Ibanez EHB1005MS Overhaul

[Grizz2k]

I've been playing a stock Ibanez EHB1005MS for over a year now and, like many users, just can't get a sound I'm happy with out of the pickups. It's serviceable - I can get tones close enough to use in a variety of venues and genres - but acceptance is not satisfaction.
I looked into Dingwall, Sire, Spector, Kiesel, other Ibanez models - but as far as comfort, my EHB can't be beat. My problem is only with the tone, so I thought a mod would do me happy. The odd pickup size only lends itself to a handful of drop-in replacements and none are my taste. I want to route more space for 2 EMG 45TWs, replace the preamp, replace the active/passive switch and add another switch for individual coil splits, and refinish it to clean up any routing traces.
Looking for any reason this can't/shouldn't be done besides personal taste and resale value.

Tl;dr are large scale bass mods effective?

 

[Meyatch]

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I have 2 of them with modded pickups. Off the top of my head I don't remember the exact size of the pickups, but I know its a 6 string bartolini size. Nordstrand made me custom 5 string pickups in the 6 string size, but a 6 string pickup that has bar magnets or something would work.

The green one has big splits and the black one has big singles. I don't regret it at all. They sound great and play great. Sometimes I don't like the look, but sometimes I do. Either way I like the matte finish and roasted maple necks better than the higher end ones that came stock with nordstrand, so I think this was a good compromise.

 

[sunbeast]

I've been playing a stock Ibanez EHB1005MS for over a year now and, like many users, just can't get a sound I'm happy with out of the pickups. It's serviceable - I can get tones close enough to use in a variety of venues and genres - but acceptance is not satisfaction.
I looked into Dingwall, Sire, Spector, Kiesel, other Ibanez models - but as far as comfort, my EHB can't be beat. My problem is only with the tone, so I thought a mod would do me happy. The odd pickup size only lends itself to a handful of drop-in replacements and none are my taste. I want to route more space for 2 EMG 45TWs, replace the preamp, replace the active/passive switch and add another switch for individual coil splits, and refinish it to clean up any routing traces.
Looking for any reason this can't/shouldn't be done besides personal taste and resale value.

Tl;dr are large scale bass mods effective?

Have you tried wiring the pickups in parallel? Apparently this clears up the dark nature of the stock Bartolinis and is an easy mod

 

[Grizz2k]

Have you tried wiring the pickups in parallel? Apparently this clears up the dark nature of the stock Bartolinis and is an easy mod

Nope, it's stock besides Kalium strings. I'll try this out when I get home. Thanks.

 

[Snert]

I want to route more space for 2 EMG 45TWs

I'm doing this for one of my SRs to get the choice of PUS as I already have a couple of EMG45 size models to use.

Looking for any reason this can't/shouldn't be done besides personal taste and resale value.

If done right, there's no reason I can see not to do it. Ergos mean a lot to me, so once that's right, the rest can be changed.

 

[Hand slap]

I've been playing a stock Ibanez EHB1005MS for over a year now and, like many users, just can't get a sound I'm happy with out of the pickups. It's serviceable - I can get tones close enough to use in a variety of venues and genres - but acceptance is not satisfaction.
I looked into Dingwall, Sire, Spector, Kiesel, other Ibanez models - but as far as comfort, my EHB can't be beat. My problem is only with the tone, so I thought a mod would do me happy. The odd pickup size only lends itself to a handful of drop-in replacements and none are my taste. I want to route more space for 2 EMG 45TWs, replace the preamp, replace the active/passive switch and add another switch for individual coil splits, and refinish it to clean up any routing traces.
Looking for any reason this can't/shouldn't be done besides personal taste and resale value.

Tl;dr are large scale bass mods effective?

Sounds to me like you need a different bass?

 

[Drzejzi]

I feel the same about my Ibanez basses: SR1205 with Nordstrand Big Singles and ATK310. They feel perfectly... but my other basses fit better sonically without touching eq. Generally Nordstrands are known to be good replacements for stock Ibanez pickups, but I feel like they are in positions, that don't provide sound that is "just right", but forces you to tweak a little.

I hope you will find a solution

 

[sikamikanico]

No problem routing for EMG size, but there are a number of Bart sized pickups that should fit (blades). Unless you’re set on having a pair of EMG (not just EMG-sized) pickups, I’d explore and exhaust Bart-sized options first. Just avoid split and quad coils, they might not work for this.

