Sidewinders, Multi-coils and other hard to find pickups

[big_teee]

I finally got back on the Split P-Bass MC Pickup project that I abandoned.
There are more parts, and are harder to make than the size 35, but IMO is worth the efforts.
it gives a new dimension to the P-Bass.
It really improves the A, & E, tone, IMO.
Also I used copper shielding foil to ground the magnets, and shielded cable.
It is much quieter than the standard flatwork non grounded P Pickups of old, that I've played.
T

 

[bassvirtuoso]

That should be interesting to hear, especially with the "P split" shape.

I did get the Big T pickups installed last night but unfortunately didn't have time to run it through it's paces at all. I gave it a brief test on my tech's amp to make sure the preamp and everything worked. Tonight it'll go to rehearsal, that'll be a real world test. Later this week/weekend I hope to record soundclips and compare them to the soundclips of the original pickups.

 

[bassvirtuoso]

@orange joe what are you using for pickup heights?

 

[orange joe]

Not sure off the top of my head.I'll measure them when I get home from work.I did end up setting them pretty close to the strings to find the sweet spot after much experimentation

 

[orange joe]

I have to say that I forgot how much I like the sidewinder humber set I got from Big T last year.They replaced the Sentells MCs.They go quite well with the Duncan pre amp I have in the bass

 

[bassvirtuoso]

I also really want to try out a pair of Big T's sidewinders, but man, it was a pain routing the pickup wires in the control cavity of my custom bass.

 

[big_teee]

Dave, it sounds like you need a cheap test bass to play with.
Leave the custom rig to gig with and beat on the cheapy.

 

[bassvirtuoso]

Full Review: *on hold* - I have another rehearsal tonight that I'd like to get through before I finalize my thoughts.

Sound Clip - will post below along with "what is what" in the clip

Short Review: so far, so good. I like these pickups and my band does too. In the first rehearsal I was told: "you sound more clear now, they're very articulate" and "I like those pickups a lot" by both of my guitarists. The bridge pickup is the clear winner here, giving you the regular bridge burpy-ness while also giving you more low end than usual aka it's not thin sounding. The neck pickup is harder for me to approximate right now, thus the second rehearsal being needed. My neck pickup route is a bit closer to the neck than most basses, therefore everything there sounds different than you expect a neck pickup to sound like. I'll have more on that tone tomorrow hopefully.

 

[bassvirtuoso]

This was recorded so I could compare what I had to the new MC's in this bass, my baseline. Please don't comment on the sound of the Neo pickups, you can PM me or we can start a different thread about them. Thank you.



Neo Neck Tone 100%
MC Neck Tone 100%

Neo Neck Tone 0%
MC Neck Tone 0%

Neo Both 100%
MC Both 100%

Neo Both 0%
MC Both 0%

Neo Bridge 100%
MC Bridge 100%

Neo Bridge 0%
MC Bridge 0%

 

[big_teee]

They both sound pretty good to me!
I wonder what they would sound like with the tone dialed in?
I doubt that you play with the tone on 0% and 100%?
I would like to hear them like you play at a gig?
Thanks,
T
** Great Playing BTW!

 

[emjazz]

They do both sound very good. I prefer the MC pickups as I think they'd sound great (for me) with the tone dialed back just a bit on both pickups. I also think that the MC neck pickup sounds great!

Can someone tell me what those MC's are? Are they in a humbucker casing? I must have missed it. They sound like great pickups.

 

[big_teee]

Daves Pickups are 4 coil MCs built in a Size 35 cover.
See Post 141-175

 

[emjazz]

Thanks. Why are the coils sensing different points of the string on each pickup?

Is it possible to do something like this in a P4 shell for 6 string?

 

[big_teee]

Logistics.
To get the large coils I use in the case I had to stagger them.
I also make a Split P version.
T

 

[orange joe]

I will definitely be interested in a Split P version of these bad boys very soon

 

[big_teee]

Just got done making a set of custom Multi-Coils for my new 30 inch scale Purple Baby bass.
I had to do some custom spacing, to get it to all work out.
The set that came in the short scale, were lapped over to much and the poles didn't line up correctly.
While I had it a part, I shielded the pickguard.
Wow, the new pickups make it thump like a big bass.
Here's a few pics.
All that remains is to paint my B-Stock Baby P- body, Candy apple Red.
The weather will have to dry up some before I tackle that.
A remarkable little bass that plays like a guitar, but thumps like it's bigger P- brother.
All I have in it so far is $65, shipping, & pickup parts.
T

 

[orange joe]

Just got done making a set of custom Multi-Coils for my new 30 inch scale Purple Baby bass.
I had to do some custom spacing, to get it to all work out.
The set that came in the short scale, were lapped over to much and the poles didn't line up correctly.
While I had it a part, I shielded the pickguard.
Wow, the new pickups make it thump like a big bass.
Here's a few pics.
All that remains is to paint my B-Stock Baby P- body, Candy apple Red.
The weather will have to dry up some before I tackle that.
A remarkable little bass that plays like a guitar, but thumps like it's bigger P- brother.
All I have in it so far is $65, shipping, & pickup parts.
T

Very cool.These pickups are like supped up big singles

 

[big_teee]

I get guys asking about Mudbuckers now and then.
So I bought the Artec version for parts.
I thought I would mount it in the test bass stock, then rebuild it, and see what I can do with it.
You get a heavy duty pickup, with cover, with nice rebuildable, and rewindable parts.
Here are the specs with some pictures.
The cover is 3 inches in length is 2-1/8" wide, and is approx. 3/8 inches tall.
The pickup under the cover measures?
2-5/8 inches long, is 1-15/16 wide in the middle at the widest part.
The pickup is 1-3/16 deep, but the routed hole only needs to be 7/8-15/16 inches deep.
It measured 31.8k DCR right out of the box.
Here are some pictures of it in its new present state.
Feel free to ask questions and to discuss away!
Terry

 

[bassvirtuoso]

Been away for a while - was finally able to gig the bass with my 4 coil MC pickups in it and got great compliments on my tone from non-bassists. That's a win in my book!

 

[big_teee]

Sounds Good Dave!
Does that bridge pickup cut through the Mix?
T