

[fretmeister]

Oooo!

 

I've been thinking about saving for a Bergantino amp - nice to hear them together!

[fretmeister]

I was bored at home wondering what the bass would sound like with flatwounds.

 

So I went through my box of ancient strings and found a well used set of Ti Flats for a 5 string and put them on....

 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by fretmeister
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