Bass thoughts... interesting pickups? Guild, Thunderbird etc

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Situation: I have a homemade P bass that's super-traditional early 60s style - regular Lollar pickup, fat neck, sunburst etc. I also have a CS Jazz Bass care of @Bridgehouse that's a great instrument but doesn't quite suit me compared to the P. I am also still convinced that a second bass would be a good idea, and I like the idea of a white P bass with a mid-width neck, just because they look great and also because the perfect neck already popped up on Warmoth and it arrived yesterday.

I'm well aware I like classic sounds - think Beatles, Motown, classic rock, etc, but like the idea of not having both basses sound exactly the same and definitey want one to be a #1 do-everything (within reason) gigging bass.

So I'm thinking about building a white one as the perfect all-rounder Precision with the narrower neck and a nice light ash body from somewhere, plus the Lollar from the sunburst. Then put a more interesting pickup in the sunburst...

I note Novak does a Guild/Hagstrom style pickup that could be ace. Has anyone ever played anything with this sort of thing in a solidbody format can chime in?

https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/bs-ds/ ;

Or something Thunderbirdy...?

So far I'm counting out Ric style on the assumption I'll probably end up with a 4003 eventually anyway...

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Bumping for the evening crowd and any bass folks who haven't seen this! @fretmeister @ICBM @Funkfingers help!

Funkfingers · August 2023

stickyfiddle said:
something Thunderbirdy...?

Here, I might be able to assist.

I have a GSP Basses Fenderbird body that I purchased last year for a self-build project that have done very little to progress since.

This body is mahogany, routed for a screw-on Fender type neck, EMG35-sized soapbar pickups and rear controls. It is drilled for a top-loading F-style bridge.

On the pickup front, I was undecided between EMG35s, Duncan NYC Soapbars or the Fishman Mike Inez signature pickup. (I have one EMG35-J and a neck/bridge pair of NYCs.)

If there is any interest, I shall take some photographs.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Appreciate the offer! At this point the most likely plan would be shoehorning a Guild style pickup in the body I already have, but I’m nervous to actually do it…

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Anyone else?

Funkfingers · August 2023

I'm surprised that Bridgehouse has not contributed.

To my way of thinking, you will always need a traditional P Bass, even down to its wider string spacing at the nut. That formula is dependable for certain music so, leave the instrument as is.

Put all of the non-traditional ideas into your project bass.

Alternatively, if you are determined to add a big/deep pickup to your first self-build bass guitar, consider adding it near the neck à la Billy Sheehan.

On a PJ Bass body, consider a naughty Oil City Overkill for the bridge/LJ position.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Funkfingers said:

I'm surprised that Bridgehouse has not contributed.

To my way of thinking, you will always need a traditional P Bass, even down to its wider string spacing at the nut. That formula is dependable for certain music so, leave the instrument as is.

Put all of the non-traditional ideas into your project bass.

Alternatively, if you are determined to add a big/deep pickup to your first self-build bass guitar, consider adding it near the neck à la Billy Sheehan.

On a PJ Bass body, consider a naughty Oil City Overkill for the bridge/LJ position.

Yeah, I def want a trad P, but with a slightly narrower neck. I have one with 41mm nut which is great so that'll be the backbone. And I want it in white because I'm a tart who doesn't want to just stand at the back being anonymous, so...

The extra neck pickup option is a good call, and was originally what I was thinking in terms of an extra pickup - that's where the Guild thing came in, though I do wonder if anything in that spot might be too muddy without something much more bridge-focused, but I don't like bridge pickups that much, so I go round in circles. Doesn't help we have bugger all good music shops out here.

Sporky · August 2023

Stingray!

prowla · August 2023

Roland synth!

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Sporky said:

Stingray!

lol...

prowla said:

Roland synth!

bigger lol...

roberty · August 2023

You could wang a Dimarzio Split P in there without routing. I had one in my P Bass but in the end I got one of those Jack Casady Epiphones for a humbucker sound, and made my P Bass a P Bass again

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Y'all seem to be under the impression I want something modern or versatile... Did I give a false impression?

I'm already a P bass guy and that's plenty complicated...!!

Sporky · August 2023

stickyfiddle said:

Sporky said:

Stingray!

lol...

I meant just the pickup. I'm sure it can be fitted to a lesser instrument.

Funkfingers · August 2023

Some less traditional manufacturers already offer instruments with the P/'Ray pickup combination - preferably, with a selector switch rather than a balance pot.

'Bucker by the neck configurations would benefit from Sheehan-esque dual channel outputs and amplification.

ICBM · August 2023

Fender Wide Range Humbucker - turn it into a Telecaster Bass. These are best wired in parallel, surprisingly - series is rather too Mudbucker-like.

Or just fit a Mudbucker

.

KKJale · August 2023

Novak PB-90? I have one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5YCUJtwxZs

fretmeister · August 2023

Definitely Stingray based.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

fretmeister said:

Definitely Stingray based.

Do they work without the preamp? I'm not keen on faffing with batteries and loads of knobs.

In any case I'd ruled it out as I figure I may end up with a Stingray down the line anyway but will do a google

Funkfingers · August 2023

stickyfiddle said:

fretmeister said:

Definitely Stingray based.

Do they work without the preamp?

Yeah but no but …

The passive dual coil pickup works without a buffered onboard pre-amp but it is unlikely to sound as good.

