5-string soapbars in a 4-stringer?

Skrapmetal · #1 05-30-2010, 11:50 AM

I've got a lower end Dean 4 string, I believe it's an Edge. It's Korean made, purchased approx 8-9 years ago. It's just beat up enough to start getting a little character, and with some tweaking it is set up and actually playing pretty nice.

The problem is the pickups. They're just... well, they're what you'd expect from a bass that was probably $150ish new. I'm trying to find something to replace them. I want to stay passive.

The existing pickups dimensions are just a hair over 4" long, just a hair under 1.5" wide, and just a hair under 1" deep. The routing on the body is .75" deep.

All of the aftermarket pickups I can find that are similar in size are for five string basses. Would using them be a problem? They are soapbars, so I would assume the magnets are a solid bar rather than pole pieces which would be missaligned... but I figured I'd ask.

Any recommendations? I play mostly rock/metal, if that matters...

Skrapmetal · #2 05-30-2010, 12:04 PM

The bass in question (crappy picture, sorry)

Kalango · #3 05-30-2010, 09:56 PM

It depends on the type of magnet the pickup uses. If it is a bar magnet going through all the pickup length, it will work just fine. If the magnets are polepieces or more than one bar along the pickup length (split coil) you will probably have a volume drop on some strings. Examples of pickups that will work: EMG 40J, EMG 40DC, EMG 40CS, EMG 40 HZ, Bartolini dual coil in the M4 size. Won't work: EMG 40 P5, Bartolini split coil in the M4 size. I'm sure there are others, these are just the ones I have worked with.
Hope this helps.

stflbn · #4 05-30-2010, 09:59 PM

Kent Armstrong soapbars are also Bar or rail style pickups.

Skrapmetal · #5 05-31-2010, 06:25 AM

Thanks for the advice. Now the question I have to answer is whether or not it's worth it to put money into polishing the turd, or if I'd be better off putting the same money into a used bass that sounds good off the shelf.

Kalango · #6 05-31-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

Kent Armstrong soapbars are also Bar or rail style pickups.

Yes, but I think they wouldn't fit without some routing, and even so, there would be a small gap sideways as they are less than 1.5" wide.
I think EMG 40HZ pickups would be a nice fit, as they aren't too expensive, are passive (very simple to install) and sound really good, specially for the $$.