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Peavey Dyna pickup replacement

Rdbeast

Rdbeast

Guest
Oct 5, 2015
6
4
53
Brooklyn Park, MN
#1
Hello been searching for a few days now for info on replacing Super Ferrite Pickups in a 4 string Dyna. I picked up just the body and am trying to find out what my options are and maybe what I'm getting my self into before going to far.
The Bass has been sitting for a few years and been gutted for parts by previous owner, I was hoping to find the original style pickups, but think I may find the holy grail first. So any ideas or info would be Hugely appreciated.
 
#2
Welcome to Talk Bass.

I'm not aware of any PU that's a direct replacement. Peavey PUs that were designed in-house are unique sizes. Pairs of Super Ferrites do show up on ebay but there's a word or two of caution when buying them.....

On the basses with two single coil Super Ferrites, the pickups are magnetically out of phase and are wired electrically out of phase (coils are wound the same) to form an in-phase humbucker when both are full on. It is best to buy a known pair. A compass can be used to determine if pickups are the same or opposite magnetic polarity. The compass will point South to the top of a North PU and North to the top of a South PU. Another physical tell-tale is that black and ground will be soldered together on one and red and ground will be soldered together on the other.

IMO, Super Ferrites may be are the best single coils ever made (haven't tried them all). They're said to be Jazz PUs on steroids and I have to agree. I'd be patient and keep an eye out for a set.
 
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#4
You will need to rout the body for another pick up.
It shouldn't be to much routing to fit a soap bar in the holes.

OP, Your profile doesn't say where you are from.
This wouldn't happen to be the Dyna Bass my son just sold is it?
 
#5
Yes I believe it is The Bass your son sold at the get together. I've been reading on Here awhile and figure this would be best place to get ideas for how to move forward with it.
Kind of fishing for reviews on soap bar pickups. Routing the body to fit New pickups is an option, and one I'm considering. I am planing on striping it down to bare and rebuilding it up. looking at using a Gibson Tail piece maybe.
So basically at this point kind of thinking if you could design a Dyna bass what would people put in it.
Active Pickups Vs. Passive
What would give a good general tone and diversity. I'm not a good player by any means. Just started playing bass a year ago or so. Played guitar for years which has helped a lot.
I play mostly Schecter's with EMG pickups. Like the sound I get but looking for this to be different. Not 100% sure.
 
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#6
Rdbeast said:
Yes I believe it is The Bass your son sold at the get together. I've been reading on Here awhile and figure this would be best place to get ideas for how to move forward with it.
Kind of fishing for reviews on soap bar pickups. Routing the body to fit New pickups is an option, and one I'm considering. I am planing on striping it down to bare and rebuilding it up. looking at using a Gibson Tail piece maybe.
So basically at this point kind of thinking if you could design a Dyna bass what would people put in it.
Active Pickups Vs. Passive
What would give a good general tone and diversity. I'm not a good player by any means. Just started playing bass a year ago or so. Played guitar for years which has helped a lot.
I play mostly Schecter's with EMG pickups. Like the sound I get but looking for this to be different. Not 100% sure.
Click to expand...
I had a feeling it may be you.
The hole for the SF pick ups is very large length wise. I checked the sizes of most soap bars and they are not long enough to fill the hole. I would stick with passive pick ups and keep the Dyna pre amp. A Jazz pick up fits in the hole. You would have to make a cover to hide the rest of the hole or make a pick guard to cover everything. If you are going to paint it you could plug the holes and route the proper hole for the pick ups you are going to use. That is what I am doing to fit the SF's in a bass that had a P-J's in it. If you are doing this on the cheap, keep a eye out in the classifieds here and you will find some good deals on used pick ups. If you need a hand I have a lot of pick up templates and all the router stuff to do it.
 
#7
Are they longer than EMG 45DC's?
Also, Bartolini has many sizes and shapes avail, and all that's avail on their site now.
Dual-coils and soapbars with jazz inside will work ok with 4 strings, even if they're for up to 6 strings.
 
#8
Rdbeast said:
Hello been searching for a few days now for info on replacing Super Ferrite Pickups in a 4 string Dyna. I picked up just the body and am trying to find out what my options are and maybe what I'm getting my self into before going to far.
The Bass has been sitting for a few years and been gutted for parts by previous owner, I was hoping to find the original style pickups, but think I may find the holy grail first. So any ideas or info would be Hugely appreciated.
Click to expand...

Make a measurement of the routes for us and we'd be able to offer much more help. You might be surprised at the variety of pickup options you have. Bartolini in particular has a huge range of pups sizes. Are we talking about the entire body route, or do you have the plastic pickup rings too?
 
