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Pickup Suggestion for a Weird Bass

#41
hintz said:
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
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Damn, the L500XL option does indeed look promising (and fairly priced!). Sadly, I've only managed to find electric guitar "chugging" demoes on youtube. How would you describe the tonal characteristics of L500XL on bass? Maybe a tonal reference? Thanks a bunch
 
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#43
mortvest said:
Damn, the L500XL option does indeed look promising (and fair priced!). Sadly, I've only managed to find electric guitar "chugging" demoes on youtube. How would you describe the tonal characteristics of L500XL on bass? Maybe a tonal reference? Thanks a bunch
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All of Bill’s pickups were designed around a single philosophy: clarity and purity of tone. They all do a great job of faithfully reproducing the sound of the string. The higher inductance models have a bit more output and a tiny smidge more emphasis on mids, but none of them are “honky”. Very well balanced, responsive, and plenty of output.
 
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#45
mortvest said:
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.. :D

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 :)
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Your English is great!

Everyone seems to he suggesting similar sized pickups. How about just putting a couple of EMG Geezer Precision pickups under those covers?
 
#47
ctmullins said:
All of Bill’s pickups were designed around a single philosophy: clarity and purity of tone. They all do a great job of faithfully reproducing the sound of the string. The higher inductance models have a bit more output and a tiny smidge more emphasis on mids, but none of them are “honky”. Very well balanced, responsive, and plenty of output.
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Agreed! The set on my bass have nice low mid punch that's smooth and thick, none of that "honky" Jaco type midrange. Mine are definitely the higher output ones
 
#48
two fingers said:
Your English is great!

Everyone seems to he suggesting similar sized pickups. How about just putting a couple of EMG Geezer Precision pickups under those covers?
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Thanks for the kind words.

I did consider geezer's EMG set, but I see a problem with this option. EMG pickups are epoxy sealed, so the pickup covers would not be removable. Hence, the fit would be incredibly tight inside the Sandberg pickup covers (if they would fit at all).

I'll get my hands on my bass tomorrow and post some pictures with exact measurements.
 
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#49
hintz said:
Agreed! The set on my bass have nice low mid punch that's smooth and thick, none of that "honky" Jaco type midrange. Mine are definitely the higher output ones
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I have contacted Becky from Wilde Pickups about the L500XLs. I think that's the most interesting option of the bunch. I want to try something different to the standard bass tones. Thanks everyone!
 
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#52
ctmullins said:
Great suggestion @hintz ! I second the Wilde choice. I have a pair of L90s (the 4H version) in a four-string and they are amazing - loud, deep, and clear!
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I'm very disappointed in my Wilde L90s (4H). I have have them adjusted according to Bill Lawrence's old standard height guidelines and they are the most anemic, characterless pickups I have ever owned. They are noiseless and neutral but they sound like crap both live and recorded. I can't wait to strip them out and try something else.
 
#53
aekisz said:
I'm very disappointed in my Wilde L90s (4H). I have have them adjusted according to Bill Lawrence's old standard height guidelines and they are the most anemic, characterless pickups I have ever owned. They are noiseless and neutral but they sound like crap both live and recorded. I can't wait to strip them out and try something else.
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Weird. Let me know if you're looking to sell!
 
#55
aekisz said:
Will do. I'm hunting for replacements. Thinking DiMarzio X2N7s.
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At least one of my L90s is up for sale now (maybe both?). I stuck a DiMarzio X2N7 in the bridge position and the bass came alive. It kind of reminds of a Model J in terms of its tonal character, very hot and beefy. I run it all the way up with the neck L90 rolled back a bit and it’s a nice full sound. I’m torn whether to replace the L90 in the neck as well. It’s pretty darn clear in a position where other pickups turn to mud.
 
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