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'77 Stingray How difficult to get a new pickup?

H

harperbass

Guest
Nov 16, 2009
23
0
#1
I've got a '77 Stingray w/ the dead Gstring. Three knob version: vol/tone/preamp... It's been my main bass for 25 years but the Gstring output keeps getting lower. This is one of the ones w/ the creme pickup cover; Natural finish. Serial B002770. Bought at Ed's Guitars, Miami '82.
Does anybody make a pickup that will retrofit exactly into the bass w/out any modification? Ernie Ball doesn't want to know anything about it.
Thanx.

Rick Harper
 
#3
People at Ernie Ball/ Music Man are really stubborn.
Get a Nordstrand MM4.2, you'll be thrilled!
b-mm42_34view_wht.jpg


http://www.nordstrandpickups.com/bass-pickups/modern/
 
#9
FunkMetalBass said:
Can their pickups be re-wound easily? I hate the inconsistent output on my strings and I'd love to pay $50 and have it re-wound.
Click to expand...

I believe it had to do with it being pole pieces on that particular pickup, IIRC (note: I am not making a "blanket" statement on all pole piece pickups). The only guaranteed remedy, may be a blade type, rather than a pole.
 
#12
I will check out the replacement pickups y'all recommend, and thank you very much.
I paid $500 for that bass 2nd hand in '82. I remember Ed's Guitars had 4 or 5 and I bought the best playing one. The natural finish was awful from the word go and was told most of the early natural ones were recalled but obviously some made their way out. It has an old P-bass type neck feel with very small mandolin-type frets I've been offered $3500 for it but no way. It's been a dream of a workhorse. The preamp has never faltered and it has been knocked over so much (I used to do a lot of cruise line work) but no damage to the neck. There's photos of me w/ it at Link Removed

Thanx again!

Now, if I could only find a whole case of Markley flatwounds!

Rick H
 
#13
Forgot:
Yes, it's still all original. Except I bought a longer bridge replacement screw for the D string for intonation purposes. I even use the mutes occasionally. Could you all recommend a pickup winder? I would like to keep that creme cover, come to think of it.

RH
 
#15
Definitely try Carey Nordstrand first about rewinding your pickup. He did a lot of work getting his MM4.2 to sound just right.

If he can't do it, check with Fralin pickups. They've rewound a few of my vintage jazz pickups - not sure if they would do a Stingray pickup.
 

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