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Hello Everyone!
I've been an active TalkBass reader for many years now, but never had posted anything before. So here comes my first thread..
I have been a proud owner of a Sandberg Forty Eight 4 bass for more than a year now. It's a weird "fenderbird" type of bass with a pair of pickups, each with its own huge chrome cover. It is a wonderful instrument with a low action and plays great, but with time I found myself dissatisfied with the standard pickups that the instrument comes with. I'm looking for a more "passive growl" type of sound (similar to 70ies gibson basses or something alike). The Forty Eight pickups are of not standard form factor and are not replaceable without a lot of work, so I've ordered a pair of empty replacement pickup covers directly from Sandberg (great customer support btw). Now I only need to find a pair of pickups to put (glue) inside the pickup covers. The covers are pretty big, so about any pickup would fit with a little bit of work put into it.
Do you have any suggestions?
Sorry for the suboptimal English, I am not a native speaker
Mort, got a pick or two you can post? Not that I’m going to be any great help, but I’d sure love to see what we are talking about. Besides, I am not at all familiar with Sandberg basses. Thanks Bud.
Db
Here you go
Attachments
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
She's pretty!! Dimarzio X2N's would get you that older, dirty sound! They don't have to be the bass ones either. Though I prefer the cleaner (but still high output) Bill Lawrence ones, look for "Wylde pickups"(Becky Lawrence runs production as Bill passed away). I think they are the XL500 but I will double check, also guitar humbuckers that sound great on bass.
Sorry, I meant "Wilde" pickups. Anyways I can't recommend these enough(one of his apprentices sells fake ones under the name "Bill Lawrence USA". These aren't the same)
. Dimarzio X2N's will get you the jack Bruce sound no problem, but I find they lacked too much definition and I got the Bill Lawrence pups instead.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,013
- 1
- 31,725
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Way Cool Bass
I fell in love with that bass about 6 months ago the first time I saw one.
Hmm, that's an interesting suggestion. I actually use a "Bill Lawrence" split pickup on my P-bass. It was a great improvement on the stock pickup.
I can't comment on that one, but the L 500 xl sound awesome on bass. I wouldn't put too much stock into it being a "guitar" pickup ya know?! Im sure either would sound great, plus alot cheaper than some custom "bass" specific pickup
I'll second the Lace Alumitones. Passive, super lightweight, and quite unique. It took me a while to get used to what they'll do, they respond so differently than any other pickups in any of my basses do. They have a very wide frequency response, very clear, and you can get two different sounds from one pickup using a mini switch or push- pull pot.
That said, I recently did some experimenting with a pair of metal Thunderbird pickup covers. I discovered, that Fender and other jazz bass pickups will easily fit under the cover. I'm sure there are other pickups that'll fit, too. P-bass pickups- no way. You could use a hot glue gun to 'tack' a pickup in place, mount it in the bass, and see if you like the results.
After my experimenting, I decided to go with active EMG TBJ pickups. I love them!
That said, I recently did some experimenting with a pair of metal Thunderbird pickup covers. I discovered, that Fender and other jazz bass pickups will easily fit under the cover. I'm sure there are other pickups that'll fit, too. P-bass pickups- no way. You could use a hot glue gun to 'tack' a pickup in place, mount it in the bass, and see if you like the results.
After my experimenting, I decided to go with active EMG TBJ pickups. I love them!
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,013
- 1
- 31,725
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Absolutely. They are killer.
Lots of people are hung up on “bass guitar” versus “guitar”. They work on exactly the same principles from a mechanical point of view: a stiff structure with ferrous strings suspended from either end. It’s the same with pickups: a magnetic core surrounded by one or more coils of wire. No difference. Well, the main difference is form factor - you won’t find too many guitars with P or J shaped pickups. But there’s no reason you couldn’t do that. Hmmmmm.....
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,013
- 1
- 31,725
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Yep, one of my top five favorite pickups.
True. I’ve done a little bit of this as well. The only problem is that the Thunderbird covers are shallower than most J pickups, so the J can sometimes be visible underneath. Best to recess them into the body if the string height will allow.
Also on my top five list! You, sir, have good taste.
