EUB project

[JIO]

Also, just realized you're in Pacifica. I live in the Bay Area as well. Do you make instruments, or do you only do the gilding thing? Feel free to private message me.

Cool! Both - Gildaxe (gilded finishes) has evolved into an umbrella involvement which incorporates custom basses. My SuperB 5'r and Super SLX (currently in development) will be my first limited edition special order products. SuperB - 5'r / Super SLX fretless… etc Stay tuned!

 

[JIO]

 

[ICM]

Really nice work as always.

 

[BAG]

I absolutely love the look of that thing.

 

[GKon]

It's beautiful, JIO!

 

[Indiedog]

Yup...I am reviving an older thread.
But I HAD to because I saw this wonderful instrument over the weekend at JIO's. WOW! It just blew my mind. I wish we had had more time so we could fire it up.

Since you have lived with it for awhile, what do you think about it nowadays, JIO? Would you change anything if doing it again?

Thanks again for your hospitality!!

 

[JIO]

Yup...I am reviving an older thread.
But I HAD to because I saw this wonderful instrument over the weekend at JIO's. WOW! It just blew my mind. I wish we had had more time so we could fire it up.

Since you have lived with it for awhile, what do you think about it nowadays, JIO? Would you change anything if doing it again?

Thanks again for your hospitality!!

Thanks Indie! Yes, if making #2 I would do a few things differently. I just found out about a pu maker from a concurrent thread on an electric cello that I've contacted (they are in Sacramento CA) to see if they can make me a (better) pu for it. I would also design the body differently - really honing-in on player interface seated. Like the successful NS designs, it does ok standing but seated playing needs work. My floating pu carrier is a keeper and the bridge and mono-pod stand will also carry-over. Once I get this prototype buttoned up (with a better pu) I'll start work on #2.

Hope to see you again in the near future so we can go on a bike ride together!

Sentell Pickups bass guitar pickups (halfway down the page)

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Thanks Indie! Yes, if making #2 I would do a few things differently. I just found out about a pu maker from a concurrent thread on an electric cello that I've contacted (they are in Sacramento CA) to see if they can make me a (better) pu for it.

Hey JIO;

I have four of these custom pickups available right now, if you are interested. These are variants of the quad pickups that I developed for my Series IV model Scroll Basses, which have a 4" radius fingerboard. These sets are currently set up for 7 1/4" radius, but it would be easy to make up new mounting brackets to fit any string radius and spacing you need for your EUB. The four coils are completely independent.

Each coil contains (3) 1/4" dia x 3/4" long A5 rod magnets. They are quite powerful and operate just fine fully passive; no pre-amping needed. The coils are each 5000 turns of #41 wire, tall narrow coils to fit into the narrow space needed. They are wired in series alternating, and the magnets are alternating (2 coils N, 2 coils S), so the quad set operates as a full humbucker. The DCR of the quad set is 7.5K.

The shells on the outside are aluminum, grounded for full shielding. The caps on the top are Macassar ebony, about 1/16" thick.

Their sound is very clear and wide range, not muddy at all. I used this design on my Series IV models, right in the middle of the body, with Chromes flatwounds. Some years back, I made up a 5-string set of these coils for a guy up in your area who does crazy stuff on a 5-string Double Bass. He loved the sound he was getting, even with the gut-core DB strings.

These four sets are leftovers. I made them up special for two custom Scroll Basses, which used two quad sets each. I used perforated aluminum shells on these, whereas I normally use perforated brass. Those two basses ended up getting rebuilt with a different pickup configuration.

Anyway, these are sitting here collecting dust, and I have no real use for them.

You know where to reach me.

 

[Indiedog]

Thanks Indie! Yes, if making #2 I would do a few things differently. I just found out about a pu maker from a concurrent thread on an electric cello that I've contacted (they are in Sacramento CA) to see if they can make me a (better) pu for it. I would also design the body differently - really honing-in on player interface seated. Like the successful NS designs, it does ok standing but seated playing needs work. My floating pu carrier is a keeper and the bridge and mono-pod stand will also carry-over. Once I get this prototype buttoned up (with a better pu) I'll start work on #2.

