5 string like a Darkstar?

[Wademeister63]

I really love the darkstars in my CB bass and I'm thinking about getting a 5 stringer but of course there are no 5 string Darkstars available

Any suggestions for a suitable high output passive 5 string pickup as a Darkstar substitute?

[kesslari]

bumpity

[Yvarg]

I thought I remember reading over at the dudepit that five string dark stars are on their way, but don't quote me on that . . .

[Thangfish]

From the Hammon Engineering web site:

The DS-5B (18mm) and DS-5N (17mm) 5-string models will be available soon.

BTW:
The website is no longer basspickup.com.
Here is the new one:

http://www.hammoneng.com/index.htm

[Metropolis_488]

Hey Wade, how is my old bass?
Every now and then I get the itch to make you an offer to buy it back...but my Stingray HH has really tempered my GAS.

I liked that bas ALOT more than the second Ball bass I got from Cliff. I sold your bass because my dog had HUGE vet bills and I am regretting that sale.

[bmaxd]

Originally Posted by Thangfish

From the Hammon Engineering web site:

The DS-5B (18mm) and DS-5N (17mm) 5-string models will be available soon.

BTW:
The website is no longer basspickup.com.
Here is the new one:

http://www.hammoneng.com/index.htm

That has been on the website since I first heard of Darkstars, which was back when Lakland started using them.

[Rodent]

they're getting closer to reality - still some details to work out I hear

all the best,

R

[iplaybasstexas]

Fred is on the site quite commonly.....Maybe he'll see this and post>!

[Wademeister63]

Originally Posted by Metropolis_488

Hey Wade, how is my old bass?
Every now and then I get the itch to make you an offer to buy it back...but my Stingray HH has really tempered my GAS.

I liked that bas ALOT more than the second Ball bass I got from Cliff. I sold your bass because my dog had HUGE vet bills and I am regretting that sale.

My all-time favorite bass!
I'm sorry you had to sell but I'm glad I was lucky enough to be the buyer. If I could get Cliff to build another one like it with the darkstars in a 5 stringer I might do that and just have the pair. If I go insane and decide to sell one day I'll PM you first

[EBMatt]

I emailed them about 2-3 weeks ago about a 5 string Darkstar. This was the response: "Please check back in about 3 months."

Maybe that helps a little...

[spiritbass]

Wade - you already know there is no substitue for Dark Stars. I confess, I am also addicted to them. The last I heard, Fred is tweaking design parameters to make the 5 string version's sound as close as possible the 4...

[Fred Hammon]

Yes, yes, yes....
The DS-5 series should be arriving soon.
The delay is entirely my fault. I made the mistake of paying one of my suppliers in advance (big bucks too) which has turned out to be an invitation for them to do work other than mine!

To their credit, they were the same people who helped me get my prototype out from conception to first article in 3 months. It's been over 2 years now.
The deal was to include all of the DS model bobbins (the black plastic part) in one master injection mold base using different inserts for each model which is 3 in all counting the DS-5 bobbin.
I met with them again today and it's all a matter of polishing to a mirror finish the part of the mold which will be the face of the pickup.
I will then need to get the chrome-over-brass surrounds made but that will only take another month as I have found a very good and responsive supplier for that.
The down side again of taking this long is that everything is twice as expensive as it was when I first started. No joke.
The only thing I have to off-set this problem and not have to pass it on to my customers is that I've learned how to work smarter and more efficiently. In other words, I got better at making Dark Stars. It's routine now and no motion of my body or effort of mind is wasted. I've got this dance down to an art.
Please be patient.
When the DS-5s are ready, you guys had better buy a couple from me to help out!

[eARTHLING]

I was wondering, since you have confirmed that the 5 string darkstar pickups should be in production soon, would you ever start making other pickups besides the darkstar models?

[fretlessman71]

Okay, so someone either tell me WHY Dark Stars are so desirable, OR point me to a link you found in a search whilst ridiculing my inability or unwillingness to do it on my own...

[basadam]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

Okay, so someone either tell me WHY Dark Stars are so desirable, OR point me to a link you found in a search whilst ridiculing my inability or unwillingness to do it on my own...

Click here and listen the samples.

[fretlessman71]

They sound interesting. There's a First Act bass out about a year ago that has similar looking pickups designed by Kent Armstrong (I think). I wonder how they are?

This bass got a really nice review in Bass Player, so it's not the cheapo Wal-Mart kind; it's a real bass....

[Fred Hammon]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

They sound interesting. There's a First Act bass out about a year ago that has similar looking pickups designed by Kent Armstrong (I think). I wonder how they are?

This bass got a really nice review in Bass Player, so it's not the cheapo Wal-Mart kind; it's a real bass....

Uh.....that pickup is a Dark Star!



This one (or it's twin) belongs to Randy Jackson



Here's a green version belonging to Shonna Tucker of Drive-By Truckers:

[EBMatt]

Originally Posted by Fred Hammon

Uh.....that pickup is a Dark Star!

Looks like a Darkstar at the neck but a Chi-Sonic at the Bridge.

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by Fred Hammon

Yes, yes, yes....
The DS-5 series should be arriving soon.
The delay is entirely my fault. I made the mistake of paying one of my suppliers in advance (big bucks too) which has turned out to be an invitation for them to do work other than mine!

To their credit, they were the same people who helped me get my prototype out from conception to first article in 3 months. It's been over 2 years now.
The deal was to include all of the DS model bobbins (the black plastic part) in one master injection mold base using different inserts for each model which is 3 in all counting the DS-5 bobbin.
I met with them again today and it's all a matter of polishing to a mirror finish the part of the mold which will be the face of the pickup.
I will then need to get the chrome-over-brass surrounds made but that will only take another month as I have found a very good and responsive supplier for that.
The down side again of taking this long is that everything is twice as expensive as it was when I first started. No joke.
The only thing I have to off-set this problem and not have to pass it on to my customers is that I've learned how to work smarter and more efficiently. In other words, I got better at making Dark Stars. It's routine now and no motion of my body or effort of mind is wasted. I've got this dance down to an art.
Please be patient.
When the DS-5s are ready, you guys had better buy a couple from me to help out!

good info, Fred...my brother in Pennsylvania has been in the plastic mold business for over 20 years, so I know a little about what you're talking about...he started out in sales for a texturing company (they use a photo-etch technique)...then he went to a company that actually built the molds...he's now doing freelance mold design and CNC programming for some local companies (as well as driving two small CNC's himself)...

if you ever need some additional sources or contacts, I can put you in touch with him...just PM me...

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by basadam

Click here and listen the samples.

Wow!

THAT is exactly the sound I've been looking for for 40 years.

Can anyone spare an antacid - I feel a major GAS attack coming on.