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Beatle Bass Mods

Cernnunos

Cernnunos

Dec 28, 2019
101
89
#1
A few months back I picked up a Starfire fretless violin body bass. The body, neck, and mechanical parts are all pretty nice, and have a lot of ability to fine tune. The body and mechanics are definitely worth the price!

The problem is that the pickups are trash. There's no nice way to say it, the pickups on this instrument are literally the worst I've ever heard, they're cheap and they sound cheap. I really want to get that authentic "upright" sound, so I'm pondering modifications including tapewound strings and replacing at least one of the pickups w/a piezo system, and possibly replacing the other pickup with another "better" pickup. I don't have much experience w/pickups (though I am experienced in working w/electronics in general), so I'm fishing for ideas and suggestions.

starfire.png
 
#2
My son has a Jay Turser clone, probably made in the same factory, but who knows with Indonesian basses. I think they make bodies for a bunch of different companies and then re-badge them with different levels of hardware and electronics. I wouldn't call the Turser pickups Crap, but definitely in the no-name El Cheapo category. He never felt the need to replace them anyway, your basic slightly microphonic Hofner style woody thump. The genuine Hofner pups seem insanely overpriced (see link to one source below), but a lot of people make replacement pups that will fit. One of the Hofnerites may weigh in and advise you better, but I'd try some Google-Fu on it, lots of options out there that wouldn't require any major surgery. You can get drop-in replacement control plates too, though again, we haven't needed to on the Jay Turser. I did replace some of the flimsy thin gauge wiring with better wire though, and swapped the crap output jack for a good switchcraft one.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

There has been a lot of discussion on this over the years on TB, here's one thread:
Hofner Bass pickups info? (Ignition specifically)

You could post in the Hofner Club too, and they'd steer you right.
 
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#3
Piezo pickups are contact pickups, i.e. they have to be in contact with the vibrating source. If you want a piezo system in that bass you will need it mounted in the bridge. Replacing an existing pickup with piezo won't work.
I replaced the strings on my violin bass with tapewounds. Good choice IMO.
 
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#4
Thanks for the reply! I've been thumping on this instrument for a few months now, and I love the feel of it, but I hate the sound. It just sounds cheap to me. I've made every adjustment that I can think of, including raising and lowering the pups, but no matter what I do, it sounds cheap.

On the other hand, I have a cheap acoustic bass guitar ($100 from Amazon) w/a piezo pickup, and it sounds so much better that it actually angers me a little. I put tapewound strings on it and removed the frets, and now it has an amazing warm sound. The problem w/the bass guitar as that I don't like the size of it, the feel of it, or the F hole. I got the violin body to solve these problems, and to get that warm "upright" sound.
 
#5
Turnaround said:
Piezo pickups are contact pickups, i.e. they have to be in contact with the vibrating source. If you want a piezo system in that bass you will need it mounted in the bridge. Replacing an existing pickup with piezo won't work.
I replaced the strings on my violin bass with tapewounds. Good choice IMO.
Click to expand...
Cernnunos said:
A few months back I picked up a Starfire fretless violin body bass. The body, neck, and mechanical parts are all pretty nice, and have a lot of ability to fine tune. The body and mechanics are definitely worth the price!

The problem is that the pickups are trash. There's no nice way to say it, the pickups on this instrument are literally the worst I've ever heard, they're cheap and they sound cheap. I really want to get that authentic "upright" sound, so I'm pondering modifications including tapewound strings and replacing at least one of the pickups w/a piezo system, and possibly replacing the other pickup with another "better" pickup. I don't have much experience w/pickups (though I am experienced in working w/electronics in general), so I'm fishing for ideas and suggestions.

View attachment 4384119
Click to expand...
beatbass fl w/ tapewound labella strings, i have since removed the steinberger s hookhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laNWfVEEq10&t=67s
 

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