Herbie Flowers pickups

[bassgod76]

I'm doing an initial survey to start a Herbie Flowers tribute bass. I need reccommendations for pickups.

A. Lollar
B. Seymour Duncan: SJB-1
C. Fralin
D. Fender: Custom Shop 60's Jazz Bass
E. Other

[PilbaraBass]

me thinks that Curtis Novak would be able to help you out in both the pickup department and with other potential build issues that may come up

http://curtisnovak.com/vintage/JazzBass59/

[bassgod76]

I emailed him a few weeks ago, and he never got back to me. :/

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

I emailed him a few weeks ago, and he never got back to me. :/

Follow up with a phone call... I often will read an email with the intention of replying... hold off for some reason and then never reply...

If you don't receive a response to an email from someone, I think it's best to engage them on the phone...
Personally, I often will read an email with the intention of replying... hold off for some reason and then never reply...

I find that my hit rate for getting responses from people with inquiries like this is about 10% (20% tops). Where as, success via phone is more like 80% - 90%.

Too bad, you can't contact Herbie, himself...but I wouldn't have a clue as to how to do that.

Otherwise, just go with the Fender CS 60's Jazz pickups... after all, it IS a straight-up 60's jazz bass.

[SGD Lutherie]

According to Wikipedia:

He is a long time user of a 1959 Fender Jazz Bass that he purchased from Manny's in New York City for only $79.

So there you go.



Wonderful musician, he is.

Curtis seems to know about his particular bass:

http://curtisnovak.com/vintage/JazzBass59/

"I bought the bass on Oct. 12, 1959, from Manny's in New York. If you remove the neck you can see Leo Fender's signature and because it's a prototype it has various bits that are not standard. For example, underneath the pickguard they installed what was tantamount to a fuzzbox but it was very primitive - a couple of resistors that cut the signal in half and fouled it up. It had a switch on it and when you tried to cut the roughness out it wouldn't cut out properly, so I took it out."

[bassgod76]

I will see about giving him a call. I also have a question about why the bridge was moved forward.

[willyrep]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

I will see about giving him a call. I also have a question about why the bridge was moved forward.

If you're referring to the screws right behind the bridge pickup, those were actually the mounting area for foam dampening pads or "mutes" that were hidden under the chrome bridge cover.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by willyrep

If you're referring to the screws right behind the bridge pickup, those were actually the mounting area for foam dampening pads or "mutes" that were hidden under the chrome bridge cover.

I'm aware of those holes. I'm talking about the ones behind the bridge itself.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by PilbaraBass

Follow up with a phone call...

+1

I find Curtis is a little easier to get a hold of via phone at times.

Big +1 on dealing with him. He's a great guy.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

+1

I find Curtis is a little easier to get a hold of via phone at times.

Big +1 on dealing with him. He's a great guy.

Cool. I have two questions so I hope its not a burden. You ever try his pickups out? I wonder if they may be an option for this build?

[bassgod76]

I talked to Curtis. He was a very nice guy, and answered all my questions. He sells jazz pickups and he hand winds all his pickups by himself. Just by his level of customer service alone, I may consider him for the pickups of this bass.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

I'm aware of those holes. I'm talking about the ones behind the bridge itself.

It looks like the bridge was moved forward at some point. Now the silk wraps from the strings sit on the saddles.