Fred said (wrote) that when he was researching those pickups he came across three variations. Less wire with stronger magnets, more wire with weaker magnets, and another in between. He copied the less wire with stronger magnets version, and he said they were wound 6.3k, 6.35k, or 6.5k (I forget which) of 43 with the strong magnets. I also remember him saying the more wire version was about 14k. It sounds like you have the more wire version, and the in between version of the Hagstroms.
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Curtis Novak's Darkstar bisonic pickup...
- Thread starter Muziekschuur
- Start date
Fred said (wrote) that when he was researching those pickups he came across three variations. Less wire with stronger magnets, more wire with weaker magnets, and another in between. He copied the less wire with stronger magnets version, and he said they were wound 6.3k, 6.35k, or 6.5k (I forget which) of 43 with the strong magnets. I also remember him saying the more wire version was about 14k. It sounds like you have the more wire version, and the in between version of the Hagstroms.
Cool thanks for the info! Rick Turner supplied additional magnets for these pups as both were single magnets. It seems the pickups came with one and two. I guess guild wasn't much for consistency...
Also something to note is that the black part of the pickup sticks out slightly further/higher on the neck pup than the bridge pup. Something I noticed when messing with the wiring.
Also something to note is that the black part of the pickup sticks out slightly further/higher on the neck pup than the bridge pup. Something I noticed when messing with the wiring.
I'd guess the hotter coils only needed one magnet whereas the 6+kOhm coils need two magnets in order to achieve similar output.
I have a '70s Guild HB which was 36k stock, 18k of 43 on both coils, and two alnico bar magnets. I've reworked it to a 8.65k single coil with two magnets (tried it with one stock magnet, and one guitar HB magnet), and it's still hot. I like it, but the hard part was finding another pickup which would balance well with it, and that's with the Guild lowered almost flush with the surround.
Here's a pic of a Hagstrom Coronado VI Bass pickup with one magnet removed.
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I was looking at that pup and thinking man that looks pretty similar to a bisonic, wait thats super tight string spacing. I must look up this bass!
How do you like playing that thing? Looks interesting but maybe too tight of string spacing even for me (i love the string spacing on my starfire).
I didn't know that pickups were wound as high as 36 kohms.
How do you like playing that thing? Looks interesting but maybe too tight of string spacing even for me (i love the string spacing on my starfire).
I didn't know that pickups were wound as high as 36 kohms.
I've neither seen nor played one of those basses. There was aslo a 4-string Coronado bass which used the Bi-Sonics, and afaik those are the only Hagstrom basses that used those pickups.
That Guild pickup has the most wire of any I know about. The Gibson EB-O mudbucker is about 30k, and I think the '70s Fender Tele Bass was also about 30k, not sure. I had a newer Fender Tele HB and believe it was around 24-25k.
Wow lots of activity since i posted.
I also have a Hagstrom '64 Coronado IV bass with two Bisonics, both measure at 14.6-8k, but the neck pup has only one magnet. Not sure what the string height is as the bass is in pieces waiting to be refinished, but the bridge pup's chrome bezel is taller than the neck pup, as someone else mentioned. The neck one is has much less 'output' compared to the bridge pup, and is lower in string height also.
I've seen the 6 string Bisonic pup pic before, it was Hagstrom's version of a Bass VI called a Coronado VI.
Short scale and roughly the same string spacing as the Fender Bass VI.
It seems Hagstrom used the same bezel for both the four and six string Bisonic pups maybe Novak or another maker will produce six string Darkstars one day. Perfect for the new Squier Bass VI
I also have a Hagstrom '64 Coronado IV bass with two Bisonics, both measure at 14.6-8k, but the neck pup has only one magnet. Not sure what the string height is as the bass is in pieces waiting to be refinished, but the bridge pup's chrome bezel is taller than the neck pup, as someone else mentioned. The neck one is has much less 'output' compared to the bridge pup, and is lower in string height also.
I've seen the 6 string Bisonic pup pic before, it was Hagstrom's version of a Bass VI called a Coronado VI.
Short scale and roughly the same string spacing as the Fender Bass VI.
It seems Hagstrom used the same bezel for both the four and six string Bisonic pups maybe Novak or another maker will produce six string Darkstars one day. Perfect for the new Squier Bass VI
I recently installed a Novak BiSonic in my Guild Newark st. Starfire.
Honestly, I liked the stock pickup but it made me wish it had a neck pickup as well.
With the Novak installed (I have the 6.3K/14K tapped version) and on full coil, I no longer miss a neck pickup. A bit more lows come through without stifling the highs or mids.
Tapped I get a tone similar to stock, but with exceptional build quality.
I noticed when removing the stock pickup that the magnets are cut about 1/8" shorter than the slot they are mounted in. Not so with Curtis' work.
Ultimately, it was a very worth while upgrade.
Honestly, I liked the stock pickup but it made me wish it had a neck pickup as well.
With the Novak installed (I have the 6.3K/14K tapped version) and on full coil, I no longer miss a neck pickup. A bit more lows come through without stifling the highs or mids.
Tapped I get a tone similar to stock, but with exceptional build quality.
I noticed when removing the stock pickup that the magnets are cut about 1/8" shorter than the slot they are mounted in. Not so with Curtis' work.
Ultimately, it was a very worth while upgrade.
So what exactly does the coil tap option give me, in layman' terms? (Sorry, I'm still a pickup newbie.)
The coil tap gives 2 tonal options.
Novak winds these pickups to order, and if you email or call him and describe the tone you want, he'll make it happen.
His standard wind is about 14k (which is what he found as common among Vintage bi-sonics). Darkstars where wound to around 7k. Curtis will do either.
I was curious as to which I'd like more, so I asked for the tapped version in which there is a lead off the coil at roughly the mid way point.
So it gives me 1 pickup that will do both sounds.
Note: my experience is with this pickup in a single pickup Guild Starfire bass where the pickup is in more of a bridge or MM position.
Based on that solely, I would not put a 14k Bi-sonic in a neck position as the output would be very hot and likely overdrive any amp.
YMMV.
Novak winds these pickups to order, and if you email or call him and describe the tone you want, he'll make it happen.
His standard wind is about 14k (which is what he found as common among Vintage bi-sonics). Darkstars where wound to around 7k. Curtis will do either.
I was curious as to which I'd like more, so I asked for the tapped version in which there is a lead off the coil at roughly the mid way point.
So it gives me 1 pickup that will do both sounds.
Note: my experience is with this pickup in a single pickup Guild Starfire bass where the pickup is in more of a bridge or MM position.
Based on that solely, I would not put a 14k Bi-sonic in a neck position as the output would be very hot and likely overdrive any amp.
YMMV.
Does your tractor bass have the 14k or the 7k windings?
Either way, ditch the pots and go directly to the jack
Either way, ditch the pots and go directly to the jack
hah. I was going direct from the pups to the jack for a while. But I must say having a volume knob is nice. And I'm also experimenting with a tone pot now. Can't say going direct made much of noticeable difference. The extra magnet was much more noticeable of a change.
