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Pickups for Fender Vintera 60s Mustang bass

javi_bassist

javi_bassist

Dec 6, 2011
1,600
3,029
Madrid, Spain
#1
Hello,

I bought a Fender Vintera Mustang bass a year ago and I love it. It is true that I have just used it at home and on a couple of gigs, but not too much. I have just been recently using it for more pro work and I find it incredibly noisy. Especially when the tone knob is high.
When I found out about the noise, I took it to my luthier and he shielded the cavity. When I took it out of the case, he said "oh, that is the monster of noise". The noise was reduced, but it is still noticeable.
I currently use a noise supressor to mask the noise, but I am not fully comfortable with that. I am considering changing the pickups, would that improve? I am also considering changing the whole circuit.
Which pickups would you recommend?

A pic of the bass because why not (sorry, I am moving to another house and the background is a mess)
20240516_165922.jpg
 
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#2
Mine is not noisy. Running Nordstrand NM4 Vintage width with Curtis Novak pickup covers. I also swapped the harness over to CTS pots.

One thing to check is that your bridge ground wire has good continuity with the bridge. I did not have this issue on the Mustang, but have had a new bass come in noisy because the bridge ground was not making contact with the bridge.

Continuing the pic because why not….

IMG_2567.jpeg
 
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#7
Curtis Novak Fat Mustang for me. I got a Squier CV 60s recently - fit and finish superb, surprisingly well made. Electronics were crap as expected. Got a Fat Bass Tone premade wiring harness and a set of CN Fats, shielded the cavity with copper tape. Put on a set of LaBella Mustang flats. Huge step up for the instrument. Maybe too much time has passed (45 years LOL), but sounds just like I remember my late 60s Mustang
 
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#9
You want the narrower vintage size for the Vintera 60s Mustang Bass. It is the one that Nordstrand and Lollar do not have covers on. Novak has the correct size cover if you prefer running a cover: Mustang Bass cover Vintage size

My post above (#2 in this thread) is my Vintera 60s Mustang with the Nordstrand Vintage sized pickup and Novak Vintage size covers.

The narrower width should be...
Vintage at Nordstrand
Version A at Lollar
Vintage 40MM at Novak

Novak also has a guide on sizing available at: Mustang Bass Buying Guide
 
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#10
I prefer the Nordstrand Mustang pickups. They have a little bit more wire on them, dual poles per string like a P-pickup, and tonally they are rather a cross between a Mustang pickup and a good P-pickup, with good clarity, presence, and low end. They are quiet and are a drop-in replacement, with one caveat: you must use your own pickup covers, and you must measure them and consult the website for which version to order, since Nordy makes them in both vintage and modern sized bobbins. I put a Nordy Mustang in a 30-inch travel bass, wired it '62 P-style, and it is versatile, including nailing the Bill Wyman tone from the '69 through '70 era when he used a Mustang on stage.
 
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#11
I took the bass to a luthier and he installed the new pickups. The stock ones were causing the noise (we checked it before installing the new ones). Now it is flawless. Sounds incredible.

I finally chose a pickups handmade by a luthier here in Spain that recreates the 60s era. I'm in love with this bass again
 
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