NBD - What did I buy?

[BlueShox]

Found this on the local Craigslist recently. Black on black P with a mudbucker, maple neck. No identifying marks on it, other than a MADE IN JAPAN stamp on the neck plate. Neck is nice and straight, and its super playable. The bridge has got to go, the adjustment screws stick out a good 1/4" above the strings and I've already caught my hand on them a couple of times. Tuners are mini clovers, about half the size of a typical Fender clover. It has a few dings on the body, but nothing too serious. Its got a slight hum when plugged in, likely a grounding issue, but I haven't had the time to see what's underneath the hood yet. I'll likely wait until I get a new bridge and resolve it all in one sitting.

For $60, my standards get pretty low, but I feel like this was a good pick-up. Since I've never owned a bass with a mudbucker before, what kind of strings should I use to really make it sing?

edit: ignore the sad dog in the last photo, I just caught the photo bomb.

 

[OutToPlayJazz]

For the money you paid, if it plays, it's excellent value!

For a thick humbucker sound, I'd get some nice Thomastik Jazz Flats.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Mudbucker?

 

[Moving Pictures]

No idea on the brand but for sixty bucks you did well. I use LaBella 760FL flats on my Gibson with the mudbucker and it sounds like thunder through my Trace Elliott. TI's are also nice.

 

[bholder]

Isn't that a tele pickup?

 

[Moving Pictures]

Isn't that a tele pickup?

Sure looks like it.

 

[BlueShox]

If not a mudbucker, what's the technical term for that? Would it just be a single coil? I've seen them before on Telecaster basses, I'm sure

edit:

 

[Moving Pictures]

If not a mudbucker, what's the technical term for that? Would it just be a single coil? I've seen them before on Telecaster basses, I'm sure

Most likely a single coil. How does it sound: bright or muddy?

 

[friendlybass]

Looks neat. Shiny single coil!

 

[BlueShox]

Most likely a single coil. How does it sound: bright or muddy?

Sounds muddy to my ear, but the strings on it are ancient so its hard to get an accurate representation. I guess I just looked at it and thought, "Its not a Precision, Jazz, or Humbucker pick-up. This must be what they call a mudbucker!"

Plus its just fun to say mudbucker. Swing and a miss. I still like it, though.

 

[bholder]

as for the hum, yeah, that's what single coils sound like

 

[Moving Pictures]

Sounds muddy to my ear, but the strings on it are ancient so its hard to get an accurate representation. I guess I just looked at it and thought, "Its not a Precision, Jazz, or Humbucker pick-up. This must be what they call a mudbucker!"

Plus its just fun to say mudbucker. Swing and a miss. I still like it, though.

That bass has its own mojo. I bet with the right strings it will be a player.

 

[Bobster]

I have to agree with the group. This is likely some type of single-coil pickup, which would explain the hum.

Looks cool, enjoy it!

Bob

 

[OldDirtyBassist]

I've seen Harmony basses that look just like it.

 

[scourgeofgod]

The saddle screws look a little like a diy job in that third pic, you could cut the bottoms down and re adjust the heights to keep from catching your hand on them.

BTW this is a mudbucker:

 

[lowphatbass]

Looks like a typical "decent lawsuit" model. I had one with an identical bridge and pick-up. They were branded with a variety of different names. I've seen these mostly in Natural and Sunburst, Black is not too common.....to my eyes anyway. I think you did fine on the price as well.

 

[two fingers]

Yeah single coil for sure. Slap some new strings on her and report back!

 

[MrBKerth]

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/aspen-bass.189280/

Looks like a moddes variant of a 70's aspen bass based on that truss cover, the neck plate stamping of made in Japan, holes for bridge and pickup covers. Not exactly concrete but that's what it looks like to me (my buddy has one)

In the thread above there's a tb'rs modded Aspen a photo of its head stock prior to modding

 

[PortlandBass77]

Found this on the local Craigslist recently. Black on black P with a mudbucker, maple neck. No identifying marks on it, other than a MADE IN JAPAN stamp on the neck plate. Neck is nice and straight, and its super playable. The bridge has got to go, the adjustment screws stick out a good 1/4" above the strings and I've already caught my hand on them a couple of times. Tuners are mini clovers, about half the size of a typical Fender clover. It has a few dings on the body, but nothing too serious. Its got a slight hum when plugged in, likely a grounding issue, but I haven't had the time to see what's underneath the hood yet. I'll likely wait until I get a new bridge and resolve it all in one sitting.View attachment 543896 View attachment 543897 View attachment 543898 View attachment 543899 View attachment 543900

For $60, my standards get pretty low, but I feel like this was a good pick-up. Since I've never owned a bass with a mudbucker before, what kind of strings should I use to really make it sing?

edit: ignore the sad dog in the last photo, I just caught the photo bomb.

Holy $$$$ that looks like a Music Master copy.... I never would have thought Matsumoku would make one. What is the scale of it?

 

[strictlybass_ic]

Sadowsky black label flats. Single coils plus rolled back tone makes for nice smooth thumpy goodness.