• 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.

Mudbucker sound?

Wikkiwoptop

Wikkiwoptop

Feb 9, 2022
24
22
Disclosures
I'm Stew (pid)
#1
Hi,
I love the sound of mudbucker pickups. I've been considering picking up an Artec but I hear very mixed things about their quality control. All the other mudbuckers I've seen are too expensive but if there are no other options I'll get them. I'm wondering if anyone knows any other pickups, doesn't matter if they're mudbuckers or not, with that really heavy and muddy sound? Thanks
 
#3
Camaro69 said:
Which particular pickup from Artec are you looking at? I've used their parts before without complaints, but maybe other models are different

I've used the EB3 bridge pickup. Sounds pretty good actually
Click to expand...
The EBC-4N Neck pickup. I've read some threads on here that say the magnets were placed incorrectly and I don't trust myself enough to flip them without destroying something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Camaro69
#6
I had one of those Artecs, and yes, I had to flip the magnets and reverse the leads on one of the coils. Or something like that. It was a long time ago. And I discovered how much I hate the mudbucker sound.

Any seriously overwound guitar humbucker will get you there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wikkiwoptop
#7
ctmullins said:
I had one of those Artecs, and yes, I had to flip the magnets and reverse the leads on one of the coils. Or something like that. It was a long time ago.
Click to expand...
Yeah, think I'm gonna dodge it then if I have to mess with it, don't wanna buy something just to break it
ctmullins said:
Any seriously overwound guitar humbucker will get you there.
Click to expand...
I've heard that the magnets on guitar pickups can potentially cause problems with string volume. Is that just a myth? Also, would guitar pickups be able to provide that real heavy and bassy sound the mudbucker has or would it just be the muddy quality?
 
#8
Wikkiwoptop said:
Yeah, think I'm gonna dodge it then if I have to mess with it, don't wanna buy something just to break it

I've heard that the magnets on guitar pickups can potentially cause problems with string volume. Is that just a myth? Also, would guitar pickups be able to provide that real heavy and bassy sound the mudbucker has or would it just be the muddy quality?
Click to expand...

Magnets? I doubt it. If you want to go for rails, that should alleviate that concern.

Half of the mudbucker recipe is its location, right up against the neck. But the other half is getting a very mid-focused and loud pickup. I have put very clear pickups up by the neck, and that's a magical combination, merging fullness from the position with articulation from the pickup design. Sounds like you want the opposite- fullness from the position with wallop from the pickup design.

As an example, the DiMarzio X2N should take you there pretty well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mellowgerman and Wikkiwoptop
#9
ctmullins said:
Magnets? I doubt it. If you want to go for rails, that should alleviate that concern.

Half of the mudbucker recipe is its location, right up against the neck. But the other half is getting a very mid-focused and loud pickup. I have put very clear pickups up by the neck, and that's a magical combination, merging fullness from the position with articulation from the pickup design. Sounds like you want the opposite- fullness from the position with wallop from the pickup design.

As an example, the DiMarzio X2N should take you there pretty well.
Click to expand...
Yes this is exactly the type of sound I am looking for! Thanks a lot for the help dude!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctmullins
#10
ctmullins said:
I had one of those Artecs, and yes, I had to flip the magnets and reverse the leads on one of the coils. Or something like that. It was a long time ago. And I discovered how much I hate the mudbucker sound.

Any seriously overwound guitar humbucker will get you there.
Click to expand...

I used to hate it too. Too much, in the wrong position.

I cured my issues with the pickup on my Epi by opening it up and wiring the coils in parallel. Sounded great after that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jimmy Aloha, ctmullins and Wikkiwoptop
#11
What about DiMarzio Model 1 or Relentless neck? Would be nice to put one on a P bass.

I have a 1969 EB-0. Very hot and bassy. I unhooked the treble kill capacitor, play it with the volume down at 6, and Bass eq way down on the amp, so you can hear something other than jumpy bass "bloom" and wolf notes.

I really like the tone of a neck hugger position pickup.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Iristone, Jimmy Aloha, StevieMac and 4 others
#12
i have been Gibson guy forever however my first EB-0 i hated the mudbucker or its position or so i thought so I chiseled a new home for it with various incorrect weapons of mass distruction back near the bridge . i still hated it and end ended up trading it in on something cant remember but i wish i had never done that now ! i currently have one that i was gifted due to head stock being snapped off and i was actually messing around to see if i could pull off some craziness and ended up with more than the wall hanger i bargined for. As far as deep dark bassey tones an old thunderbird soap bar pickup will do you wonders . iI recently tried pairing one with the mudbucker and discovered that the mudbucker drains all the power so its difficult to run anything with them i suppose unless you use them totally seperate because when attempting to bv\lend the two it just drags the output down to weak trickle
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wikkiwoptop and ThinCrappyTone2
#13
Wikkiwoptop said:
The EBC-4N Neck pickup. I've read some threads on here that say the magnets were placed incorrectly and I don't trust myself enough to flip them without destroying something.
Click to expand...

I'm the same. I recently got an Epiphone EB-0 but the 'mudbucker' is nothing like the real ones. I have ordered the Artec one as it seems it's the only mudbucker out there that won't cost a bomb, and soundwise it gets decent reviews.
I'm also concerned about the magnet/wiring issue but it looks pretty easy to check and fix if wrong. Fingers crossed!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wikkiwoptop
#15
treyydogg said:
i have been Gibson guy forever however my first EB-0 i hated the mudbucker or its position or so i thought so I chiseled a new home for it with various incorrect weapons of mass distruction back near the bridge . i still hated it and end ended up trading it in on something cant remember but i wish i had never done that now ! i currently have one that i was gifted due to head stock being snapped off and i was actually messing around to see if i could pull off some craziness and ended up with more than the wall hanger i bargined for. As far as deep dark bassey tones an old thunderbird soap bar pickup will do you wonders . iI recently tried pairing one with the mudbucker and discovered that the mudbucker drains all the power so its difficult to run anything with them i suppose unless you use them totally seperate because when attempting to bv\lend the two it just drags the output down to weak trickle
Click to expand...
Yeah I heard that the mudbucker doesn't really play too nice with others, but I don't really plan on doing much blending, if at all. I might pick up a cleaner bridge pickup just in case I wanna mess anything other than the muddy sound but honestly probably won't use it. I've heard a lot about the thunderbird and am considering getting one along with some good pickups for it
 
#16
mcnach said:
I'm the same. I recently got an Epiphone EB-0 but the 'mudbucker' is nothing like the real ones. I have ordered the Artec one as it seems it's the only mudbucker out there that won't cost a bomb, and soundwise it gets decent reviews.
I'm also concerned about the magnet/wiring issue but it looks pretty easy to check and fix if wrong. Fingers crossed!
Click to expand...
Yeah, let me know how it goes man
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcnach
#17
blacktocomm said:
I just put an EBC-4N (measures 31.3k) in my EBO and it's glorious. Thick, heavy mountains of mud. I've read about how the magnets can need flipped on some of them, but mine was good to go with no extra work.
Click to expand...
Nice. I guess it's kind of luck of the draw with Artecs. They might have improved their QC in recent years because I saw a relatively recent thread with multiple people saying theirs were good
 
#20
I have two Epi's with the muddbucker; one is an EB0, and the other is a fretless EB1. These two basses have more gig hours on them than all my other basses (and that is many) combined. There seem to be two camps when it comes to muddbuckers; they are either loved or hated. I like that heavy, deep sound, and with the right eq settings on the amp, you can put a nice edge on that thump.

Thump on,

One_Dude
 
  • Like
Reactions: Iristone, DavidEdenAria, mcnach and 3 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back