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Sire v7 replacement pickups - d,g string not cutting through

BernardBass

BernardBass

Oct 26, 2013
184
214
Dublin, Ireland
#1
Howdy folks,

Apologies if this has already been talked about but Im looking to get a new set of pups for my sire v7...

Everything is stock at the moment and im having issues with my d,g strings not cutting through the mix live.

My string height is fine and levels are equal well a bit louder at the d,g but still not cutting through the mix.

Im using chromes 110-50 gauge.

I'd like to make this my main bass but need to upgrade the pups (i believe) to even out the issues with the strings and to get a warmer tones for playing ACDC.

My main bass is a Geddy Lee with jretro preamp and dimarzio dp123 pickups...and it sounds incredible.

These run through an AMPEG HLF410 and LittleMark III

Im looking for something a little different with the sire, warm fat tones but with the ability to get some serious growl, more clarity than the dimarzio also and noiseless/humbucker...if any of that makes sense!?

Currently looking at the following:

Seymour Duncan - quarter pounders
Seymour Duncan - Apollos <-- very expensive
Seymour Duncan - Antiquities II
DiMarzio - ultra jazz
Aero JB4 - Type 1 <-- very expensive (cant get them easily in ireland and prices from the UK are about e350 :( )

Possibly EMG...they are potentially a bit bright for me from what ive seen online. But I do have a p/j from 15 years ago, set in my ibanzez gsr200 which i ripped the frets out of...and sounds cool but again a bit bright.

Looking for some guidance, general advice...or recommendations that arent up here. Please remember im in Ireland so its difficult to get Lindy or US custom shop stuff :(

Thanks a mill!
 
#2
If you are looking for noiseless, the QPs and Antiquities are both single coils so they don't fit that criteria. Dimarzio has plenty of tonal options as far as noiseless pickups go, so you wont have to worry about sounding just like your Geddy.

My personal recommendation would be to modify your bass with an series/parallel switch on a push/pull volume pot and see if that gets you where you want to be. It will definitely warm up your sound, and give you more grunt when you need it.
 
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#3
Hopkins said:
If you are looking for noiseless, the QPs and Antiquities are both single coils so they don't fit that criteria. Dimarzio has plenty of tonal options as far as noiseless pickups go, so you wont have to worry about sounding just like your Geddy.

My personal recommendation would be to modify your bass with an series/parallel switch on a push/pull volume pot and see if that gets you where you want to be. It will definitely warm up your sound, and give you more grunt when you need it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Hopkins!

Sorry not entirely sure what you mean about the series parallel switch? can you send me on a link to what they are? also the bass has an active preamp plate so not too sure how id go about installing a switch?

crap...didnt realise the QPs and Antiquities were singles... Apollos are front runner at the moment so!

The Dimarzio's are solid and the actual main reason i got them was for the adjustable poles becaue of the D G string issue.

I really did want to try something a little different though :)
 
#4
BernardBass said:
Thanks Hopkins!

Sorry not entirely sure what you mean about the series parallel switch? can you send me on a link to what they are? also the bass has an active preamp plate so not too sure how id go about installing a switch?

crap...didnt realise the QPs and Antiquities were singles... Apollos are front runner at the moment so!

The Dimarzio's are solid and the actual main reason i got them was for the adjustable poles becaue of the D G string issue.

I really did want to try something a little different though :)
Click to expand...

The Area J and Ultra J are different animals to the Model J which I assume you have.

There is a massive difference between series and parallel wiring
 
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#6
DreadyDiggs said:
I doubt it's your pickups giving you an issue. More than likely it's your Chromes.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude, I have the issue with Dunlop's, daddario Xl's, rotos swing 66, so don't think it's a string issue either :(

Same thing when I go through my diamond bass compressor as well...so I assumed it was a pickup/frequency issue. Using the mid sweep on the sire helps a bit depending where I am but kills the over all tone I'm going for.

Which I don't get on my geddy, but I've done a lot of work on that bass.

Its acdc and the guitarists are bass/mid heavy too so I've not got a lot of room to wriggle my bass sound in between them and the drummer.
 
#8
BernardBass said:
This is a whole new world that I'm going to obsess over!! The difference in tone is just fantastic! That's everything I want and more! I wonder if someone's already done this on the sire!? Thanks again man!!!
Click to expand...

Can you take the control cover off and take a picture of the volume pot so I can help you with the wiring. I need to know if the volume is pre or post preamp.
 
#9
BernardBass said:
Thanks dude, I have the issue with Dunlop's, daddario Xl's, rotos swing 66, so don't think it's a string issue either :(

Same thing when I go through my diamond bass compressor as well...so I assumed it was a pickup/frequency issue. Using the mid sweep on the sire helps a bit depending where I am but kills the over all tone I'm going for.

