MM Stingray pickups

[peteb]

I recently acquired a 90s MM stingray in a trade and it's not a bad bass - plays OK, sounds great, etc

However, I do have a bit of a problem with the pickup (apart from the usual 'g' string not being loud enough) - the exposed pole pieces are nowhere near flush to the casing and as I anchor my thumb on the pickup and I keep catching my fingertips on the poles, which can get a bit annoying, not to mention painful after a while!

Does anyone know if there is any way of adjusting the height of the pole pieces so that they are flush to the casing?

[stingrayPete1977]

I think you can adjust them but I dont know how and if you screw it up you will need a new pup for sure,It should have the rounded edge pole pieces if its the original EB one of that vintage anyway? Do you have any pics?

[warwickhunt]

Electrician's insulating tape across the top of the pup... sorted.

[peteb]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='925096' date='Aug 14 2010, 07:10 PM']I think you can adjust them but I dont know how and if you screw it up you will need a new pup for sure,It should have the rounded edge pole pieces if its the original EB one of that vintage anyway? Do you have any pics?[/quote]
Certainly not rounded edge pole pieces! The guy I got it from reckoned that it was one of the early EB ones but I really wouldn't know

I'm hoping that someone here will be able to confirm that the pole pieces are adjustable and if so let me how you go about it - I would probably get a mate to do it as I would probably knack any pickup I tried to take apart!

I did briely have a Sterling a few years ago - that didn't have the same problem i.e. the poles were flush on that one.....

[Machines]

I had a '96 Ray that was like that, pole edges were quite sharp ! I think you only option is dropping the pickup height itself.

[stingrayPete1977]

I think I am confusing myself its the newer ones that have rounded pole pieces although if its 90's its by no meems an early EB that would be 1984 onwards .I presume the pieces are set at different heights for a reason does anyone know what though?

[mep]

Check out this thread.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=78473&st=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=78473&st=0[/url]

It worked for me, following some advice from Funkgod I got the pole pieces flush with the pup and set the height right with the pup in place (see my post on page 3). Also try a different tone with you amp.

Edited August 14, 2010 by mep

[budget bassist]

Rounded pole pieces are a newer thing, the pickup poles are not adjustable, and they are staggered to give an even response across the strings. If it really bothers you (your technique must be very strange as it never happened to me), you can either lower the pickup itself (just tighten the screws) or you can put electrical tape or something under the pickup cover. Simply unscrew the pickup completely and the coils will come right out, they're very simple and you shouldn't have much problem getting them back together unless you're REALLY ham fisted.

[stingrayPete1977]

I agree you must have some technique on the go there as I have never caught my fingers either and I play pretty hard,But if it works for you thats all good.

[peteb]

It appears that I just don't have the technique to play a stingray!

TBH - I always thought that my right hand technique was reasonably strong, but I have a low action, play over the pickup and tend to rake a lot (a la Sheehan in that respect at least) and the pole pieces do tend to get in the way more than somewhat!

I might just drop a EMG in it if I decide that it's worth the effort / cash - a very frustrating bass, a great unique sound but several annoying flaws.......

Edited August 14, 2010 by peteb

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='peteb' post='925271' date='Aug 15 2010, 12:07 AM']It appears that I just don't have the technique to play a stingray!

TBH - I always thought that my right hand technique was reasonably strong, but I have a low action, play over the pickup and tend to rake a lot (a la Sheehan in that respect at least) and the pole pieces do tend to get in the way more than somewhat!

I might just drop a EMG in it if I decide that it's worth the effort / cash - a very frustrating bass, a great unique sound but several annoying flaws.......[/quote]

I have a 'Ray 5 and other instruments with MMHB style pick-ups in. At least two have raised pole-pieces.I anchor on the pick-up/s too, and I don't seem to hit the pole-pieces. In fact, the only bass on which I DO strike the pick-ups is a Yamaha Attitude (a Sheehan design!) because they're close to the strings. The MMHB doesn't want for output, so you could try lowering it enough to stop your problem and see if it still has some degree of the tone/output you're looking for left.
Otherwise, it's a new pick-up. IIRC The EMGs have hidden polepieces. So do the Bartolini ones, except that I know them to have Blades rather than cylindrical poles, which makes alignment less of an issue and can cope well with big string deflection (useful if you play hard from time to time)
I have a bass with Bladed pole-pieces (a Warwick with MEC J/TwinJ in it) and it does work well.

