Warm up my Hohner?

[Pbassred]

I've posed a couple of questions on the forum but probable been asking the wrong question -so back to bassics then.

I have a Hohner copy of the Steinberger headless small body bass B2A FL. It’s wooden (so less body mass than the “real” one) and the output is quite weak – even in active mode. I play funk and RnB so I need a phatter solution.

Some have advised me to bin the on board electronics and fit active pups instead. OK, I’ll buy that – except that the music man style pup seems to have limited options over here and I don’t know what the options sound like.

SO:-
Active Pups?
Passives with active boost?
Actives with active boost?

P.S. My other basses are a 78 USA precision and a couple of active Yamahas. The Hohner is by far the thinnest sounding.

[walterw]

"music man style"?

all the ones i've seen had two guitar-sized humbuckers.

[Stealth]

I would suggest talking to SGD over here at Talkbass and reading through this page: SGD Lutherie Pickups - David's one of the few who make pickups in HB format and I'm certain he can wind something up for you.

I've got a similar bass (though not FL - I assume yours is fretless?) but I was lucky enough to purchase one with active EMGs and the sound isn't thin at all.

[Pbassred]

"music man style"?

all the ones i've seen had two guitar-sized humbuckers.

Humbuckers with 3 screw holes. That says Music Man to me. Since the real Steinberger EMG pickups were designed from MMs, I guess that's what I should call them. ........... but feel free to correct me .... that's why I ask dumb questions!

[Stealth]

Originally Posted by Pbassred

Humbuckers with 3 screw holes. That says Music Man to me. Since the real Steinberger EMG pickups were designed from MMs, I guess that's what I should call them. ........... but feel free to correct me .... that's why I ask dumb questions!

Not quite.

Behold, a Musicman pickup in captivity:

Dimensions: 3.5" × 1.9"

Now, a HB (humbucker) sized pickup is this:

Dimensions: 2.75" × 1.5"

The Musicman pickup is a unique beast. The HB is descended from the guitar humbucker (those unusually small and squealy instruments with six strings). The three screws misled you because those hold the pickup ring in place - the actual screws are further down towards the bottom of the pickup cavity. More importantly, inside the pickup cover is a P-pickup shape, not a full-width dual coil like a Musicman.

[Pbassred]

Its 2.75 X 1.5" - HBs ...... 3 screws. So anyway:- same problem, but I need a new mounting plate too.

Are we saying that I should be looking at GUITAR pickups?

[Stealth]

According to this thread the guitar humbuckers are a matching fit for that cavity, so maybe one of those models would work, provided it's not a hot-wound pickup as that'd muddy the sound by a lot. However, EMG used to manufacture the so-called EMG-HB model like the one from my B2A:



Exact same size as the stock pickup you have, but active and overall better-made. It's supposedly discontinued, although places like BestBassGear do stock them (the EMG-HB and the EMG-HBCS).

Also, people've made similar changes to their new Steinberger Spirits (aside from the body construction material, the basses are largely similar) and summed it up in that tutorial. Going fully active (EMG-HB/HBCS pickups and EMG-BTC tone control) would give you the best of both worlds.

[SGD Lutherie]

The pickups in the Hohner are likely Schaller Bassbuckers. I had a Kramer Duke with one of those, and they don't sound all that great. Very mid heavy and they lack low end. I rewound mine which helped a little.

You can use any humbucker size bass pickups with two screws, all you need are new humbucker pickup rings. They are cheap.

There area few options for pickups in that size. As Stealth said, I make pickups that size, then there are EMG-HBs which are the same as their P pickups, EMG Selects, the Bartolini 1C, Rio Grande Pitbull, John Birch Magnum 2 and the TV Jones Thunderbass in the "English mount."

I think that's about it. Might be some Asian pickups in that shape too.

[Pbassred]

Thanks for all the input.
well as I live in the UK EMG-HBs are pretty much the only game in town. I'd like to try an HBCS because of the extra bass but you just can't get em in the UK, and Best Bassgear can't ship outside the USA.
Pretty much the same story with the other suggestions too.

[Stealth]

That is the unfortunate case with BBG. Maybe if there were a kind soul who'd purchase them from the states and ship to you...

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Pbassred

Pretty much the same story with the other suggestions too.

Not quite, I ship anywhere in the world.

[SurrenderMonkey]

Originally Posted by Pbassred

Thanks for all the input.
well as I live in the UK EMG-HBs are pretty much the only game in town. I'd like to try an HBCS because of the extra bass but you just can't get em in the UK, and Best Bassgear can't ship outside the USA.
Pretty much the same story with the other suggestions too.

E-mail Andy at Wizard pickups, and see what he can do for you. He makes ace affordable custom pickups.

http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/shop.asp?category=Bass

[Pbassred]

Done, Cheers.



Edit:- Andy @ Wizard came back to me. Unfortunatly he does not wind active pickups, so he couldn't help. Full marks for getting back to me though. I've tried 2 shops who list them but don't actually stock them. They didn't bother to return my calls.