Which I don't get on my geddy, but I've done a lot of work on that bass.

Its acdc and the guitarists are bass/mid heavy too so I've not got a lot of room to wriggle my bass sound in between them and the drummer.
Click to expand...

I wanted to link a video in this thread but can't. There is a young bass player that I follow on Facebook who uses a Sire V7 and has a very "forward" tone. His bass is all stock besides his choice of roundwounds, that's the only reason I suggested it might just be strings.

I am a pure flatwound player as of now, and even have Chromes on my PBass, but they aren't my string of choice haha. But I know his V7 is stock and is very forward. Lemme see if I can find a video.
 
#11
Hopkins said:
Can you take the control cover off and take a picture of the volume pot so I can help you with the wiring. I need to know if the volume is pre or post preamp.
Click to expand...

Cool!!!! Thanks man!!!! Thumbs up
 

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#12
BernardBass said:
Cool!!!! Thanks man!!!! Thumbs up
Click to expand...

Ok, so the pots are built on to the board, so you can't really switch it with a push pull pot. You would have to drill a new hole in the plate and use a micro switch, as well as removing the pickup leads from the board. I don't know if you are comfortable doing this, if not any decent tech shouldn't have any issues.

You would just put this switch in front of the preamp, the wires would go back into their existing spot on the board afterwards
84d54debeb244ddb3e1ba8666ee40ae3.jpg


EDIT: I just went to the Sire website, and it looks like they use a blend pot instead of two volume pots. I don't know how or if the switch will work with a blend pot.
 
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#13
Hopkins said:
Ok, so the pots are built on to the board, so you can't really switch it with a push pull pot. You would have to drill a new hole in the plate and use a micro switch, as well as removing the pickup leads from the board. I don't know if you are comfortable doing this, if not any decent tech shouldn't have any issues.

You would just put this switch in front of the preamp, the wires would go back into their existing spot on the board afterwards
84d54debeb244ddb3e1ba8666ee40ae3.jpg


EDIT: I just went to the Sire website, and it looks like they use a blend pot instead of two volume pots. I don't know how or if the switch will work with a blend pot.
Click to expand...



Dear god! Im going to make this happen! Talked to a local luthier and he is goign to take a look at the diagram and get me a quote. Decided to go with the seymour duncan hot stack jazz bass pickups too. Dont like the look of the dimarzio as they are a bit mid scoopy...so hum hum canceling beefy tone headed my way i think and a hole in my pocket :)

cant thank you enough Hopkins!
 
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#14
BernardBass said:
Dear god! Im going to make this happen! Talked to a local luthier and he is goign to take a look at the diagram and get me a quote. Decided to go with the seymour duncan hot stack jazz bass pickups too. Dont like the look of the dimarzio as they are a bit mid scoopy...so hum hum canceling beefy tone headed my way i think and a hole in my pocket :)

cant thank you enough Hopkins!
Click to expand...

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, I am not sure that the series/parallel switching is possible without doing some mods to the circuit board. I have never seen it done with a blend pot, only on a two volume setup. Hopefully it wont be a problem

As far as the Hot Stacks go, I would recommend a split coil honestly. The bottom coil on a stacked pickup is kind of like a dummy coil which is a bit of a tone suck. They don't have the output or the tone of a split coil. I would go with the Apollo's over the stacks if the price is somewhat reasonable in your area.
 
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#15
Hopkins said:
Lets not get ahead of ourselves, I am not sure that the series/parallel switching is possible without doing some mods to the circuit board. I have never seen it done with a blend pot, only on a two volume setup. Hopefully it wont be a problem

As far as the Hot Stacks go, I would recommend a split coil honestly. The bottom coil on a stacked pickup is kind of like a dummy coil which is a bit of a tone suck. They don't have the output or the tone of a split coil. I would go with the Apollo's over the stacks if the price is somewhat reasonable in your area.
Click to expand...

Ah im sure he can do it :) - turns out he's a luthier for 90% of all big irish bands and session musicians.

yeah the apollos are 70 quid more though...

What you think? worth it...

Apollo:


Hot Jazz:


Apollo are a winner but...its 240 + shipping vs 170 + shipping :'(

If I didnt just buy a house and get into the biggest debt of my life I would buy the apollos...but I could sell my hartke lh500...and a bass...and possibly sell crack to kids to get these bad boys...hmmm.... :P
 
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#16
Credit goes to @line6man for this diagram. I think it should work with your current setup. This assumes that the pad labeled pick 1 is neck and pick 2 is bridge. If not you need to reverse the diagram. The only other question is if his blend pot is wired the same as the one on your preamp. Maybe he can chime in on this, because he has forgotten more than I know about the subject.
upload_2016-6-1_11-15-2.png
 
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