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NBD - What did I buy?

#21
As pointed out already Capture.PNG this is a "mudbucker", that pickup is actually a telecaster 6 string pickup as it was common to use as many "universal" parts on some of the imports to keep parts cost down as well as inventory for the factories. Tele pickups adjust with 3 screws, 2 on one side and one on the other as you have and if you remove the cover it will likely have a single bar pole piece (like a Lawrence) or it will have 6 pole pieces. Put some flats if you want thump as it will have some characteristics of the bridge position telecaster 6 string pickup. Great find though and black is indeed less common and looks great! There have been several threads with your bass if you poke around.
 
#25
aetheldrea said:
I wouldn't mod anything on that vintage beauty. A bridge cover would be just the thing to keep your hand from getting torn up on those screws. You got a great deal on it, spend a little on a bridge cover.
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I'm seeing now where there's two stripped screws on both sides of the bridge, would that likely be the place to pop in a bridge cover? There's a spot in the pickguard around the pick-ups that look like it would house a pick-up cover, as well.

Additionally, its 34" scale, for whoever asked.

I'm seeing some "reliced" bridge and pick-up cover sets on Ebay, which is to say they just look a little dirty. Aesthetically, does it make since to get something with a little age on it to match the rest of the bass? The price difference isn't huge, something a little older is like $10-15 more for the set, but I was already going to spend at least $20 or $30 on a new bridge, so it doesn't bother me much. I'm not sure it would look right with new, bright chrome accents. Plus I would never be able to get the tuners or volume/tone knobs to match something new.

I'm aware this is all personal preference, but this is by far the oldest bass I've owned, so I'm not sure what the unspoken rules are on vintage or "nearly" vintage instruments.
 
#26
BlueShox said:
I'm seeing now where there's two stripped screws on both sides of the bridge, would that likely be the place to pop in a bridge cover? There's a spot in the pickguard around the pick-ups that look like it would house a pick-up cover, as well.

Additionally, its 34" scale, for whoever asked.

I'm seeing some "reliced" bridge and pick-up cover sets on Ebay, which is to say they just look a little dirty. Aesthetically, does it make since to get something with a little age on it to match the rest of the bass? The price difference isn't huge, something a little older is like $10-15 more for the set, but I was already going to spend at least $20 or $30 on a new bridge, so it doesn't bother me much. I'm not sure it would look right with new, bright chrome accents. Plus I would never be able to get the tuners or volume/tone knobs to match something new.

I'm aware this is all personal preference, but this is by far the oldest bass I've owned, so I'm not sure what the unspoken rules are on vintage or "nearly" vintage instruments.
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I don't know but if it were me and the thing about the saddle screws being hand rippers BUT worked ok, I would do the bridge cover trying to find one with a patina somewhat matching the other hardware and leave the bridge as is. Hand ripping solved, or as mentioned, crank the screws all the way in other direction and shorten from what is hanging out. I would call it a day with that but I like the way the pickup looks and probably would forgo the front cover over it. IMHO you should celebrate some of its oddness because it's pretty hip, kitschy vintage that does fine on its own.
 
#28
BlueShox said:
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: View attachment 543913
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It's just a single-coil - technically/sonically the opposite of a mud-bucker as that implies A: muddy (not typical of SCs) and an humbucker (not SCs).
Mudbuckers are the BIG ass humbucking pickups that came on older Gibson Basses that were almost always placed right at the neck and the similar looking humbuckers in the same position that came on the second version telebass.
 
#32
That is a standard variant Japanese no-name big-factory P-bass from the mid '70's. "Pam" was one name that you could sometimes find on the headstock, as well as Harmony and others. As pointed out above, the pickup is not mudbucker. It is a surrealistic mish-mash of a Telecaster guitar bridge pickup with a chrome cover like a Telecaster guitar neck pickup. The hum and noise is not a grounding issue, it is a cheap single coil pickup and electronics issue. All the grounding and shielding won't fix it on this bass.

Under the pickguard will be flimsy wiring, two cheap pots and a dodgy jack. But sometimes they work forever. You could always just dremel the excess length off the saddle height adjustment screws. That and a new set of strings is what I would try first. But if you want a new bridge, don't spend a lot on it. With the plywood body, it won't be able to take advantage of it. A simple inexpensive plate bridge with the four saddles is sufficient, like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/331324365448?lpid=82&chn=ps

Be careful of the flimsy ground wire that it lays flat under the bridge and doesn't get crimped.

The cheap tuners are always an enigma. Just like the nursery rhyme little girl with the little curl, when they are good, they are very good. When they are bad, they are horrid. Let's hope yours are good.

For what it is, it is a great playing inexpensive bass to have a lot of fun with. Great score!
 
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#36
BlueShox said:
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.
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What a unique bass.

It looks like a Bronco bass configuration with a telecaster pickup in it or something. It looks like a Tele bridge pickup judging by the screw holes but it has the chrome cover more like a Tele neck pickup. I believe the Bronco basses have a Strat style pickup in them. I've seen some guys swap the Bronco pickup with Strat rails pickups and whatnot.

It might be cool to throw some kind of telecaster bridge rails pickup in it. The screw holes look like they'd line up.

Edit : Well it looks like people already pointed the tele pickup out :)
 
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#40
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