What are the other 'Ray issues to which you alluded?

[peteb]

The other 'Ray issues to which I allude are mainly that even if you have it set up well with a nice low action, if I put it down and pick up my Warwick Stage 1, the difference in build quality is immediately apparent!

BTW – the first thing I did was to lower the pick up on the stingray as much as possible as soon as I got it

The ‘g’ string issue is annoying and leads to you trying to play harder on that string, which is less than ideal and is a design fault that should have been sorted out a long time ago!

I can understand why lots of people like ‘Rays – they do have a distinctive sound, etc but there are obvious faults that just shouldn’t be there on a bass that is by no means cheap if you buy one new……

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='peteb' post='925570' date='Aug 15 2010, 01:47 PM']The other 'Ray issues to which I allude are mainly that even if you have it set up well with a nice low action, if I put it down and pick up my Warwick Stage 1, the difference in build quality is immediately apparent!

BTW – the first thing I did was to lower the pick up on the stingray as much as possible as soon as I got it

The ‘g’ string issue is annoying and leads to you trying to play harder on that string, which is less than ideal and is a design fault that should have been sorted out a long time ago!

I can understand why lots of people like ‘Rays – they do have a distinctive sound, etc but there are obvious faults that just shouldn’t be there on a bass that is by no means cheap if you buy one new……[/quote]

I thought MM build quality was pretty good. My Ray5 betters my StreamerLX and Infinity SN4 in terms of absolute build.
That said, my 'Ray5 might have been dusted with pixie dust at San Luis Obispo. It did (allegedly) used to belong to Boz Burrell... (It's a fretless)

[stingrayPete1977]

Well I only fell in love with Stingrays as the Warwick I went to buy in 2002 did not work! I got to the shop and the EQ had broken straight out the box! I tried a Ric and a Ray as I had the money burning a hole in my pocket and went with the Ray which ironicly are known for being such solid workhorses if a little boring to some.

[Waldo]

I had the same problem with my sterling, my solution was to swap the pup out for a bart sadly.

[mcnach]

[quote name='peteb' post='925570' date='Aug 15 2010, 01:47 PM']The other 'Ray issues to which I allude are mainly that even if you have it set up well with a nice low action, if I put it down and pick up my Warwick Stage 1, the difference in build quality is immediately apparent!

BTW – the first thing I did was to lower the pick up on the stingray as much as possible as soon as I got it

The ‘g’ string issue is annoying and leads to you trying to play harder on that string, which is less than ideal and is a design fault that should have been sorted out a long time ago!

I can understand why lots of people like ‘Rays – they do have a distinctive sound, etc but there are obvious faults that just shouldn’t be there on a bass that is by no means cheap if you buy one new……[/quote]

You could always ask in the Ernie Ball MusicMan forum...

JOKING! No! Don't even think about it!!! I don't wish the response you might get on my worst enemy

I've played MM-style pickup equipped basses for a while and neevr encountered your problem. I'd have imagined that lowering the pickups would sort that issue, but if it hasn't... I'd just suggest using a pickup without the exposed polepieces, like you suggested. But it does strike me as a little odd. I wonder if the polepieces in yours are unusually high. Can you post a picture? None of my MM-type pickups (Five. Including a Stingray) have polepieces flush with the cover.

[solofunkyjazz]

I too find that I catch my fingers on the pole peices if I play directly above the pickup.

I just lower the pickup enough so that it doesn't happen.

I play with a 'free stroke' similar to Tony Grey, I doubt it'd happen too much using a rest stroke where you're using a 'flatter' finger. (Hard for me to explain sorry)

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL4GDaulw1Q"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL4GDaulw1Q[/url]

[Delberthot]

I had the same problem on my 20th anniversary stingray and part of the reason I sold it.

Musicman won't let you buy a new one but what they offered to do for me was if I sent them my own one, they would send me a new one but if I remember correctly I would have to pay the full price for the new one.

[peteb]

[quote name='mcnach' post='925631' date='Aug 15 2010, 03:22 PM']You could always ask in the Ernie Ball MusicMan forum...

