Potentially noob-ish pickup question

[Shmandy]

So I've got a question, and I'm completely inexperienced when it comes to fiddling with the electronics in guitars. I understand a decent amount fundamentally, but I've never done it, and am just starting to investigate the possibility of doing some fiddling.

Anyway, I have a Schecter Stiletto Deluxe 5 string, and it has the stock soapbar pickups that come in it--"Diamond Plus" I think they're called--but they're a little too dark for my taste. I realize this bass is marketed more toward the metal crowd, but I don't play a lot of that.

My other bass is an international Spector (can't remember if it's Czech or Korean) and it has the EMG HZ P/J combo with Hi-Beams on it (soon to be Fat Beams, but you get the idea.) I am hoping for something in the same vein tonally, but I understand I may not be able to get the exact same thing.

All that to ask: what kind of soapbars should I look at? Am I even able to get in the ballpark of what I'm aiming for with soapbars? (Like I said, I know next to nothing about pickups).

Thanks in advance for any help guys!

EDIT: I forgot to add, the Schecter pickups are active, though I'm not necessarily against going passive.

[berwick63]

My suggestion would be to get a ruler or tape measure and get the dimensions of the current pick ups. I have a feeling they are passive pick ups with an active preamp, but thats not to say you can't get active pick ups. EMG makes a wide variety. HZ's are passive. All their other soapbars are active. I believe Bart makes similar sized soaps as well. More or less, check out companies, compare sizes, maybe search some youtube videos of specific brands.

[Shmandy]

Bump with dimensions: the pickups are 4" by 1.25" which is about what I would have guessed since it is a 5 string bass.

I guess I need to crack open her back and see if it's an active preamp or active pickups before I really start exploring. Is one preferable over the other? I like the HZs that are in my Spector, and I know that is a passive pickup/active preamp system. But if there's a general TB leaning one way or the other, then I'd like to know that.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Shmandy

Bump with dimensions: the pickups are 4" by 1.25" which is about what I would have guessed since it is a 5 string bass.

I guess I need to crack open her back and see if it's an active preamp or active pickups before I really start exploring. Is one preferable over the other? I like the HZs that are in my Spector, and I know that is a passive pickup/active preamp system. But if there's a general TB leaning one way or the other, then I'd like to know that.

Are those the pickups with the four mounting screws?

Are they 1.25 or 1.37 (3/8").

I can make passive pickups with those covers (4" X 1.37").



Otherwise you will have to rout the bass for EMG-40 size pickups (4" X 1.5").

[capnsandwich]

4" by 1.25" sounds like EMG 40 specs. Check out the EMG website for specs on tone and varieties. I like EMG's. Very modern but very punchy and lots of output.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by capnsandwich

4" by 1.25" sounds like EMG 40 specs. Check out the EMG website for specs on tone and varieties. I like EMG's. Very modern but very punchy and lots of output.

EMG-40s are 4" X 1.5", as I posted above.

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

EMG-40s are 4" X 1.5", as I posted above.

Ah, I didn't read below the pic. I guess I should look more closely before I go running my mouth with false wisdom.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by capnsandwich

Ah, I didn't read below the pic. I guess I should look more closely before I go running my mouth with false wisdom.

I probably shouldn't have put text below the picture!

But all EMG soapbars are 1.5", and then what ever the name is; 35=3.5", etc.

I get my covers from the same Asian suppliers that are probably making them for Schecter, so I'm pretty sue it's the same pickup shell.

[Shmandy]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Are those the pickups with the four mounting screws?

Are they 1.25 or 1.37 (3/8").

I can make passive pickups with those covers (4" X 1.37").

Turns out you were right, they're 1.37". I guess I was just lazy with my measurements. That picture you posted looks exactly like what I have. Granted, it's just a plain black soapbar cover.

As for the guts, I opened her up and looked, but I don't know a whole lot about what I'm looking at. I don't think there's a preamp, but I could just be ignorant. Here's a pic:



If you need me to go in and label the pots or anything I can gladly do that.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Shmandy

Turns out you were right, they're 1.37". I guess I was just lazy with my measurements. That picture you posted looks exactly like what I have. Granted, it's just a plain black soapbar cover.

As I said there are only so many parts on the market unless the builder has them custom made.

It's a plain black cover because it hasn't had a logo pad printed on it yet.

But my point was that I can get those pickup covers and build a replacement set of pickups for the bass. Otherwise you have to rout it for something like an EMG-40 size.

As for the guts, I opened her up and looked, but I don't know a whole lot about what I'm looking at. I don't think there's a preamp, but I could just be ignorant. Here's a pic:



If you need me to go in and label the pots or anything I can gladly do that.

Yes, that's a preamp. Now if you are saying the pickups are dark sounding, have you tried to adjust the tone controls on the bass? Since you have a preamp, try boosting the highs while keeping the bass flat (at the center click) or even reducing the lows a little. You aren't using them boosted all the way, are you? Having the bass control all the way up will make it too boomy.

If they are still too dark, when were the strings changed last, and how old is the battery? If a fresh set of strings and a new battery doesn't help, then you need new pickups.