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- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,008
- 1
- 31,708
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
My homemade DarkStarred 8-string:
Single DarkStar in the sweet spot, with an Aguilar OBP-1.
Full build thread here.
I thought I was splurging spending $200 on a single pickup. But reviews were great, and Fred was very responsive, so I did it. Now I'm REALLY glad I did. No way I'm getting rid of this baby! It's a pure rock machine!
Single DarkStar in the sweet spot, with an Aguilar OBP-1.
Full build thread here.
I thought I was splurging spending $200 on a single pickup. But reviews were great, and Fred was very responsive, so I did it. Now I'm REALLY glad I did. No way I'm getting rid of this baby! It's a pure rock machine!
Last edited:
henry norton
Guest
This project was about 3 years in the making...assembling all the right parts & since Mr. Hammon hasn't returned neither my calls, messages or money, for the Darkstar I paid for, I had to buy another bass for the transplant. It was well worth the wait! The single Darkstar, Coral Longhorn, (hollow body) has this unique, tubby, fat bottom, easily capable of double bass impersonations, yet with it's Danelectro, 24 fret neck accessibility, it's a noodlers wet dream...Darkstars are so finger friendly, with such touch responsiveness! Depending on the needs, I may mute the strings with a little foam rubber...I'm useless when it comes to photos on this forum...
Looking for a new home...
EDIT: New home found!! I'm sorry to see this girl go, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
EDIT: New home found!! I'm sorry to see this girl go, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
He didn't even refund your money?!?! What's up with this guy? It's one thing if he does not want to make any more pickups. No one can say anything about that. But to take peoples money! I mean, if he decided to not make pickups he should also decide not to take any money. I truly hope there is a good explanation for all this. Doesn't anybody on the forum know him personally?
thats what i've been wondering. it seems this dude has vanished from the planet. i thought somebody would say something at least.
I haven't bought anything new from him in years.
All my DS projects are pretty old at this point.
All my DS projects are pretty old at this point.
it kinda sucks guys. im so happy with my dual DS jazz, i wouldnt hesitate to put a pair in another bass. Its really too bad that this aint happening anymore. they are great pickups.
yes, really a shame we can't get anymore Dark Star pups.....I certainly would have like to get 2 more for another bass.....
Just had a chat with the Swedish pickup maker I mentioned earlier, who is going to start winding darkstar/bisonics. It will be possible to custom order these pickups, at least to some extend (winding and choice of magnets), to have them sound more like Darkstars or have a more vintage sound like that of the originals. It would have the exact same look as the original Hagström bisonic. He can also wound a DS-sounding pickup in a p-bass pickup cover.
The good news is, he now says he pretty much has everything set to go.
He got producers for the the plastic bobbin and the chrome frame, but has yet to order those. Understandibly, he still hesitates because he is unsure of how many orders he can get from all you folks in the States. Sweden, even Europe, is too small a market and the producers demand a large minimum order for the chrome frame and the bobbin. So it is quite an investment for a one man business. Prices also depend on the dollar rate. Maybe it's also some custom fees to pay for imports to the States.
I want to be clear that the guy I am talking about is not me. I am a customer wannabe just like many of you. I have no commercial interest in this whatsoever. I only helped him by lending him my bisonics for him to measure. He has also studied the DS of course and he has contact with people in the village Älvdalen i Sweden who worked for Hagström.
The guy to talk to is a supporting member here. His talkbass name is Urban Pickups. Like many other pickup makers he is a one-man business. He is making pickups for two highly regarded Swedish companies - Link Removed and [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], and also the Swiss company Tino Tedesco Basses. He is highly regarded on the Swedish version of talkbass and has made custom pickups for many professional Swedish bass players. And above all he is a really nice guy!
I think right now he mainly wants to get an indication of how many orders he would get. So, if you know you would definitely be interested in making an order (prices would unfortunately be slightly higher than DS, but still lower than eBay prices), you could send him a PM or an email to convince him to start winding.
The good news is, he now says he pretty much has everything set to go.
He got producers for the the plastic bobbin and the chrome frame, but has yet to order those. Understandibly, he still hesitates because he is unsure of how many orders he can get from all you folks in the States. Sweden, even Europe, is too small a market and the producers demand a large minimum order for the chrome frame and the bobbin. So it is quite an investment for a one man business. Prices also depend on the dollar rate. Maybe it's also some custom fees to pay for imports to the States.I want to be clear that the guy I am talking about is not me. I am a customer wannabe just like many of you. I have no commercial interest in this whatsoever. I only helped him by lending him my bisonics for him to measure. He has also studied the DS of course and he has contact with people in the village Älvdalen i Sweden who worked for Hagström.