Hope to see you again in the near future so we can go on a bike ride together!

View attachment 2963733
Sentell Pickups bass guitar pickups (halfway down the page)

Fascinating stuff, JIO. Isn’t it impossible not to see the opportunities for improving something we have just finished? I love how the human mind wants to improve itself and its creations.

I also love when humans are genuinely interested in helping others achieve their goals. Bruce is showing that right now. Good on ya both!

How totally cool!! I love TalkBass!

 

[JIO]

Hey JIO;

I have four of these custom pickups available right now, if you are interested. These are variants of the quad pickups that I developed for my Series IV model Scroll Basses, which have a 4" radius fingerboard. These sets are currently set up for 7 1/4" radius, but it would be easy to make up new mounting brackets to fit any string radius and spacing you need for your EUB. The four coils are completely independent.

Each coil contains (3) 1/4" dia x 3/4" long A5 rod magnets. They are quite powerful and operate just fine fully passive; no pre-amping needed. The coils are each 5000 turns of #41 wire, tall narrow coils to fit into the narrow space needed. They are wired in series alternating, and the magnets are alternating (2 coils N, 2 coils S), so the quad set operates as a full humbucker. The DCR of the quad set is 7.5K.

The shells on the outside are aluminum, grounded for full shielding. The caps on the top are Macassar ebony, about 1/16" thick.

Their sound is very clear and wide range, not muddy at all. I used this design on my Series IV models, right in the middle of the body, with Chromes flatwounds. Some years back, I made up a 5-string set of these coils for a guy up in your area who does crazy stuff on a 5-string Double Bass. He loved the sound he was getting, even with the gut-core DB strings.

These four sets are leftovers. I made them up special for two custom Scroll Basses, which used two quad sets each. I used perforated aluminum shells on these, whereas I normally use perforated brass. Those two basses ended up getting rebuilt with a different pickup configuration.

Anyway, these are sitting here collecting dust, and I have no real use for them.

You know where to reach me.

View attachment 2963814

Thanks Bruce - if I'm understanding it correctly, these pu's would each run parallel to each string correct? As in, the angle/tilt of each would happen with the 4 individual pu's being parallel to each other? For my needs that wouldn't work for a few reasons (if so) but I appreciate your interest and may take you up on these cool pu's for another project!

 

[-Asdfgh-]

View attachment 2555107

View attachment 2555108

View attachment 2555109

View attachment 2555110

View attachment 2555111

That's the pickup I need for my project

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Thanks Bruce - if I'm understanding it correctly, these pu's would each run parallel to each string correct? As in, the angle/tilt of each would happen with the 4 individual pu's being parallel to each other? For my needs that wouldn't work for a few reasons (if so) but I appreciate your interest and may take you up on these cool pu's for another project!

I guess I'm not understanding your concern? Yes, the coils run inline with the strings; the long direction goes along the length of the string. Each coil raises up and down individually at each end, over a range of about 1/4". The center ones can be raised up to make the group fit a smaller fingerboard radius. If you have a lot of string taper, in the plan view, then new aluminum base plate bars can be made with wider spacing on the rear one. Then the four coils would be slightly out of parallel to each other. In my testing, that didn't seem to be an issue. I mounted the four coils parallel to each other. Each coil has plenty of width to its magnetic field envelope.

Here's what they look like installed in one of my Series IV models, set up with a 4" radius. As shown, each coil has a vertical adjustment range of about 1/4". Those are standard 4-40 machine screws and silicone rubber tubing springs. If you needed to get to a smaller radius than 1/4", just add slightly longer screws to the two center coils.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I guess I'm not understanding your concern? Yes, the coils run inline with the strings; the long direction goes along the length of the string. Each coil raises up and down individually at each end, over a range of about 1/4". The center ones can be raised up to make the group fit a smaller fingerboard radius. If you have a lot of string taper, in the plan view, then new aluminum base plate bars can be made with wider spacing on the rear one. Then the four coils would be slightly out of parallel to each other. In my testing, that didn't seem to be an issue. I mounted the four coils parallel to each other. Each coil has plenty of width to its magnetic field envelope.

