Whats the big deal about Darkstars?

ledyard · #1 07-14-2011, 03:26 PM

So I have an older Jazz body with some interesting history that I cant part with. Its heavily relic'd (from playing, not from tools). Its awaiting a new neck atm.

Its got Bartolini MM style pups in it with an older Ken Lawrence Pre. The bass sounds really good active or passive but it just doesnt have the output volume that my 62' reissue P and Road worn J have. So this is a problem for live situations.
I would just refin the bass and make it a true J or a P/J but i just cant kill the natural relic and its got a dyed quilted top and i hate to just finish a solid color over a quilt top.
So what right? Well theres not much you can get to fill those MM shaped holes. I dont want EBMM factory pups. They wont look the way i want it to look and I'm not the biggest EBMM sound fan. Plus I want to stay passive.
So are darkstars really all that? Worth the $? sound that good? Anyone point me in the direction of some bass only clips maybe?
Or if you know anything else that would fill the holes and look/sound good.

I had considered doing P/P or P/J and surrounding the pups with a pick guard type thing just around the pups in a form fit way just like yamaha does on their older basses.

FunkMetalBass · #2 07-14-2011, 03:40 PM

This might get more love in the pickups/electronics subforum.

I've never heard them myself, but I've seen enough threads about them over the years to know that plenty of people like them.

Jazz Ad · #3 07-14-2011, 03:43 PM

Darkstar aren't made anymore, since Hammon Engineering appears to have gone tits up.
There are many passive MM pickups on the market with many different looks.
In your case a Delano Hybrid could be a good idea.

WaskoDS · #4 07-14-2011, 03:46 PM

Actually, they've become available once again.

Darkstrike · #5 07-14-2011, 03:54 PM

Some SGD neo MM humbuckers might be the ticket, or Delanos with un-exposed polepieces.

smcd · #6 07-14-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ledyard

So are darkstars really all that? Worth the $? sound that good?

Ever wonder why no major (or minor) manufacturer makes a bass with Darkstar pickups? There's a reason. I won't say that Darkstar pickups don't sound all that great (even though that is what I think). Let's just say they have a very very limited appeal.

dmaki · #7 07-14-2011, 04:03 PM

Sounds really good is sounds really good. Leave it as-is, buy an Electro Harmonix LPB1 Linear Power Boost for $40 new/shipped, and bump up the level of the bass to that of your other J and P; if you use all three in a single set. Or turn up/down your amp when you swap instruments.

Mad_Phingers · #8 07-14-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smcd

Ever wonder why no major (or minor) manufacturer makes a bass with Darkstar pickups? There's a reason. I won't say that Darkstar pickups don't sound all that great (even though that is what I think). Let's just say they have a very very limited appeal.

Lakland ring any bells?? LeCompte also offers them as do a few other manufacturers that I can't recall to mind right now.

Darkstars are actually very highly regarded and do get quite a lot of love around here...

Jazz Ad · #9 07-14-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smcd

Ever wonder why no major (or minor) manufacturer makes a bass with Darkstar pickups? There's a reason. I won't say that Darkstar pickups don't sound all that great (even though that is what I think). Let's just say they have a very very limited appeal.

The reason is that they are not industrially made but rather a one man production.
It makes it impossible for them to be installed in wide ranges of instruments.
Lakland (which you may or not consider as a major or minor manufacturer) used them for years though.
They are exceptional pickups that sound like no other.

Smokin' Toaster · #10 07-14-2011, 04:12 PM

I'd try to explain, but it would be like trying to explain what sex feels like to a virgin (no disrespect, just pointing out that you can't do it with words). You just have to play a Darkstar. My first reaction when I installed one in a MIM P-bass was DAYUM!! Later I picked up a Lakland DPLE II (Jazz-style block neck, P-bass style body). And my 2 Darkstar basses are as hot or hotter than my active basses (Lakland Jerry Scheff 5 string and an Ibanez with a J-Retro). I sold another Dark Star pickup I had, and now I wish I hadn't.

You might want to check out this TB Club:
Club Dark Star

Pilgrim · #11 07-14-2011, 04:34 PM

Darkstars will get even more expensive now that Fred is out of production.

Why? Because people always think that something they can't get anymore is better than something they can get easily.

Jazz Ad · #12 07-14-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaskoDS

Actually, they've become available once again.

People still don't seem to get any kind of news.
Club Dark Star

mmbongo · #13 07-14-2011, 05:52 PM

I remember everybody at Steve Barr's 'The Dude Pit' had a huge boner for them. That was enough for me to know to avoid them at all costs

budman · #14 07-14-2011, 05:53 PM

Got a set on order. Should be here in a couple of weeks.

silky smoove · #15 07-14-2011, 05:57 PM

Glad to hear that Fred is turning out pickups again.

I for one absolutely love Darkstar pickups. I love them more than any other type of pickup I've tried. I've not tried everything out there, but I have tried a lot, and these deliver something that I haven't found in another pickup.

ledyard · #16 07-14-2011, 07:11 PM

I certainly would not be disappointed with something that just dropped in with no modding. In the past was just go with ebmm, barts, or emg. None of which are appealing to me.

If there are lots of other options out there please suggest away. I want to stay passive though. Tone wise.....ampeg. style and sound wise.....Geezer meets jack Bruce.

ghostdog93 · #17 07-14-2011, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaskoDS

Actually, they've become available once again.

People still don't seem to get any kind of news.
Club Dark Star

What kind of news, exactly? Not trying to flame, but the thread you linked has no solid information about - or more importantly, from - Fred Hammon...just a bunch of speculation, and a number of "I've heard from him!" and "I haven't heard from him!" posts.

It would be good if we could get some confirmation one way or the other about this, but the Hammon Engineering website provides no clues.

Jazz Ad · #18 07-15-2011, 04:59 AM

Several people have paid for them a long time ago and still don't have the pickups.
He doesn't return phone calls or emails.
This doesn't shout healthy business to me.
As far as I'm concerned my experience with Hammon was really positive but it was several years ago.

Bud Lecompte seems to have fresh news, maybe he could tell us more?

SGD Lutherie · #19 07-15-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Some SGD neo MM humbuckers might be the ticket, or Delanos with un-exposed polepieces.

I can also build the Sidewinders into MM shells, and they sound a lot like the single coils on a Jazz bass. Only like a Jazz with larger pickups.

Darkstrike · #20 07-15-2011, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

I can also build the Sidewinders into MM shells, and they sound a lot like the single coils on a Jazz bass. Only like a Jazz with larger pickups.

Can you put the sidewinder in the MM shell shifted to one side?