MM Stingray 5 pick up/pre amp replacement options to sound more like a ric

[marlond]

I know that MM pick up replacements have been done to death, but I'm lazy and don't want to search through years of posts to (maybe) find out what I need.

I normally play a ric and I LOVE the sound of it and that is why I play it over my Stingray 5 (which I love because it is a 5 string).

Anyway, I'm playing in a new project and I have decided that I will get miles out of my MM and utilize that low B because I am now playing with one guitarist and I think that the extended range will really help fill the sound and make things more interesting.

Is there any options that will help get my MM more into the my comfort zone of that "ric" sound? BTW, I play with my fingers though an Aguilar DB750 that I boost a little with an MXR M80. I also use some heavy fuzz from time to time.

I have also been reading about the Nordstrand pups that are supposed to be like that old MM pups. I have a newer MM that has the single soap-bar humbucker pup in it.

Can anyone attempt to describe why the older MM pups are better than the new ones? And what would I gain/lose by switching to the Nords?

So 2 part questions:

Is there anything that will get my MM to sound more like my ric?

And how will switching to the Nords affect my MM's tone?

[Stone Soup]

People say the older MM pickups (AlNiCo) are warmer sounding than the ceramic ones.

It depends what year your SR5 is. You might already have the AlNiCo pickup, if it's a newer Stingray 5 (provided I'm not mistaken).

I'm not so sure you can get a Ric sound from a Music Man. Sometimes, close just has to work. Try fiddling with your preamp settings. That's where I would start.

[MortallyWounded]

Talk to David Schwab @ SGD Lutherie. He's on here, I'm sure he'll chime in. I listened to the samples of his Sidewinders and Neos, and I'm convinced I'll be buying an M5 pickup from him. He has been very helpful in his emails and on here as well.

[marlond]

Originally Posted by Stone Soup

People say the older MM pickups (AlNiCo) are warmer sounding than the ceramic ones.

It depends what year your SR5 is. You might already have the AlNiCo pickup, if it's a newer Stingray 5 (provided I'm not mistaken).

I'm not so sure you can get a Ric sound from a Music Man. Sometimes, close just has to work. Try fiddling with your preamp settings. That's where I would start.

My MM is a 2005. I don't know if that means it has the ALNiCo pups or not.

Warmer would be better as the biggest problem I have with the MM is the highs. This rick just seems to have the perfect amount for my ears. The MM always seems like it is either too little an slightly muffled or the highs are too bright and I don't like them, IDK if that makes any sense.

I know that if I want the Ric sound then I should just play my ric, but I am... how would you say?... a "tonez chaser"

Originally Posted by MortallyWounded

Talk to David Schwab @ SGD Lutherie. He's on here, I'm sure he'll chime in. I listened to the samples of his Sidewinders and Neos, and I'm convinced I'll be buying an M5 pickup from him. He has been very helpful in his emails and on here as well.

I will defiantly have to check out his pups. The single coil sounds very interesting, especially because I have a suspicion that it is the fact that the ric has a single coil is what I like so much about it. Though I was excited to leave the world of that cursed single coil hum.

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