• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Maybe found a decent Gibson mudbucker replacement?

#161
Russell foulkes said:
CLIFF?!!!!:hyper::hyper::hyper::bassist::bassist::bassist::hyper::hyper::hyper::D:D:D
Click to expand...

Did he do that? I added that in maybe '81 or '82. I liked the tone Colin Moulding of XTC got from his Epiphone Newport, and I found a NOS pickup in a music store.

If I did it again, I might move it slightly farther from the neck, because it made the action raise slightly.
 
#163
Russell foulkes said:
Yeah he did it around march 83 whilst recording Kill Em All. He also put a jazz in the center pickup and a strat pickup IN the bridge. all of which i would like to do to a ric copy someday.This is why im on this thread actually, as i found the artec pickup on ebay so did a search here looking for recommendations. wierd....:)
Click to expand...

That was the thing about Rics. They have a cool tone, but you often find yourself wanting a more solid bottom end. So they were popular basses to mod.

Back in about 1976, I changed the toaster neck pickup on my '73 4001 for a Carvin APH-4N pickup. Then in '77 I replaced the bridge pickup (which I broke trying to rewind it) with a Hi-A (Bartolini) Then later I put the toaster back in and installed a Dimarzio Model P in between the pickups.

It also had series/parallel switches for each pickup, a couple of phase switches, and the ability to run the pickup in series, and a 6 position Varitone, and master volume. :D My bandmates called it the "SpaceBass" because it had so many knobs and switches.

How this one (1977): :p

dreamer-77.jpg


(If any of you guys remember the Uncle Floyd Show, that's Charlie Stoddard on the left.)
 
#164
SGD Lutherie said:
There was a thread on this not too long ago. It turns out that the Artec mudbucker has its two coils wired up the wrong way, or one bobbin is flipped around. So its not wired up like a humbucker.

So if you reverse the two leads on one coil, or if you can flip a coil around so that the outside in on the inside, it will stop humming.
.
Click to expand...

Here's the thread where you helped me recently with the same problem
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/humbucker-humming-what-do-781770/
 
#166
Reporting back, GuitarPartsResource quickly sent me a replacement for the original Artec mudbucker that I had a hum problem with. The replacement had the same issue. So, I tried swapping the lead wires on one of the coils as David originally suggested. For the most part this solved the problem on both the original and the replacement. Sounds like this was K-Frogs issue too based on the other thread. I still get a little hum under flourescent lights, but my son has a guitar with EMG buckers and it hums a bit too. Seems to be at an acceptable level now.

After reassembly I did notice that there was a drop in output vs the original wiring. Not sure if this is a clue about anything. I'm thinking it makes sense because the coils have to fight each other in order to kill the hum. Right? Before the change it was louder than the quarter pounder P pickup. Now it seems quieter than the QP.

Thanks again SGD and K-Frog for the info coaching and info.
 
#168
Thanks for the reply K-Frog. Based on your comment about output I went back to your original thread and double checked my magnet orientation. Like you, my magnets and my wiring were BOTH backwards on BOTH of my pickups.

My output level came back up and the remaining residual hum is now 99% gone. Success at last!!

As with offshore basses, you can get a good product for a good price if you are willing to do a bit of work to compensate for poor quality control at the plant.

These are good sounding pups and I sort of enjoyed the tinkering and education about sidewinders. But I'm sure there are many others out there who will be irritated and throw the thing in the trash.
 
#169
IMG_5237.gif
IMG_5238.gif


Here are a couple of pics. Sounds good and I like the look. PG cut is a little sloppy, but not bad for a hacksaw and chisel job.

Almost has a bridge single sound when tone is open. With tone rolled off it has the sound I expected. Either way it looks badass.

My VM Jazz is next to get a mudbucker.
 
#170
This has been quite an education. Yesterday I finished installing a second of the Artec sidewinder/mudbuckers, this time in a J bass. As noted in earlier posts, both of them required flipping magnets and swapping the wires on one of the two coils in order to eliminate hum. Both sound very good, but now that I have two installed am mystified by a distinct difference in sound between the two.

