Ceramic Single Coil Tele Bass Pickups?

[Jerry700]

Are there any ceramic single coil tele pickups out there?

I'm having difficulty finding one, before any of you tells me to buy alnico, kindly go somewhere else. I am one of the few that prefers the sound of a ceramic pickup over a alnico.

Thanks.

 

[kodiakblair]

I am one of the few that prefers the sound of a ceramic pickup over a alnico.

You're not alone in that Jerry, last few years I've heard others seeking the same thing.

You'll have already scrubbed a custom build else you wouldn't be asking

Quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get started is a guitar pickup, a "rail " or "blade" fits the bill. Pole spacing on a P-bass single is generally 52 or 54mm, a rail/blade is normally 57mm wide. Bobbin size is roughly the same, maybe 1mm difference with the mounting screw holes.

Of course a rail looks radically different from the standard single coil. Under an ashtray cover, nobody is any wiser.

Don't fancy fitting an ashtray ? Use a plain closed cover.

Plain cover not doing it visually ? Fake the pole pieces with paint or tiny stickers.

I'm not 100% if @Volker Kirstein went with a single coil rail or if it was even a ceramic, perhaps he can chip in with his thoughts on the guitar pickup in P-bass experience.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

... I'm not 100% if @Volker Kirstein went with a single coil rail or if it was even a ceramic, perhaps he can chip in with his thoughts on the guitar pickup in P-bass experience.

It's a Telecaster neck "soapbar" pickup. The specs do not mention what type of magnet. What can I say? A pickup is a pickup. It sounds like a P bass.

1 Stück Magnet Hals Pickup Tonabnehmer für E-Gitarre Bass Ersatzteile | eBay

 

[iiipopes]

Are there any ceramic single coil tele pickups out there?

It's not a ceramic-versus-alnico issue. It is all about matching a coil to the gauss and the reactivity of the magnet. A ceramic magnet pickup with a proper coil can have a very clean tone, which is what it appears to be what you are after. Alnico interacts with the coil due to the ferrous content of the slugs, and changes the overall response, including the mids. No less a legend than Bill Lawrence preferred ceramic magnets for his pickups so he could tailor the coil to suit. EMG uses ceramic magnets. Many other reputable companies do as well, with well researched coil geometry to match.

The stigma with ceramic magnets started decades ago when, in order to get more high end, (I forget which company) offered ceramic replacement magnets for Gibson guitar humbuckers, especially the warmer Alnico II magnets. Well, definition was there in spades, but the higher gauss and lowered impedance from changing the magnet saturated the coil, causing the pickups so modified to sound harsh. This trend was unfortunately compounded by the flooding of the market a few decades ago with the first generation Fender copy cheap instruments with even cheaper pickups, since base ceramic magnets are cheap to produce, which to compound everything were underwound, again, to save the cost of wire, exacerbating the harshness, or as some described it, the "ice pick in the eye" tone. OK, so much for the history lesson.

I only know of one Fender style single coil P-Bass pickup that has a ceramic bar magnet and individual poles: the pickup in the Squier VistaTone and the VM Modified Tele medium scale basses. I have one that I will give you for the postage, but whoever had the bass before me had it improperly stored, so the bobbins are warped. But it still reads good on an ohmmeter, about 9 kohms. Also, the string spacing is slightly narrower, 1 15/16 inches E to G, instead of the vintage 2 1/8. PM me.

 

[kodiakblair]

@iiipopes

That's a really nice gesture, hope it's what the OP is seeking

 

[Jerry700]

You're not alone in that Jerry, last few years I've heard others seeking the same thing.

You'll have already scrubbed a custom build else you wouldn't be asking

Quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get started is a guitar pickup, a "rail " or "blade" fits the bill. Pole spacing on a P-bass single is generally 52 or 54mm, a rail/blade is normally 57mm wide. Bobbin size is roughly the same, maybe 1mm difference with the mounting screw holes.

Of course a rail looks radically different from the standard single coil. Under an ashtray cover, nobody is any wiser.

Don't fancy fitting an ashtray ? Use a plain closed cover.

Plain cover not doing it visually ? Fake the pole pieces with paint or tiny stickers.

I'm not 100% if @Volker Kirstein went with a single coil rail or if it was even a ceramic, perhaps he can chip in with his thoughts on the guitar pickup in P-bass experience.

What if I try very slowly but painfully pushing out one by one the alnico pole pieces and replace it with a steel pole piece behind it while holding the pickup carefully to prevent it from crushing the coils and then superglue a ceramic bar magnet touching the steel pole pieces underneath the pickup? I'm asking these questions because I plan on buying a cheap tele bass.

 

[Jerry700]

It's not a ceramic-versus-alnico issue. It is all about matching a coil to the gauss and the reactivity of the magnet. A ceramic magnet pickup with a proper coil can have a very clean tone, which is what it appears to be what you are after. Alnico interacts with the coil due to the ferrous content of the slugs, and changes the overall response, including the mids. No less a legend than Bill Lawrence preferred ceramic magnets for his pickups so he could tailor the coil to suit. EMG uses ceramic magnets. Many other reputable companies do as well, with well researched coil geometry to match.

The stigma with ceramic magnets started decades ago when, in order to get more high end, (I forget which company) offered ceramic replacement magnets for Gibson guitar humbuckers, especially the warmer Alnico II magnets. Well, definition was there in spades, but the higher gauss and lowered impedance from changing the magnet saturated the coil, causing the pickups so modified to sound harsh. This trend was unfortunately compounded by the flooding of the market a few decades ago with the first generation Fender copy cheap instruments with even cheaper pickups, since base ceramic magnets are cheap to produce, which to compound everything were underwound, again, to save the cost of wire, exacerbating the harshness, or as some described it, the "ice pick in the eye" tone. OK, so much for the history lesson.

