New Tuners and Pickup for my OLP musicman 5 string bass.

[vibhas_2310]

Hey !!

I just got a 5 string OLP and the stock tuners are terrible. Can anyone suggest where I can get replacment tuners ??

ALso, I am looking at replacing the stock pickup on the bass. Any suggestions regarding this ??

Thanks,
Vibhas

[vibhas_2310]

bump...any help ?

[jimbilly]

I'm not sure how much help this is, but my tech friend took a stock OLP 5, routed it for a jazz pickup at the neck and changed out the pots, put a new nut on it (apparently the original nut was cut BADLY), and it turned into a great bass. Scroll about 3/4 of the way down, I think you'll be inspired!
http://serviceguitarrepair.com/

[walterw]

one cheap trick for the stock pickup (which is not the same shape as a real MM, making replacement a pain), is to rewire it from the stock parallel (bright and kinda weak without a preamp) to series (big and fat). makes for a way better B string.

here's the diagram for a jazz bass, which is exactly the same layout.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by walterw

not the same shape as a real MM

Can you elaborate on this?

[vibhas_2310]

Thanks !!

That was a great link jimbilly andwalterw, my tech tried doing that. The pickup is really really bad man. So have no option but to go in for a new pickup.

I am thinking of Delano and wiring it passive.

Also, any tips of the tuners ??

[vibhas_2310]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Can you elaborate on this?

I suppose the new musicman models dont have the " pickup ears " that are found on old OLP's and still found on laklands. They have this nice place to rest your thumb.

[RBrownBass]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Can you elaborate on this?

The OLP 5 pup has ears that stick out. Bartolini (*and Nordstrand and Delano) makes drop-in replacements, but the stock pup is not shaped exactly like a Ray.

*The thing is, if you have an older one (you can tell because the bridge is shaped like an older 4-string Ray bridge), it has narrower spacing than a real Ray, but the neck is the same width as a Ray at both hut and heel. Meaning that if you buy a Ray replacement pup of any reputation with exposed polepieces and you want your polepieces to be centered under the strings as they should be (aesthetically, anyhow- I won't get into a debate about string excursion here), you pretty much have to replace the bridge. The Bart will work fine and look fine with the stock bridge, because it's got a solid cover.

[vibhas_2310]

Originally Posted by Auriaprottu

The OLP 5 pup has ears that stick out. Bartolini (*and Nordstrand and Delano) makes drop-in replacements, but the stock pup is not shaped exactly like a Ray.

*The thing is, if you have an older one (you can tell because the bridge is shaped like an older 4-string Ray bridge), it has narrower spacing than a real Ray, but the neck is the same width as a Ray at both hut and heel. Meaning that if you buy a Ray replacement pup of any reputation with exposed polepieces and you want your polepieces to be centered under the strings as they should be (aesthetically, anyhow- I won't get into a debate about string excursion here), you pretty much have to replace the bridge. The Bart will work fine and look fine with the stock bridge, because it's got a solid cover.

So I cant go in for pickups with exposed polepieces eh ??

Not even something like this, the model with the ears ??



http://www.delano.de/products.html?&..._smtdelano_pi1[cat]=1&tx_smtdelano_pi1[series]=7&tx_smtdelano_pi1[strings]=6&tx_smtdelano_pi1[system]=54

[vibhas_2310]

wait, click on the 5 string MM pickup and under there look at MC 5 FE...thats the one I am looking at. For some reason, the above link doesnt take u directly to the page

[Darkstrike]

Delano would make one with the pole-pieces spaced to suit your bass, as a special order, as would Nordstrand, and IIRC Duncan do custom work too.

[vibhas_2310]

Cool. Thanks Darkstrike !!