Here's what they look like installed in one of my Series IV models, set up with a 4" radius. As shown, each coil has a vertical adjustment range of about 1/4". Those are standard 4-40 machine screws and silicone rubber tubing springs. If you needed to get to a smaller radius than 1/4", just add slightly longer screws to the two center coils.

View attachment 2963960 View attachment 2963961

A curved cover, and that would also be a ramp.

 

[moonshinegtrs]

@Bruce Johnson I realize this is a totally different arrangement (spit coils if I read right?) but I love this design (the whole bass too!).

Moonshine

 

[delta7fred]

How about 4 individual lipstick pickups as used on the Italia Modulo bass.

4xLipstickPups

• delta7fred
• Mar 27, 2018

 

[Bruce Johnson]

@Bruce Johnson I realize this is a totally different arrangement (spit coils if I read right?) but I love this design (the whole bass too!).
View attachment 2963987


Moonshine

Yes, that's one of my Series III models from 2004. Those are a pair of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder P-Bass coil sets, in my own custom housings. Each of those housings has one half of a P-bass set. It's a twin P-style bass.

It's cool looking, but was kind of a waste actually. There's only a small difference in sound between the two sets. The set toward the bridge has a little less bottom end, but no extra top end. On my later AMB-2 model (introduced in 2012) I went with a single pickup in the center. No need for a second pickup.

 

[JIO]

I guess I'm not understanding your concern? Yes, the coils run inline with the strings; the long direction goes along the length of the string. Each coil raises up and down individually at each end, over a range of about 1/4". The center ones can be raised up to make the group fit a smaller fingerboard radius. If you have a lot of string taper, in the plan view, then new aluminum base plate bars can be made with wider spacing on the rear one. Then the four coils would be slightly out of parallel to each other. In my testing, that didn't seem to be an issue. I mounted the four coils parallel to each other. Each coil has plenty of width to its magnetic field envelope.

Here's what they look like installed in one of my Series IV models, set up with a 4" radius. As shown, each coil has a vertical adjustment range of about 1/4". Those are standard 4-40 machine screws and silicone rubber tubing springs. If you needed to get to a smaller radius than 1/4", just add slightly longer screws to the two center coils.

View attachment 2963960 View attachment 2963961

What I was referring to Bruce was my individual separate mini-pole pu design that can be shifted to a couple of different locations attached by magnets in the body and carrier feet. I was pretty sure of how you positioned your individual string pu's (thanks for illustrating it) but they would require a different system if I wanted them to be adjustable/moveable from neck to bridge. (like the Rail, or Gibson "Grabber"?) If I make another stab at a UEB like my prototype but better, I would be redesigning the body anyway so I will consider your fine pu design and how I could incorporate it into the design. I'm imagining considering your pu design it wouldn't need to be moveable (like my mini-pole unit) as you remarked about your 4 split pu bass. They do look very cool and I would definitely be inspired to design/form a suitable look for a EUB that sported them.

 

[JIO]

How about 4 individual lipstick pickups as used on the Italia Modulo bass.

4xLipstickPups

• delta7fred
• Mar 27, 2018

More food for thought - that pu arrangement would aesthetically inspire a more futuristic/space-age look for an EUB. hummm...

 

[JIO]

That's the pickup I need for my project

As you read in my thread - the mini-individual pole pu's are a good idea but as far as quality his product still has a ways to go, at least as far as the application I used. My own further development of that design is on the back burner for now but I'd like to refine it.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

As you read in my thread - the mini-individual pole pu's are a good idea but as far as quality his product still has a ways to go, at least as far as the application I used. My own further development of that design is on the back burner for now but I'd like to refine it.

Back to the drawing board, then.