I only know of one Fender style single coil P-Bass pickup that has a ceramic bar magnet and individual poles: the pickup in the Squier VistaTone and the VM Modified Tele medium scale basses. I have one that I will give you for the postage, but whoever had the bass before me had it improperly stored, so the bobbins are warped. But it still reads good on an ohmmeter, about 9 kohms. Also, the string spacing is slightly narrower, 1 15/16 inches E to G, instead of the vintage 2 1/8. PM me.

I'll send you a PM and check it out.

 

[arbiterusa]

I am one of the few that prefers the sound of a ceramic pickup over a alnico.

you're not alone. It's a big deal for me on bass and a much bigger deal for me on guitar.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Are there any ceramic single coil tele pickups out there?

I'm having difficulty finding one, before any of you tells me to buy alnico, kindly go somewhere else. I am one of the few that prefers the sound of a ceramic pickup over a alnico.

Thanks.

Carey probably makes a blade in 51 P. If they don't, you should tell them to. They'll do it for a good price.

 

[kodiakblair]

I'm asking these questions because I plan on buying a cheap tele bass.

Holy Smokes !!

I know a fella who recently started selling these, always thought he was on the ball but never realised he was so far ahead of the game Dave Konig (Retrovibe) marries a stock Tele body with 30" scale neck, only the bridge is changed.

As you can see strings line up with the stock pickups great.

A further piece of good news is there's no shortage of ceramic Tele singles , Artec do around 6 models.

 

[Jerry700]

Holy Smokes !!

I know a fella who recently started selling these, always thought he was on the ball but never realised he was so far ahead of the game Dave Konig (Retrovibe) marries a stock Tele body with 30" scale neck, only the bridge is changed.

As you can see strings line up with the stock pickups great.

View attachment 4226431
View attachment 4226432

A further piece of good news is there's no shortage of ceramic Tele singles , Artec do around 6 models.

Not bad. But this is what I plan to buy. I apologize if I come across as snobby or anything like that, I'm just a purist when it comes to guitars/basses haha. I like the history behind the traditional guitars/basses you see in history. But that's a whole topic for another day lol.

 

[kodiakblair]

@Jerry700

Got you, I've had a Peavey ceramic single coil in a 51 style for years, it's the one on the left. For the traditional look I'd have one built. Here in the UK with custom pickups costing as little as £50, it's a viable option.

If you want to try the DIY slug replacement,may I suggest starting with this one.

Guitar Pickup for 4 String Tele Bass 51PB Alnico 5 Alnico V Magnets Black | eBay

Should things go awry, you won't have lost much

 

[kodiakblair]

I apologize if I come across as snobby or anything like that, I'm just a purist when it comes to guitars/basses haha.

You'll have no argument from me on that score my friend

 

[ctmullins]

You could try hammering out the slugs, but you risk damage. I would rather purchase a used ceramic pickup. It doesn't even have to be a rail pickup; the six-pole versions will work fine on bass. Unless the poles are height-staggered. I mean, even those will work, but could make one string louder than the others.

 

[Jerry700]

You'll have no argument from me on that score my friend
View attachment 4226569 View attachment 4226571 View attachment 4226577

Very beautiful basses.

 

[Jerry700]

You could try hammering out the slugs, but you risk damage. I would rather purchase a used ceramic pickup. It doesn't even have to be a rail pickup; the six-pole versions will work fine on bass. Unless the poles are height-staggered. I mean, even those will work, but could make one string louder than the others.

True, or just push out the alnico pole pieces with steel poles slowly. Or use a small screwdriver or ball point pen to careful push them out, and insert the steel pole pieces one at a time.

 

[kodiakblair]

Very beautiful basses.

Thanks. They're a 50/50 split between on the shelf and my own work.

I'll echo @ctmullins advice on buying a ready made pickup. That fine AWG is wound over the slugs, all it takes is for a thread to snag while inserting the new slugs and it'll snap.

4 slugs, each travelling 3/4" through coiled wire. Pretty big risk of failure.

 

[dwizum]

I sincerely doubt you'd be able to push out the old pole pieces and insert new ones without totally destroying the coil. The wire in a Fender-style pickup is (usually) wrapped directly on the poles. It would be like trying to push the spool out of a spool of thread without disturbing the thread! Easier and less risky to just wind your own coil. A 4-slug single coil pickup like this is about the simplest possible style to DIY.

 

[Freekmagnet]

I sincerely doubt you'd be able to push out the old pole pieces and insert new ones without totally destroying the coil. The wire in a Fender-style pickup is (usually) wrapped directly on the poles. It would be like trying to push the spool out of a spool of thread without disturbing the thread! Easier and less risky to just wind your own coil. A 4-slug single coil pickup like this is about the simplest possible style to DIY.

@dwizum is right about both comments. You'll prolly trash the coil pushing the magnets out. And, that'd be a pretty easy pickup to DIY. Just buy a cheapie on eBay and pirate the parts. Set up a drill winder and put about 9000 turns on it. I can't tell you if it will sound good, but it will make noise.

If that sounds like it's too much, you can try calling Jerry Sentell. He seems pretty down to make any kind of weird variation of a Fender (or Gibson) pickup.

 

[markanini]

Another ceramic fan here. Hit up Becky and Shannon a Wilde pickups. Their telebass pickup is actually neodymium but it's similar where it counts, with the bar magnet and steel loaded poles. What's not similar is the lively warmth it has.