Is there an aftermarket Musicman single coil pickup?

GassieBall · #1 08-24-2010, 03:14 PM

I'm looking for an Alnico single coil pickup for a Sterling HS. Anyone know if this exists? My search algorithm has been unfruitful.

rumblethump · #2 08-26-2010, 11:25 AM

Kent Armstrong can be wired Parallel/single coil/Series, but it has ceramic magnets. I imagine any Alnico 5 wire pickup would fit the bill.

murphy · #3 08-27-2010, 09:45 PM

You could buy a nordstrand MM and use half of it....
Would be a single coil ...with noise

Datsgor · #4 08-27-2010, 11:17 PM

delano makes this........made with Alnico 5's

Stealth · #5 08-28-2010, 05:36 AM

If I read it right, you want a replacement singlecoil pickup, not the MM? In that case, check http://www.delano.de and see what they have to offer (from the J-coil part of the site) - you might find something you like.

murphy · #6 08-28-2010, 05:58 AM

Again...a caution!!!
Their split coil single coil pickups with music man style pickups will not work with a Music man pickup.... Look at the symbols with their pickups.
They only work with the correct matching pickup

ex-tension · #7 08-28-2010, 11:23 AM

The neck pickup on Sterling HS is not an ordinary single coil pickup. It has a phantom coil built in. That phantom coil is used for cancelling the hum on the single coil modes (switch positions 2 and 5). So, it's used both for bridge and neck pickup. I don't think there is a replacement pickup with the same properties.

Check out the video of the MusicMan pickup technology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8lZXo50DKM

GassieBall · #8 09-04-2010, 09:49 PM

Thanks for the info, guys. But since this is an HS, I would also need to replace one of the single coils that goes along with the phantom coil, but I can't find just a single coil MM pickup that will fit in the S position of the HS bass

Stealth · #9 09-06-2010, 05:42 AM

Yes, you can. The Delano JMVC 4 FE/M2 is what you need.

GassieBall · #10 09-06-2010, 06:20 PM

Stealth, I think that's close but no cigar

The Delano fits a Jazz route with four screws. The MM S is two screws at the end.

Stealth · #11 09-07-2010, 04:39 AM

Right, so the only difference is the casing (or, rather, the pickup cover) - maybe you should mail Delano and see if they're willing to make you a custom pickup cover along with the coil.

i_got_a_mohawk · #12 09-07-2010, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphy

Again...a caution!!!
Their split coil single coil pickups with music man style pickups will not work with a Music man pickup.... Look at the symbols with their pickups.
They only work with the correct matching pickup

Pickups aren't the most complex of things, I'm pretty sure if you got the switching right you could have it working easily.

I don't buy the whole "our delano pickups only work with other delano pickups and preamps" that they try to flog. (clever marketing tho).

murphy · #13 09-07-2010, 05:38 AM

Well, this was certainly the experience of someone on this forum who tried to ad one to his SR5 and no matter how they tried, it would not work.
I am trying the same thing with a Nordstrand MM pickup added to my Music man SR5.
I am now thinking it is the Music man pickup and I just need to have two Nordy pickups?

tubby.twins · #14 09-07-2010, 05:03 PM

I don't think it's them trying to sell you a "Delano-only" line, as much as it is a fair warning that some of their pickups are necessarily wound differently and would have phase issues when used with most standard humbucking pickups.

If you used a more standard single coil or stacked-coil Delano pickup instead of a "twin-coil inline humcanceller" with a triangle icon, I am sure that it would work fine with your stock SR5 pickup.

As has been said earlier, the best way is to call or e-mail Delano and see if they can make something custom for you. Aside from the case being a bit different than what other basses use, I don't think they would have a problem making an armature of the correct type which fits in the case. They've been pretty flexible for me in the past, and I've done a wacky custom order or two.

murphy · #15 09-14-2010, 09:03 PM

SR5
My Nordstrand MM5.2 fits half in the music man single coil cover and the other half hides under the pickguard.
I switched the bridge pickup with another 5.2 and they are all working great together
Parallel bridge = both= neck series(single coil look) -into music man preamp

So I have now converted the bass into my version of an HS model

Warmer, more organic, old school stingray and P bass sounds