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Any Birdsong users swap out the pickups?

Truant Goose

Truant Goose

Feb 21, 2018
4
3
30
Chico, California
#1
Howdy Talkbass! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I own a Birdsong Cortobass, and I was wondering if any other Birdsong users have swapped out their pickups, and what they swapped them out with. I more concerned about the single coil neck pickup, as it has quite a low output and the height is near the max, but I'm also curious to hear if anyone swapped out the humbucker in the bridge for something that suited their taste more.

Any input is appreciated!
 
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#3
Truant Goose, you have read my mind! I have thought about this exact issue a great deal recently. I love my Cortobass, in spite of that neck pickup. I also have a Corto II (fretless) and it has way higher output with the Kent Armstrong pickups. I was thinking of a DiMarzio Model One (routing involved, obviously). The pole-pieces would line up perfectly. I believe Scott has another model bass with this pickup. I haven't seriously looked into it yet, but now you've got me thinking about going for it!

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#6
Truant Goose said:
Howdy Talkbass! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I own a Birdsong Cortobass, and I was wondering if any other Birdsong users have swapped out their pickups, and what they swapped them out with. I more concerned about the single coil neck pickup, as it has quite a low output and the height is near the max, but I'm also curious to hear if anyone swapped out the humbucker in the bridge for something that suited their taste more.

Any input is appreciated!
Click to expand...
I have a Birdsong Corto that I bought used. The previous owner replaced the neck pickup with a Dimarzio Cruiser pickup, which is humbucking. I don't think it changed the output much based on what the previous owner said, but it did make it hum bucking.
 
#8
AmpegB15 said:
I have a Birdsong Corto that I bought used. The previous owner replaced the neck pickup with a Dimarzio Cruiser pickup, which is humbucking. I don't think it changed the output much based on what the previous owner said, but it did make it hum bucking.
Click to expand...
How do you like the pickup? I noticed you said it didn't change the output much, but how does the neck pickup compare to the bridge pickup volume wise?
 
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#9
The volume of the Cruiser balances fine with the other pickup. There are two volume controls so it's easy to balance them anyway. The Cruiser may be a guitar pickup, but so is the Lace that came with the Corto originally. There's plenty of low end in the pickup, particularly given its position so close to the neck. Reminds me a lot of the sound of my Rickenbacker neck pickup.
 
#10
Before you swap out the pickups I suggest that you try try this: 1) listen to the bass acoustically. 2) if you like the tone continue to the next step, if not it's not your pickups. You may want to try different strings and/ or hardware till you get the sound your looking for. 3) install an audere preamp, classic model. I did this for both a 2 pickup and 1 pickup Birdsong bass and the difference was extraordinary!!! The lace pickups would not be my choice, the reason being they are guitar pickups, and they have a frequency response suited for a guitar not bass(lace bass pickups maybe very good for bass). I have routed out a Precision Bass for an additional pickup so I could do the same for the Birdsongs but with the Audere preamp it is totally unnecessary. Email me if you have any questions: [email protected].
 
#11
I would suggest installing a preamp before swapping the pickups, I've done this on a couple Birdsongs, and while I don't like it with the Lace pickups...you might.
I haven't really found a better replacement in the neck position of a Cortobass than the original Lace that was there, and I've tried a bunch.
Like someone else above mentioned, it will kill the hum, but not much else really.
 

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