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Gibson Midtown Club.

#363
ShoeManiac said:
Hate to do it, but I might be moving on from the club!
Click to expand...
Same thing here. I have really enjoyed my Midtown, especially since putting the Novak pickups in her, but I have way too much stuff. This went up for sale Tuesday night, along with three of my other basses. I thought the Midtown would be the first to go but instead it's the last one left. I'm content to let it linger though - I love the way it sounds.
 
#365
cellkirk74 said:
Since there were just so few Midtowns made, I will keep mine for sure. Only a real valid reissue of the EB-2d would make me feel different on this.

These are kinda unique animals and will be consifered just this on day.
Click to expand...

Yeah they're a great bass. I've got an old EB-2 (not 2d) that I love and gig all the time, but my Midtown makes it out too, sounds great and very comfy to play. Just had it out last night at a local bar:

28947705_10156280985575859_6533093170528121486_o.jpg
 
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#370
I have just bought a 2014 Signature which is shipping to me now.
Here is a pic. More pics when she arrives.
I am looking forward to this as it has the SG Bass pickups. I gig a number of TBirds, Les Paul Basses and an ES 335 Bass which have various incarnations of the TB+, so I like that style of pickup. But I am told the ones in the SG are a bit different. The Midtown is a great option because I don't like short scale basses.
34646032_1715093991861801_119732959384174592_n.jpg
 
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#371
veebass said:
I have just bought a 2014 Signature which is shipping to me now.
Here is a pic. More pics when she arrives.
I am looking forward to this as it has the SG Bass pickups. I gig a number of TBirds, Les Paul Basses and an ES 335 Bass which have various incarnations of the TB+, so I like that style of pickup. But I am told the ones in the SG are a bit different. The Midtown is a great option because I don't like short scale basses.
View attachment 3043871
Click to expand...
Very nice! The blue looks great.
 
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#373
veebass said:
I have just bought a 2014 Signature which is shipping to me now.
Here is a pic. More pics when she arrives.
I am looking forward to this as it has the SG Bass pickups. I gig a number of TBirds, Les Paul Basses and an ES 335 Bass which have various incarnations of the TB+, so I like that style of pickup. But I am told the ones in the SG are a bit different. The Midtown is a great option because I don't like short scale basses.
View attachment 3043871
Click to expand...
I am soo looking for one of the ‘14 Sigs. Congrats, beautiful.
 
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#374
The courier just delivered this glorious Midtown Sig (private purchase second hand).
34646032_1715093991861801_119732959384174592_n.jpg



The bass is beautiful condition (neck excellent), issue is the neck pickup sounds absolutely cr@p at any sort of volume. In addition to the note we get a big, distorted echo and a wonderful feedback squeal at volume from the neck pickup. Bridge pickup is clear as a bell. Sounds like the neck pickup is microphonic to me. Not quite the NBD I had hoped for.

I have reported it to the seller and at least at this stage he is willing to talk to me about repairing it or taking it back (on the other side of Australia). I would like to keep it if possible. It is beautiful and plays very well- just sounds rubbish. I have other Gibson Basses with TB+s and so it is not me not liking the pickup- it is faulty.
There is a guy who does wax potting locally, but he says sometimes it doesn't fix the problem. I have basic soldering skills and have replaced pots, inputs and pickups in Fenders, Tbirds and Rippers in the past but I had a look at the wiring and I will get him to remove the pickup and reinstall it or a replacement (looks a bit awkward in there for me).

First question.
What is a good replacement pickup at a reasonable price?
Are these ones OK?

Allparts Chrome Humbucker Neck Pickup for Gibson/Epiphone® EB Bass PU-0416-010 | eBay

Or rhis one?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Other suggestions?
Where can I get a genuine Gibson pickup? (There is no actually functional Gibson importer or distributer network in Australia at present)

Does anyone here have an SG Bass/ Midtown neck pickup for sale?

BTW- the colour is stunning and the pic does not do it justice- it actually is close to Peacock Blue at some angles.
 
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#375
veebass said:
The courier just delivered this glorious Midtown Sig (private purchase second hand).
View attachment 3049749


The bass is beautiful condition (neck excellent), issue is the neck pickup sounds absolutely cr@p at any sort of volume. In addition to the note we get a big, distorted echo and a wonderful feedback squeal at volume from the neck pickup. Bridge pickup is clear as a bell. Sounds like the neck pickup is microphonic to me. Not quite the NBD I had hoped for.

I have reported it to the seller and at least at this stage he is willing to talk to me about repairing it or taking it back (on the other side of Australia). I would like to keep it if possible. It is beautiful and plays very well- just sounds rubbish. I have other Gibson Basses with TB+s and so it is not me not liking the pickup- it is faulty.
There is a guy who does wax potting locally, but he says sometimes it doesn't fix the problem. I have basic soldering skills and have replaced pots, inputs and pickups in Fenders, Tbirds and Rippers in the past but I had a look at the wiring and I will get him to remove the pickup and reinstall it or a replacement (looks a bit awkward in there for me).

First question.
What is a good replacement pickup at a reasonable price?
Are these ones OK?

Allparts Chrome Humbucker Neck Pickup for Gibson/Epiphone® EB Bass PU-0416-010 | eBay

Or rhis one?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Other suggestions?
Where can I get a genuine Gibson pickup? (There is no actually functional Gibson importer or distributer network in Australia at present)

Does anyone here have an SG Bass/ Midtown neck pickup for sale?

BTW- the colour is stunning and the pic does not do it justice- it actually is close to Peacock Blue at some angles.
Click to expand...

