Pickup choice in a MusicMan SUB5...

[mcnach]

I recently got an active SUB5 bass that came with a ceramic SD Basslines pickup installed (SMB-5D).

It sounds great, it's a very nice bass, but not quite as Stingray-like as I was hoping.

The obvious point about the pickup is that it's a ceramic, whilst my Stingray has alnico pickups.

I have the original pickup that came on the SUB5 (alnico) and I also have an alnico SD Basslines (SMB-5A).

I will probably end up trying all of them, but has anybody got any experience with the SUB5 and various pickups? Essentially I'd like to get closer to the sound of an SR4... so I guess changing the ceramic pickup is going to be the first thing to do.

 

[MoireBass]

I've got a small amount of experience with the active SUB5. I separated the two coils of the factory pickup on mine and wired them to a series/parallel/single-coil switch, upgraded the preamp.

Personally, I kinda like the sound of the standard alnico SUB pickup, after all it is the pickup that gave the Stingrays their well-deserved reputation. Alnico pickups sound warmer and more full-bodied than ceramic, IMO. The Basslines pickups on my JazzV are the first ones I've used, and they're quite good.

What I'd do is put the original MM pickup back in and play it for a couple of weeks, long enough to get real familiar with its character, then put the Basslines pickup in and see how it compares to the original and the ceramic. That way, if you like the BL the best, you don't have to swap pickups again.

 

[murphy]

Cannot recommend enough the Nordstrand MM5.2 for old school stingray sound.
Am loving mine!!!

 

[Rano Bass]

Just put the original pup back, thats how a Stingray sounds.