Bass resonator upgrades: Lipstick pickup and pot recommendations?

Install a piezo?

 

That's a liner taper pot, and it doesn't usually work as well as audio taper pot. So you could change that. But I'm not sure why it wouldn't fully kick in at 100%, that might require some more investigation. At that point, the cap is fully engaged and the pot does not matter. It should be a very dark sound. Maybe the cap is not large enough?

In terms of pickups, Kent Armstrong lipstick pickups come to mind. I'm not sure what model exactly came in Lakland Scheff basses, but those were Kent Armstrong lipstick pickups, and sounded strong and clear.

No idea about cones. Try other sections of Talkbass, you'd probably get more feedback there. Maybe even Luthier's corner?

 

If I was in your position, I'd just disconnect the magnetic pickup and put this in: RG-03 M complete pickup system with pickup, mic, and preamp. For Dobro style spider bridge resonator guitars.

 

I'm sure it's a good system. The OP might want to contact Schatten before ordering it. The description specifically says spider bridge and he has a biscuit bridge resonater. They're similar but different and you'd want to check if that one will work with a biscuit cone. I looked briefly on their website for a system that said biscuit and didn't see one but I could have missed it.

Having said all that, I have a Tele body guitar routed out for a resonater cone with the stock neck pickup and an old Schaller oyster stuck on the cone and a volume for each and it works pretty well for what it is.

 

When I hear the phrase “resonator bass”, I immediately think of @moonshinegtrs ...

 

If anyone would know about resobass pickups, it would be Moonshine. I'm sure a Kent Armstrong strat sized pickup, if it fits, will sound fine.

 

Thanks @ctmullins and @Matt Liebenau, I do dig me some Resonators...

@SoundOfOneHandSlapping; Guitar Fetish makes a really nice lipstick tube pickup in 3 different outputs, the 8k pickup is almost twice the output of the stock pickup (8k vs 4.9k):
KP - Pro Tube "D"- CHROME- Fits Danelectro - Kwikplug™ Ready

A big part of the lipstick tube sound is how it is set up. I raise the pickup until it is almost touching the strings and then back off each side while playing the bass to find the "sweet spot.

Another option is using a single coil early style p bass pickup, here is one of my basses with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickup (it originally had a lipstick tube pickup).


It was a fairly snug fit but it worked great.

The piezo pickup is another good choice but remember that it will also pickup any string noise, contact with the body, etc... (this could be good or bad depending on your playing style).

I usually go with a magnetic pickup only or a combination of mag/piezo with a preamp. Schatten has some really cool stuff as does Fishman and LR Baggs. My personal favorite is Bartolini but there are many others out there.

It is my hope to one day find a piezo system that can provide the sound I'm looking for, Rick Turner has that tone nailed.

As for resonator cones, the Beard cone is a very good high quality cone. Being high quality it is hand spun and very lightweight which makes it both more responsive (louder, brighter) and more fragile... Something to consider, if it is dropped or banged around too much the cone can collapse which will pretty much destroy it (the cone). Bisquit cones such as yours are slightly more sturdy but can still be damaged. Of you do purchase one just remember to be careful with the bass.

I have always loved the metal bodies such as the one on your bass... Beautiful!


Moonshine

 

The only biscuit bridge resonaters I’ve seen or worked on all had the bridge mounted with one screw in the center of the cone. Granted, that’s a sample size of 4 or 5. There is a hole in the middle of that cone which makes me wonder if the original got hogged out or otherwise damaged somehow.

 

Like @Matt Liebenau said, the standard is a single screw using the center hole.

No idea what that's about.



Moonshine

 

it sounds like the tone pot is touching something it shouldn't so it's basically shorted, as in turned down to "0" all the time.

either that or somewhere else in the wiring you have a partial short that's bleeding off treble and loudness. try wiring the pickup straight to the jack, it might sound totally different.

 

That looks really cool. Post a sound file?