Highest fidelity, highest detail EMG45 sized pickups. Suggestions please...

[A9X]

I'm looking for the highest fidelity and detail EMG45 pickups I can buy in the aftermarket. Think Alembic. Pickups can be active a la EMG or passive.

I'll be building the preamps so single coils won't present an issue for noise for example. Please just suggest the best one's you know.

Bass is a 6 with 16.5mm string spacing.

Worst comes to worst, I'll design and wind my own.

 

[MPU]

I'd say Q-tuner.

 

[A9X]

I'd say Q-tuner.

I have looked at them but have no experience. They are expensive, but I can see me keeping this bass for a long time. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[ctmullins]

Definitely Q-Tuner.

 

[A9X]

Definitely Q-Tuner.

Thanks. In my previous post I said they were expensive, but they're only $40 more than a pair of Zen Blades for example.

 

[Bushmaster]

Closest to Alembic probably will be LeFay, Lane Poor (Legacy) sidewinders and their clones by Dick Schwab (SGD, Coney Island). The well-known problem with the latter two being delivery times.

As for EMG, I like best the Original Series. P and DC armatures indeed offer better bass response than the J.

Seymour Duncan Active PUs seemed very powerful to me, but I understand there's synergy effects with the preamp used. I gather it's the Seymour Duncan Preamp which I found a bit overwhelming.

No first hand experience with either Nordstrand Zen or Q-Tuner here.

 

[rojo412]

I gotta throw Delano in the mix. They are amazingly clear, they are passive, they do tons of size options. Not cheap, but nothing worth getting ever really is.
Nordy is also very good, something with the blades would be very clean and clear.

DO NOT go with SGD/Coney Island pickups, unless you want your money stolen and to never get pickups.

 

[dwizum]

Worst comes to worst, I'll design and wind my own.

If you decide to pursue that, come over to the Luthier's Corner sub forum and look for the pickup winding thread:

Magnets & Copper Wire: A Pickup Building Thread

There are a handful of us in that thread focusing on the style you're describing (hi-fi pickups, versus pickups that emphasize/cut frequencies to mimic specific tones).

 

[A9X]

Closest to Alembic probably will be LeFay

They don't list them as separate items on their site. Do I just email and ask?

Lane Poor (Legacy) sidewinders

Website is still under construction nearly 3y out. How do I find out about them and potentially order them?

As for EMG, I like best the Original Series. P and DC armatures indeed offer better bass response than the J.

I have DC/CS set going into the SRC6 and a DC/J set going into a 4 string Woodberger. Just need pots and knobs for the latter. I'll probably get another EMG40 size DC/CS set for the B2V later.

I gotta throw Delano in the mix. They are amazingly clear, they are passive, they do tons of size options. Not cheap, but nothing worth getting ever really is.

At $332 from BBG they're right in the middle of the QTuners. I assume they're a blade design, but they don't say so, so I'll email BBG tech and ask. The one thing that puts me off, and sorry for not making this clear, is I'm looking for a narrow aperture type pickup not the wider spacing of a HB. Thank you for the suggestion and I'll investigate them fully anyway as sometimes what's best is not what you think it is when you start.

 

[A9X]

If you decide to pursue that, come over to the Luthier's Corner sub forum and look for the pickup winding thread:

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll drop by in the morning. I've designed and wound tube output and interstage TRFs as well as grid chokes so I have some experience in a related field, just not quite sure how to apply it to pickups. My friend also has a professional winding machine in his vast tool store, but I could also make my own.

 

[rojo412]

I'm looking for a narrow aperture type pickup not the wider spacing of a HB.

That actually almost sways me to suggest Nordy instead anyway. They do custom stuff, and this is leaning towards how the Blade pickups they do are oriented.

And I didn't know this until I just looked, but Delano doesn't do the 45 shape. They do have very clear and articulate pickups, but nothing exactly for your needs, so yeah... no sense in going too far there.

 

[A9X]

That actually almost sways me to suggest Nordy instead anyway.

The Zens like the QTuners are both sidewinders and the 45 size are stock for both. Pity I find the Zens ugly. I'll live with that, maybe I can paint the exposed magnet sections.

And I didn't know this until I just looked, but Delano doesn't do the 45 shape.

Yes they do; SBC6-E. Cheers.

 

[mikezimmerman]

It's worth asking Nordstrand about ordering them with closed covers. They do all kinds of custom work, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were able to do them without the exposed blade.

The Zens like the QTuners are both sidewinders and the 45 size are stock for both. Pity I find the Zens ugly. I'll live with that, maybe I can paint the exposed magnet sections.

 

[dwizum]

Or make your own wood covers to pop them in to!

 

[A9X]

It's worth asking Nordstrand about ordering them with closed covers. They do all kinds of custom work, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were able to do them without the exposed blade.

Or make your own wood covers to pop them in to!

Both excellent suggestions. The Zens wouldn't need to be enclosed, just the pole pieces black.

dwizum, just started to read the thread, can't sleep.

 

[cnltb]

I think that Delano anb Haeussel, both can also do very 'high fidelity ' pickups.

 

[Bushmaster]

They don't list them as separate items on their site. Do I just email and ask?

Yes. They've been marketing their PUs under the label "Rough Crystal" previously, but they also later on still sold PUs.

Website is still under construction nearly 3y out. How do I find out about them and potentially order them?

It's one-man business. I'd try writing to him. If he doesn't respond, he probably is overworked, and it's gonna be no use anyway

I think that Delano anb Haeussel, both can also do very 'high fidelity ' pickups.

AFAIK more typical of Häussel would be sounds preferred by "rock" players. Smaller German boutique PU manufacturers would include Basstec and Bassculture. Obviously these also do custom-tailored PUs.

 

[cnltb]

AFAIK more typical of Häussel would be sounds preferred by "rock" players. Smaller German boutique PU manufacturers would include Basstec and Bassculture. Obviously these also do custom-tailored PUs.

I did say they 'can'.
Yes, there are quite a few out there.
As to Häussel being typically preferred by Rock-leaning players; I don't know but since he can do extremely organic, open and hi fidelity sounding pickups, he might be worth considering.
I seem to remember Basstec being somewhat related to Häussel but am not 100%sure right now. It may be one of his lines...?
Bassculture too is worth mentioning(as you did). I know him as very accommodating in responding to customers requirements and most certainly able to wind what's desired.

I don't think Lefay still sell their pickups without a bass attached(since they are mantioned in the same post, my post was . Worth a call nonetheless as I may be wrong.

 

[mellowgerman]

I think Curtis Novak can work with you on custom sizes/casings... he could likely do a 6-string Dark-Star style single coil in an EMG-style casing. That would be pretty clear and crisp. No clue how much that type of a custom job would cost though. Can't hurt to ask!

 

[fast slapper]

I have Q-tuners and Delano SBC duals in my basses. Both have their resonant peaks around 7 or 8khz.

I think they're both very good pickups. Can't go wrong with either line.