Reccomend me a passive MM pickup

[Vic Winters]

I have my OLP MM2 wired with only a Volume control and a Series/Parallel switch. I want something aggressive and cutting. I play mostly 90's and today's alt/rock/punk. Mostly fingers, occasional pick, rare slaps/pop.


Basslines Alnico
Basslines Ceramic
Kent Armstrong
GFS Alnico
GFS Ceramic
Other?

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Nordstrand MM4.2, MM4.3 or MM4.4 ?

 

[badboy1984]

Delano?

 

[fenderx55]

Nordstrand MM4.2, MM4.3 or MM4.4 ?

+1

I put a 4.2 in an olp and the thing smokes, it's very hot so it sort of sounds like a real music man (not in an a/b test of course). I think it'll do what you need it to do.

 

[jackson_bass]

Basslines is not too pricey.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

The ceramic Basslines is a great sounding pickup if you want bright, cutting and punchy.

Not the alnico however. That's vintage (dull) sounding.

 

[jackson_bass]

Mine is punchy. the ceramic is the way to go on these.

 

[randbguy]

I second Jackson Bass! Very nice sound with the ceramic magnets they really cut. Every band I played this pickup for just loves it, and it's not in a Music Man either. I did get the matching tone circuit as well.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

I second Jackson Bass! Very nice sound with the ceramic magnets they really cut. Every band I played this pickup for just loves it, and it's not in a Music Man either. I did get the matching tone circuit as well.

I do a lot of these for one customer.

 

[Webtroll]

I have an SX with the ceramic SD MM5 and can sound very brittle but hot as hell. I have a HAS varitone hooked up to it which really helps make it more verstile

 

[deaf pea]

The ceramic Basslines is a great sounding pickup if you want bright, cutting and punchy...

TRUE

...Not the alnico however. That's vintage (dull) sounding.

That depends on what you're looking for . . . the AlNiCo basslines MM pups ARE "vintage sounding", but I wouldn't call them "dull sounding" . . . they sound more or less like a late '70's MM 'ray, IIRC.

Mine is punchy. the ceramic is the way to go on these.

Like I said, that depends on what you're looking for . . .

IMO BOTH versions are "bright" and "punchy" when wired in parallel.

 

[ecufunk]

i like the alnico on the nordstrand 4.2 the pickups is strong the low mids are great i found it agressive and sounds spectacular on my band performances big sounding

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

the AlNiCo basslines MM pups ARE "vintage sounding", but I wouldn't call them "dull sounding"

Well they were both in the same bass, so compared to the ceramic bridge unit, the alnico neck was much darker and softer sounding.

I liked the ceramic better. There's nothing wrong with alnico pickups, but if you want a more modern bass tone, ceramics often work better.

 

[deaf pea]

Well they were both in the same bass, so compared to the ceramic bridge unit, the alnico neck was much darker and softer sounding...

Duh . . . in the neck position ANY pup will sound "much darker and softer sounding" . . .

...There's nothing wrong with alnico pickups, but if you want a more modern bass tone, ceramics often work better.

The Basslines MM pups with the ceramic magnets (SMB-4d and SMB-5d) DO sound "more modern" . . .

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Duh . . . in the neck position ANY pup will sound "much darker and softer sounding" . . .

(in Doctor Cox voice) Well but, duh, most of his basses have cermic MM's at the neck and they don't sound dark and soft, and that's what I was using as reference.

I've done 8 basses for this same guy (some were for his friends) and they all have ceramic MM pickups.

The Basslines MM pups with the ceramic magnets (SMB-4d and SMB-5d) DO sound "more modern" . . .

It's not just the magnets... the Ceramics are wound differently.

They are lower resistance and higher inductance.

 

[depalm]

Nordstrand MM4.2 is a drop in replacement for MusicMan PUs. Made of alnico it sounds really fat, with tons of output, lots of bright, punch and pronounced mids that can cut trough every mix . It is certainly the best MM PU in my opinion.
Way better than Basslines, Delano or Bartolini if you are trying to achieve the Music Man sound.
my 2 cents

 

[deaf pea]

(in Doctor Cox voice) Well but, duh, most of his basses have cermic MM's at the neck and they don't sound dark and soft, and that's what I was using as comparison...

OK . . . NOW I understand what you were saying . . .

BTW, I really wasn't TRYING to be an A$$ . . . but in retrospect, that's how I came off in that other post . . . sorry . . .

...I've done 8 basses for this same guy (some were for his friends) and they all have ceramic MM pickups...

What a coincidence! Carlos Carbajal (of Mexico City) has done 8 basses for me, too! (well, one of them was for the singer/songwriter/guitarist of our group).

All of them with ¡¡SMB-5A pups!!

...It's not just the magnets... the Ceramics are wound differently.

They are lower resistance and higher inductance.

True . . . but they are made that way ON PURPOSE, to fulfill the design goals, sound-wise . . .

BTW, the "Doctor Cox voice" reference flew right over my head . . . could you explain it, please (if it's worth the trouble) . . .

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

OK . . . NOW I understand what you were saying . . .

BTW, I really wasn't TRYING to be an A$$ . . . but in retrospect, that's how I came off in that other post . . . sorry . . .

I wasn't real clear about t either. I didn't think you were being an a$$

BTW, the "Doctor Cox voice" reference flew right over my head . . . could you explain it, please (if it's worth the trouble) . . .

From the TV show SCRUBS

 

[optikhog]

GFS Alnico Pro Plus. LOVE these:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsmmproplal.html