Both are hum free, but the one in the J bass has the loud deep rumble that I expected. The other one in the P bass is sounds almost like it is parallel wired (but its not). Still has high output and produces a deep tone (especially when you roll back the tone control), but it also has some highs and overtones that remind me of the bridge pickup on a J bass.

The differences actually complement the respective instruments very well. The super deep tone on the J bass blends nicely with the bridge pup. On the P bass the unusual overtones add to the already deep P bass tone.

So I'm happy with the tone of both but mystified as to why they would differ. Wiring is similar for both - traditional J and P bass setup with a three way switch added.

Any ideas David? Just curious.

I'll post a picture of the Frankentwins later.
 
#173
Maybe the pickups look alike, but aren't alike.

Did you check both with an ohmmeter?

They might have different types and/or strength magnets.

Maybe one was wound with 42 and the other 43?

Just guessing at how they could look alike and sound so different.
 
#174
I have not checked with a meter, but what you say makes sense especially given the other quality/inspection issues I experienced (both had the magnets on backwards and the wiring backwards also).

Maybe they used different wire, different number of windings, etc. By fortunate coincidence the two ended up on the instruments that they best complement so I''m not complaining, just curious.

I broke a magnet in half on one of them but would not think that should make any difference.
 
#175
countbassiedad said:
I broke a magnet in half on one of them but would not think that should make any difference.
Click to expand...

That might be the tone secret.

Forget about fancy wood...break yer pickup magnets. Magnets are sensitive, and that could have affected the sound, or you might have one magnet pointing the wrong way in one pickup.

Seriously...I wouldn't be surprised if those pickups spec all over the map, just as long as they look the same. I know Epi pickups are very inconsistant.

If you're really curious (and bored), you could swap the mudbuckers and see how they act in the other basses. If the same sounds follow the same pickups, there's your answer.
 
#179
Thanks Stealth! They were both fun projects and made me feel rather manly - doin all the work with a chisel, hacksaw and files! Drill with a step bit came in handy too. Good father/son project too - not a big investment in case of screwups.

Regarding the control layout, I went simple to start with and both setups seem to work well. The P-BO simply has a 3 way mini toggle to switch between either pickup or both. No blend control. Today I swapped the Duncan QP for a Dimarzio Willpower Middle. Not a dramatic tone change but it does sound a little better with the neck pup I think. It should since its made for that kind of setup.

On the J-BO the switch works the same way as on the P -switches between the sidewinder and the neck J pup (or both on). It works really well on the J that way because the best mudbucker sound comes out when you blend it with the bridge J pup.

All three pots on the J are push pull. On the tone control it switches between a high and low cap value. The volume push pulls are for series/parallel and phase reversal on the J pups (same wiring as when I had pure single coils).

Being an electronics geek I would not mind doing adding series/parallel switches to each Area J but am not sure where to put more switches. I could put a Marcus PG on it, but don't care for that look.

Top028 - I have never seen a 5 string mudbucker. Maybe check out SGD Lutherie. He specializes in sidewinders and might make you one. Alternatively you could use a J pup at the far neck position (like a Ric) or a MM or a standard humbucker. I think the deep tone is as much from location as pup design.
 
#180
countbassiedad said:
Today I swapped the Duncan QP for a Dimarzio Willpower Middle. Not a dramatic tone change but it does sound a little better with the neck pup I think. It should since its made for that kind of setup.
Click to expand...

The Willpower is actually made for the Model One, which is not wound like a real Mudbucker, since it was a replacement for the Mudbucker.

Top028 - I have never seen a 5 string mudbucker. Maybe check out SGD Lutherie. He specializes in sidewinders and might make you one. Alternatively you could use a J pup at the far neck position (like a Ric) or a MM or a standard humbucker. I think the deep tone is as much from location as pup design.
Click to expand...

I can indeed wind a pickup to sound like a Mudbucker. The only thing is it wont have the chrome cover (unless I made one under a 4 string cover) but I can make one in a standard soapbar cover and it would like the Gibson pickup.

The Mudbucker is a sidewinder, but it is extremely overwound it to give it a dark tone.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back