#12
hdracer said:
The hole is oval 4.125" x 1.25"
Click to expand...
Oval, OUCH!
Sounds like a re-route or homemade pickup rings may be in order. If you re-route, the Bartolini MK or Bartoini P2 (Nordstrand uses this shape alot) shapes would cover the hole. Otherwise, there's a host of smaller shapes that would probably drop right in and you could easily cut your own pickup surround from a cheap black P-bass pickup or whatever material you have around.

RD Beast, if you want to keep it on the cheap, the imported Bartolini MK1 pickups and preamps come up for sale with some regularity as folks try our different pups (the Nordstrand upgrade is common). Though not as good as a USA Bart or Nordy, the MK1 is a good solid pup that is usually quite affordable used. They are passive, so whether you get them bundled with the preamp, or just add them to the stock preamp, it would be an option worth considering.

I'll probably have a set up for sale in the future, but it won't be for about a month.
 
#13
Eilif said:
Oval, OUCH!
Sounds like a re-route or homemade pickup rings may be in order. If you re-route, the Bartolini MK or Bartoini P2 (Nordstrand uses this shape alot) shapes would cover the hole. Otherwise, there's a host of smaller shapes that would probably drop right in and you could easily cut your own pickup surround from a cheap black P-bass pickup or whatever material you have around.

RD Beast, if you want to keep it on the cheap, the imported Bartolini MK1 pickups and preamps come up for sale with some regularity as folks try our different pups (the Nordstrand upgrade is common). Though not as good as a USA Bart or Nordy, the MK1 is a good solid pup that is usually quite affordable used. They are passive, so whether you get them bundled with the preamp, or just add them to the stock preamp, it would be an option worth considering.

I'll probably have a set up for sale in the future, but it won't be for about a month.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's like they used a 1 1/4" Forstner bit at each end. At 4 1/8" a Jazz pup will fit into the hole.
To do it on the cheap I would get some used Jazz pup's and make surrounds from a couple used Jazz pick guards
 
#14
hdracer said:
Yeah, it's like they used a 1 1/4" Forstner bit at each end. At 4 1/8" a Jazz pup will fit into the hole.
To do it on the cheap I would get some used Jazz pup's and make surrounds from a couple used Jazz pick guards
Click to expand...
That's a very good idea. You could easily get two surrounds from one jazz guard. Here's a B/W/B for less than $5 shipped.
1pcs Plain Black Jazz Bass JB Style JB Pickguard 3Ply 10HOLE w Screws | eBay
Affordable Jazz pups show up here on the classifieds all the time.

If you do want to do the MK1 thing, here's a dude with unused pups and pre (still have the plastic on the pups) from a brand new 55-01!
For Sale - Bartolini MK1 (Lakland) 5 string Pickups/Preamp | TalkBass.com
Hard to beat for $95 shipped!
 
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#15
Thank you for the ideas and Info. I'm leaning to something like a soapbar pickup or emg 35 size. wasn't sure about a Jazz pickup, but definitely an idea. A Lot depends on what the wood grains look like when I finish stripping it. If I really like the wood I may just stain and clear it, otherwise it'll be repainted. If I paint it I'll router the pickup out and fill where needed. If I go natural wood I'll be making a pick guard to cover any empty space as needed. I'll be using the stock preamp on it.
Being a 4 string not sure 5 string pickups will work, very easily wrong on this assumption. ( For Sale - Bartolini MK1 (Lakland) 5 string Pickups/Preamp | TalkBass.com

I'm checking the classifieds here for sure and evilbay seeing what I can find and reading reviews and specs...
Bridge I found a replacement bridge for a 4 string Gibson from Hipshot that was kind of solid looking.

Again thank you for your wisdom and input. I do really appreciate it.
 
#17
Couldn't find the right info on Bartolini's site,
but this may help- says they're dual-coil:
Invalid Link Removed

Ibanez catalog lists the MkI as split-coil. Shows same model for 4 or 5 string, tho.

Maybe they're inline split-coil for hum-canceling?
 
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#18
JustForSport said:
Couldn't find the right info on Bartolini's site,
but this may help- says they're dual-coil:
Invalid Link Removed

Ibanez catalog lists the MkI as split-coil. Shows same model for 4 or 5 string, tho.

Maybe they're inline split-coil for hum-canceling?
Click to expand...

The MK1 Replacements on the Elrick site are actual USA Barts. Possibly the same as the ones at Best Bass Gear which list as Dual Coil though interestingly the Elrick pups don't show any screw holes while the BBG page does.

The Ibanez listing seems odd that they would be split coil and the same model since since the location of the split matters between a 4 or 5 string bass. Quite a mystery eh?

Maybe I should get my self some iron shavings and see how they collect on my MK1 pups.
 
#19
I just use a cut-off from a bass string and move it around the top of the pickup- very easy to see the magnet layout, and not messy, or anything to clean up, besides.
A straightened out paper clip would work, too.
 

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