Bart sized blade pickups: many Barts of course, also Nordstrand (Big Blade, Zen Blade…), Aguilar DCBs, Delano SBCs, I think also some Duncans maybe. I’m probably missing some/many.

You can go in the custom waters with non-bladed pickups. Like someone said above, many Nordstrand models can be custom-ordered for this. Others do it to, worth asking if you like a particular design.

I also believe that routing and drilling is possible without the need to refinish. Just search around for proper techniques or have a reputable luthier do it.

 

[ga_edwards]

LowEnd Lobster replaced the pickups in his with Aguilar DCB soapbars and he seems happy with it now.

 

[Bozendoka]

I say go for it! I've gutted my Dingwall Combustion, literally the only original piece other than the wood and control cavity cover is the string tee, only because I couldn't find the same one in gold finish. I've had Lace Alumitones with an Audere preamp, then went passive, and am currently running Q-Tuners passive. I may put that Audere back in at some point. Thankfully it's from the first batch back when they had square pickups, so aftermarkets are easy to find.

 

[Isaac_James]

I recently modded a bass of mine that I loved the feel of but couldn't get a good sound out of (or at least one that I liked). It too is an Ibanez, though I had a lot more options as it was a traditional 4 string PJ. I ended up replacing the entire electronics, going from active to passive with Wilde PJ pickups and a series/parallel switch. I'm still in the honeymoon phase but so far I am really happy with the decision - it's turned this bass into something I'll actually play regularly now instead of just occasionally when I don't care so much about the tone. So I highly recommend swapping out the pickups if you aren't happy. It really can transform an instrument!

 

[groovaholic]

IMO - basses are like houses; I have to love the things I can't change.
Generally, that means I have to love the neck profile, weight, and ergonomics.

If all of those attributes are a home run for me, then I'm going to put in the effort to make it perfect for me.

If there was a stock model that would deliver everything I want, I'd just get THAT...but my bass preferences are specific and uncommon enough that there just isn't an off the shelf solution.

 

[Kevin Hailey]

I've been playing a stock Ibanez EHB1005MS for over a year now and, like many users, just can't get a sound I'm happy with out of the pickups. It's serviceable - I can get tones close enough to use in a variety of venues and genres - but acceptance is not satisfaction.
I looked into Dingwall, Sire, Spector, Kiesel, other Ibanez models - but as far as comfort, my EHB can't be beat. My problem is only with the tone, so I thought a mod would do me happy. The odd pickup size only lends itself to a handful of drop-in replacements and none are my taste. I want to route more space for 2 EMG 45TWs, replace the preamp, replace the active/passive switch and add another switch for individual coil splits, and refinish it to clean up any routing traces.
Looking for any reason this can't/shouldn't be done besides personal taste and resale value.

Tl;dr are large scale bass mods effective?

I can’t speak to the pickups in your bass but dreadful sounding preamps seem to be a feature of all Ibanez basses!
I have an sr series bass that came with Nordstrand pickups, about a year ago I had a Nordstrand preamp installed which made a significant improvement to my basses sound and the ability to adjust eq to different rooms far more effectively.

 

[Isaac_James]

I can’t speak to the pickups in your bass but dreadful sounding preamps seem to be a feature of all Ibanez basses!
I have an sr series bass that came with Nordstrand pickups, about a year ago I had a Nordstrand preamp installed which made a significant improvement to my basses sound and the ability to adjust eq to different rooms far more effectively.

In my case I'm not sure whether the pickups or the preamp was the culprit; probably a little of both. I honestly tried knob fiddling for a long time before throwing in the towel. I wouldn't have been able to just take the preamp out alone though - the pickups themselves are active and directly wired to the preamp for battery power. I don't really need an onboard preamp anyway - I do most of my tone shaping with a preamp pedal, and then adjust to the room as needed with my amp controls. A passive system is cheaper, easier to install, and is giving me everything I want from this instrument.

 

[GlassToMouth]

I always loved the feel of my Kiesels, but yearned for the EMG sound I had in many prior basses. I have no regrets about routing both of these. One with dual TWX, the other with 45TWX bridge and and 45PAX(r) neck. Sacrilegious to some perhaps, but I love the results. I say go for it.