The blue ones are quite stunning. If I were to get a second, I would be looking for a blue one.

Over the course of 9-12 months, my neck pick up started going microphonic. At first I ignored it, then I wondered if I was just hearing things. But as time went on, it got worse. BY the end, I fond that speaking near the pickup, I could hear myself through the amp, so I knew what was happening. Fortunately, it was under warranty. I took it in to my local L&M and they repotted it. I was surprised, it took all of 24 hours.

I wonder if it will happen again. When you play, the whole thing vibrates which will loosen parts. I have an annual tightening of everything on each bass, but not much to do about potted pickups until they go bad.

If it were me, I would just get it repotted.
 
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#376
PillO said:
The blue ones are quite stunning. If I were to get a second, I would be looking for a blue one.

Over the course of 9-12 months, my neck pick up started going microphonic. At first I ignored it, then I wondered if I was just hearing things. But as time went on, it got worse. BY the end, I fond that speaking near the pickup, I could hear myself through the amp, so I knew what was happening. Fortunately, it was under warranty. I took it in to my local L&M and they repotted it. I was surprised, it took all of 24 hours.

I wonder if it will happen again. When you play, the whole thing vibrates which will loosen parts. I have an annual tightening of everything on each bass, but not much to do about potted pickups until they go bad.

If it were me, I would just get it repotted.
Click to expand...


I am so glad you responded. I am not going mad! (At least not on this issue anyway).
The blue is stunning "in the flesh".

Potting isn't that big a deal- it is getting the pickup out and back in that I think will cost some $.
 
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#377
veebass said:
The courier just delivered this glorious Midtown Sig (private purchase second hand).
View attachment 3049749


The bass is beautiful condition (neck excellent), issue is the neck pickup sounds absolutely cr@p at any sort of volume. In addition to the note we get a big, distorted echo and a wonderful feedback squeal at volume from the neck pickup. Bridge pickup is clear as a bell. Sounds like the neck pickup is microphonic to me. Not quite the NBD I had hoped for.

I have reported it to the seller and at least at this stage he is willing to talk to me about repairing it or taking it back (on the other side of Australia). I would like to keep it if possible. It is beautiful and plays very well- just sounds rubbish. I have other Gibson Basses with TB+s and so it is not me not liking the pickup- it is faulty.
There is a guy who does wax potting locally, but he says sometimes it doesn't fix the problem. I have basic soldering skills and have replaced pots, inputs and pickups in Fenders, Tbirds and Rippers in the past but I had a look at the wiring and I will get him to remove the pickup and reinstall it or a replacement (looks a bit awkward in there for me).

First question.
What is a good replacement pickup at a reasonable price?
Are these ones OK?

Allparts Chrome Humbucker Neck Pickup for Gibson/Epiphone® EB Bass PU-0416-010 | eBay

Or rhis one?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Other suggestions?
Where can I get a genuine Gibson pickup? (There is no actually functional Gibson importer or distributer network in Australia at present)

Does anyone here have an SG Bass/ Midtown neck pickup for sale?

BTW- the colour is stunning and the pic does not do it justice- it actually is close to Peacock Blue at some angles.
Click to expand...

Great bass! Before you go to far with swapping out pickups, these neck pickups are notorious for their rattle. I used some thin packing foam (the kind that comes in thin, soft sheets) over the top of the pickup. I used multiple layers until the rattle stopped.

Since then it sounds perfect.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!
 
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#378
Bass Dao said:
Great bass! Before you go to far with swapping out pickups, these neck pickups are notorious for their rattle. I used some thin packing foam (the kind that comes in thin, soft sheets) over the top of the pickup. I used multiple layers until the rattle stopped.

Since then it sounds perfect.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Thanks, it is a great bass.
I had read about the famous rattle, but thought that was more an annoying thing that was obvious when the bass is played unamplified. Does it come through the amplified sound and affect that?

I can't hear much of a rattle here unamplified, but there is a distorted echo and a rattle when the neck pick up is selected (both pickups and neck pickup alone) and the bass is played through an amp at a reasonable "gig" volume. Also it is prone to wild feedback when the neck pickup alone is selected and the tone pot is fully open.

I would much prefer to keep it stock.
 
#379
veebass said:
Thanks, it is a great bass.
I had read about the famous rattle, but thought that was more an annoying thing that was obvious when the bass is played unamplified. Does it come through the amplified sound and affect that?

I can't hear much of a rattle here unamplified, but there is a distorted echo and a rattle when the neck pick up is selected (both pickups and neck pickup alone) and the bass is played through an amp at a reasonable "gig" volume. Also it is prone to wild feedback when the neck pickup alone is selected and the tone pot is fully open.

I would much prefer to keep it stock.
Click to expand...

The rattle is caused by the neck pickup not sitting tight against the cover. Putting something soft in between the pickup and the cover to stop the rattle doesn't change it from stock, just stops the rattle. But if it doesn't bother you then yeah don't worry about it.
 
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#380
Mastermold said:
The rattle is caused by the neck pickup not sitting tight against the cover. Putting something soft in between the pickup and the cover to stop the rattle doesn't change it from stock, just stops the rattle. But if it doesn't bother you then yeah don't worry about it.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

We might be talking at slightly crossed purposes.
There is no problem unamplified. The problem occurs when the bass is amplified.
It sounds like a microphonic pickup to me (distorted echo and feedback) or does the famous rattle affect the amplified sound?

When I was talking about keeping the bass stock- I meant in respect a pickup change.
 
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