The guy to talk to is a supporting member here. His talkbass name is Urban Pickups. Like many other pickup makers he is a one-man business. He is making pickups for two highly regarded Swedish companies - Link Removed and [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], and also the Swiss company Tino Tedesco Basses. He is highly regarded on the Swedish version of talkbass and has made custom pickups for many professional Swedish bass players. And above all he is a really nice guy!
I think right now he mainly wants to get an indication of how many orders he would get. So, if you know you would definitely be interested in making an order (prices would unfortunately be slightly higher than DS, but still lower than eBay prices), you could send him a PM or an email to convince him to start winding.
Having mentioned this scenario a number of times in the past, I'm trying not to come off as a vindictive whiner...just trying to warn & share my experiences with potential victims...the puzzling thing is, every now & then, someone mentions having received their order after my 2010, mid-June payment?
**************************
@Mungi,
Great news! It's rather fitting that hope is coming from it's Swedish birthplace...
"new" since today. Alder body, Warmoth wenge P neck, DS, Hanson NeoPunch (prototype, hotter that regular pickup), stacked pots/knobs:
Not new, but never posted this one before I guess. Fender Japan P body, Allparts maple V-shape neck, Chromes:
Not new, but never posted this one before I guess. Fender Japan P body, Allparts maple V-shape neck, Chromes:
Urban Pickups
Supporting Member
Hi every one!
My name is Urban and I have a small business called Urban Pickups! In Sweden we have a bass forum just like Talkbass forum too and in a DS thread just like this, some of the members got together to ask me if i was interested in make a version of the DS and that's how it started. It would be easy to make a DS/bisonic in a different cover, like EMG or P cover for example. But I feel the look is just as important as the sound. My plan is therefore to make an authentic version with the original bisonic look. I have had home 4pcs of Bi-sonics, one DS and i have 3pcs of original unused Bisonic bobbins to study! I have real blueprints made for me to! That means making special orders for the bobbin, the chrome frame and all other parts. I have found producers for all parts already, but it is quite costly. The DS/bisonic is a very expensive pickup to make, both because of all the special parts that is needed, and also because it is timeconsuming putting all the parts together by hand. I would therefore be interested in knowing if people would be interested in this. Some people has already sent PMs to me. Anyone who has any inquirys or questions, feel free to send me a PM.
Picture of 3D model made for me and a new unused Bi-sonic bobbin from Älvdalen and Hagström
My name is Urban and I have a small business called Urban Pickups! In Sweden we have a bass forum just like Talkbass forum too and in a DS thread just like this, some of the members got together to ask me if i was interested in make a version of the DS and that's how it started. It would be easy to make a DS/bisonic in a different cover, like EMG or P cover for example. But I feel the look is just as important as the sound. My plan is therefore to make an authentic version with the original bisonic look. I have had home 4pcs of Bi-sonics, one DS and i have 3pcs of original unused Bisonic bobbins to study! I have real blueprints made for me to! That means making special orders for the bobbin, the chrome frame and all other parts. I have found producers for all parts already, but it is quite costly. The DS/bisonic is a very expensive pickup to make, both because of all the special parts that is needed, and also because it is timeconsuming putting all the parts together by hand. I would therefore be interested in knowing if people would be interested in this. Some people has already sent PMs to me. Anyone who has any inquirys or questions, feel free to send me a PM.
Picture of 3D model made for me and a new unused Bi-sonic bobbin from Älvdalen and Hagström
Attachments
Hi Urban,
This is very interesting.
You should probably start a new thread so more people pay attention - it is sort of buried in this thread.
Good Luck!
This is very interesting.
You should probably start a new thread so more people pay attention - it is sort of buried in this thread.
Good Luck!
Awesome, I would totally be interested in getting another set. I've got a dual Dark Star jazz bass, and I wouldnt mind having another one. Would you be offering them in both a Bi-Sonic and Dark Star sound?
They have to be going for less than the used DS's that pop up on ebay from time to time
where do I sign up to get a pair???
where do I sign up to get a pair???
