What pickups for Wenge / Mahogany bass?

[AnTz0r]

I'm building a new body for my Warwick neck. See this thread: http://talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480300

The neck is wenge, the new body is biggggg and made of mahogany. I play in a metal band. I want a sound that cuts through the mix (don't wanna be the guy that you can only feel but not hear), but without sounding thin. I'm looking for a deeper sound than the warwick swamp ash body gives me.

What pickups should I get? Fire away I was thinking along lines of either dual soapbars or double humbuckers.

[James Hart]

Delano

[jworrellbass]

It looks like you are in the Netherlands, you should contact Erno with Q-tuners and see what he has that will work with what you are after. Delano's are great pups, they would be awesome as well.

[AnTz0r]

delano ok, but what type of config? humbuckers, soapbars?

[jworrellbass]

If you contact the pickup builder and tell them what your after they can suggest what would be best.

[AnTz0r]

that q tuner thing sounds nice but very expensive. the company is located at a 10 minute drive of my parents, where i'm building this bass. interesting wonder if it is a bit too hifi for my taste though. q tuner have only one type of pickup listed at the site.

[jworrellbass]

Yea, they offer a jazz and a soapbar pup. The thing they have is the m-3 allen set screw, which offers different tones, mids, bass, treble type of thing. They are pricey but everyone who's used them raves about them. One thing you should think about is pickup location (if you havn't already).

abhttp://www.till.com/articles/PickupResponse/

[bassman74]

delano (JC 4 HE/M2) + 1000000

without hesitation, these pickups are made to go with bubinga, wenge and mahogany


.....

[AnTz0r]

someone also suggested me the villex pickups. what are your thoughts on that?

[fullrangebass]

It's no secret that I appreciate the big organic extended tone of Villex pickups and their great output. I've converted several basses to sport Villex pickups and electronics.

[AnTz0r]

delano replied, and recommend the xtender series.

[bassman74]

I never tried the extender but if Delano says so i would go with delanop's recommendation!!!

You can buy some xtender routing template from best bass gear!!!

[AnTz0r]

out of all the descriptions i've read so far about the sound of these pickups, i like the xtender description best so far. too bad there's no sound samples for all of them. it's hard to judge what to get when all you get is descriptions of what they sound like, while it all depends on the bass itself too.

i think i will route a cavity (or both cavities) for the bartolini jazz pickup i have lying around next week. i'll fix the pickup with some tape instead of screws. that way i can do a first sound test; it's the first bass i've ever build. that way i can relax, finish the bass to see if it's good enough to invest more money in. also I'll see what it sounds like, I'm slightly worried that with all this mahogany combined with the wenge neck it will sound really dark already, and fitting pickup that match this will make it sound muddy.

most soapbar sizes, as well as the delano xtender series will require a larger cavity then the jazz pu's so i can always switch later and route a bigger cavity the only restriction i am making this way is that i am limiting myself to a twin PU scenario.

[AnTz0r]

there, should work

i only don't know what to do with pickup placement yet

[alexclaber]

The placement matters at least as much as the pickup. Q-Tuners really are incredible. Alternatively I can see EMGs working great in a metal band with that wood combination.

Alex

[AnTz0r]

so where should i place them? should i just stick to standard jazz positions or do something else?