JOKING! No! Don't even think about it!!! I don't wish the response you might get on my worst enemy

I've played MM-style pickup equipped basses for a while and neevr encountered your problem. I'd have imagined that lowering the pickups would sort that issue, but if it hasn't... I'd just suggest using a pickup without the exposed polepieces, like you suggested. But it does strike me as a little odd. I wonder if the polepieces in yours are unusually high. Can you post a picture? None of my MM-type pickups (Five. Including a Stingray) have polepieces flush with the cover.[/quote]
I have been reading the other thread on the EBMM forum and believe me, I am sorely tested, just to see exactly how bad the response would be!!

I do think that the pole pieces on my 'Ray may be unusually high - I didn't have this problem with the sterling that I owned and I haven't noticed it to be so bad when ever I have picked up one belonging to someone else, thru to be fair I have never really played one for a long time either!

Will have to consider looking for a bartolini on ebay or getting an EMG from thomman when I get back off holiday (or does anyone know of anywhere else you can get bartolinis cheap??)

[ahpook]

[quote name='peteb' post='925750' date='Aug 15 2010, 06:48 PM']Will have to consider looking for a bartolini on ebay or getting an EMG from thomman when I get back off holiday (or does anyone know of anywhere else you can get bartolinis cheap??)[/quote]

have you thought of talking to wizard pickups ?

i believe they do a 'covered' MM pickup that's not as costly as a bart, and if their p-bass pickups are anything to go by they're damn fine replacements.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='ahpook' post='925762' date='Aug 15 2010, 07:07 PM']i believe they do a 'covered' MM pickup that's not as costly as a bart[/quote]

I don't have a MM bass or even a MM pup in front of me but is it not possible to simply remove the plastic pup surround and replace that with a 'sealed' top (a la Bartolini/EMG) cover... failing that if the plastic surround comes off can you fit a spacer that will mean the pole pieces are dropped below the level of the surround (in my mind I know what I'm talking about, even if nobody else does ). I am just thinking out loud here and it might be a completely sealed unit for all I know!

[ahpook]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='925767' date='Aug 15 2010, 07:16 PM']I don't have a MM bass or even a MM pup in front of me but is it not possible to simply remove the plastic pup surround and replace that with a 'sealed' top (a la Bartolini/EMG) cover... failing that if the plastic surround comes off can you fit a spacer that will mean the pole pieces are dropped below the level of the surround (in my mind I know what I'm talking about, even if nobody else does ). I am just thinking out loud here and it might be a completely sealed unit for all I know! [/quote]

if it's not a sealed unit this may be the way...but wouldn't the pole pieces still be [i]slightly[/i] further away from the strings ?

still, prolly by only a tiny amount.


what we need is a scale model...

Edited August 15, 2010 by ahpook

[stingrayPete1977]

The cover comes off but some of the poles will still be sticking out a lot, Im presuming in relation to each other rather than across the whole pup? Which still leaves the problem of moving the poles back in one by one. I think a photo would solve it, I think if no one has one as bad maybe its just a bad pup and swap it anyway even for another EBMM one. A kind of whos bits stick out the most competition if you like!

Edited August 15, 2010 by stingrayPete1977

[peteb]

[quote name='ahpook' post='925762' date='Aug 15 2010, 07:07 PM']have you thought of talking to wizard pickups ?

i believe they do a 'covered' MM pickup that's not as costly as a bart, and if their p-bass pickups are anything to go by they're damn fine replacements.[/quote]
Cheers for that suggestion - I will look into that

Does anyone know how the various options (EMG, bartolini, wizzard) compare?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='925767' date='Aug 15 2010, 07:16 PM']I don't have a MM bass or even a MM pup in front of me but is it not possible to simply remove the plastic pup surround and replace that with a 'sealed' top (a la Bartolini/EMG) cover... failing that if the plastic surround comes off can you[b] fit a spacer that will mean the pole pieces are dropped below the level of the surround [/b](in my mind I know what I'm talking about, even if nobody else does ). I am just thinking out loud here and it might be a completely sealed unit for all I know! [/quote]
This is what I'd do.

However I have 4 MM pups spanning the decades from '78 to '06 and none of them seem to display this problem. I can't even imagine how you can be hitting your fingers off the pole pieces seeing as they are directly below the strings.