Some users swear that the earlier 2-band EQ sounds better than the 3-band. When confronted with a 3-band EQ, Tony Levin rolls the mid pot down and the other two up.

The double J pickup on some Warwick basses sounds good. The active version should be okay with just a treble roll off pot.

UnclePsychosis · August 2023

Double P.

No, really. It sounds like a P, obviously, but with a second pickup you can do a lot more. I recently picked up one of these FGN basses in this configuration, and its much nicer (to me) than doing something like PJ - all of the sounds are way more usable.

Passive, versatile, little bit different, but still covers the classic tones. Any other boxes you need ticked? :-D

Funkfingers · August 2023

Er, is either of those P pickups in the sweet spot?

Deviate much from the traditional location and the pickup doesn't sound anything like as good. On many converted Jazz Basses, the P pickup rout is the original cavity, extended towards the neck. This looks good on the pickguard but sounds weak. The Fender Reggie Hamilton model Jazz Bass had the P pickup in the right place. It looked wrong but sounded exactly right.

•

Actually, since the pickups in the video are Duncan Quarter Pound models, they probably sound bad wherever they are installed.

DavidRees · August 2023

Sporky said:

Stingray!

anything can happen in the next half hour ...

UnclePsychosis · August 2023

Funkfingers said:

Er, is either of those P pickups in the sweet spot?

Deviate much from the traditional location and the pickup doesn't sound anything like as good. On many converted Jazz Basses, the P pickup rout is the original cavity, extended towards the neck. This looks good on the pickguard but sounds weak. The Fender Reggie Hamilton model Jazz Bass had the P pickup in the right place. It looked wrong but sounded exactly right.

•

Actually, since the pickups in the video are Duncan Quarter Pound models, they probably sound bad wherever they are installed.

I've got one, and both pickups sound ace.

victorludorum · August 2023

I've got a Firebird pickup in mine. Single-coil ish sounding and silent.

fretmeister · August 2023

stickyfiddle said:

fretmeister said:

Definitely Stingray based.

Do they work without the preamp? I'm not keen on faffing with batteries and loads of knobs.

In any case I'd ruled it out as I figure I may end up with a Stingray down the line anyway but will do a google

Oh yes, they can sound great as passive.

https://youtu.be/JcxqY0aDwN0

And of course there’s this guy… doesn’t even have a tone knob. Joe Dart is definitely taking the Rocco approach to bass lines.

Bass into a compressor and then amp. Using EB Group Flatwounds.

One of my favourite thumpy but articulate sounds ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv4wf7bzfFE&t=259s

And some little demo vids but without his usual amps.

https://youtu.be/9eOF7t4HgjE

https://youtu.be/LQP24rRDxrQ

stickyfiddle · August 2023

That MSG gig is so bizarre. No doubting that Dart is a beast and sounds great throughout, and Dean Town & Cory Wong are both great tracks.

But VP always come across as the most "rich white guys who went to art college on daddy's money and their entire existence is post-ironic smugness" thing in the world. I'm certain it's intentional as they seem like decent guys (LOVE Wong's podcast in particular) but I can't deal with it!

Good bass sounds though...

fretmeister · August 2023

stickyfiddle said:

That MSG gig is so bizarre. No doubting that Dart is a beast and sounds great throughout, and Dean Town & Cory Wong are both great tracks.

But VP always come across as the most "rich white guys who went to art college on daddy's money and their entire existence is post-ironic smugness" thing in the world. I'm certain it's intentional as they seem like decent guys (LOVE Wong's podcast in particular) but I can't deal with it!

Good bass sounds though...

I get that.

I realise he's the force behind it, but I can't help thinking that they'd be better without Jack Stratton. All that slogan related bullshit "End govt subsidies for active basses" etc.

And as for him bringing his mum along to do some meditation mid gig...

Maybe they should just tape his mouth shut and let him play. He's a good player afterall!

The newer gigs have been better for that - more singers and less Stratton.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

That MSG gig is so bizarre. No doubting that Dart is a beast and sounds great throughout, and Dean Town & Cory Wong are both great tracks.

But VP always come across as the most "rich white guys who went to art college on daddy's money and their entire existence is post-ironic smugness" thing in the world. I'm certain it's intentional as they seem like decent guys (LOVE Wong's podcast in particular) but I can't deal with it!

Good bass sounds though...

I get that.

I realise he's the force behind it, but I can't help thinking that they'd be better without Jack Stratton. All that slogan related bullshit "End govt subsidies for active basses" etc.

And as for him bringing his mum along to do some meditation mid gig...

Maybe they should just tape his mouth shut and let him play. He's a good player afterall!

The newer gigs have been better for that - more singers and less Stratton.

Yeah there’s no doubt they’re all great players and a fantastic tight band. But a bit more songs with singing in them would be no bad thing

Anyway, I’m still leaning Wide Range and/or Novak-Guild and/or Thunderbirds, but a proper Stingray is def on the long-term to do list.

p90fool · August 2023

If I were building an alternative bass from scratch I'd fit a HotWire W-Bucker.

Bridgehouse · August 2023

Single coil 51 style P bass - very punchy, very direct, and different to a normal P.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Bridgehouse said:

Single coil 51 style P bass - very punchy, very direct, and different to a normal P.

Oooh actually that's a great shout. I'd need to work out how to deal with routing/pickguard to not look a complete mess but that could be great.

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Bass thoughts... interesting pickups? Guild, Thunderbird etc

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