U.S. Peavey Club

[bigtone23]

Sorry for the late answer JEDI the few times I've used it, it sounded good with the SF pickups. But hand on heart I prefer it stock, those SF pickups are a great pickup on their own merit. Has anyone put a set of SF pickups in a Fender Jazz?

Shawn, for all intents and purposes, the Foundation is a Jazz bass with SFs. I'm positive that SFs in a Jazz bass would sound like a Foundation, being that SFs are a touch more aggressive/attack-y than the relatively smoother sounding J pickup.

Aside from all the obvious material, electronic and design similarities of the Foundation and Jazz Bass, the big tell is pickup placement as that is where the harmonic signature of the bass resides. The Foundation pickups are centered at 28" and 32" from the nut. My Jazz Basses have pickups centered at 27 3/4" and 31 3/4 (1972) and 27 7/8" and 31 3/8" (1997). For comparison, my 1983 G&L El Toro (which is a Jazz inspired L2000) has it's pickups located on 28 1/2" and 31 1/2" centers.
FWIW, 28 1/2" is the traditional P bass PU location, and 30 1/2" is the Stingray. Both measured from the center line between the two coils.
Based on my measurements, the Foundation is pretty much set up with pickups in the Jazz Bass "70s position." I have found that a 1/4" difference in placement doesn't really have a huge effect on the harmonic signature, but the type of pickup does have a huge effect on the tone. My El Toro (which is more like "60s position") in passive mode has that similar J bass kind of harmonic tonality, but those narrow, dual coil MFD pickups are louder and thicker sounding.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Bigtone knows his stuff! Pickup placement is huge!

Somebody buy an uncut body and put some SFs in the Ric locations..... and sell it to me please!!!

 

[kodiakblair]

I put an SF in a 50s single coil P bass As expected it worked wel. if the pickup it replaced had been a Duncan it would've been a major success. As it was the original, now discontinued, Wilkinson was already superior to the Duncan so the swap was really like for like.
Saving grace was I'd slipped with a chisel cutting for a toaster and the SF covered the scar.

 

[bigtone23]

Somebody buy an uncut body and put some SFs in the Ric locations..... and sell it to me please!!!

My thoughts exactly! I have considered getting a really beat up Foundation body, filling the holes and rerouting for Ric placement. Seems SFs would make great Ric type pickups since T-Series pickups in split mode do the Ric thing pretty well. I have the measurements/placements for Ric-ish, adjusted for 34" scale--24 7/8" and 29 7/8", though 25" and 30" may be close enough for RnR!

 

[JEDI BASS]

My thoughts exactly! I have considered getting a really beat up Foundation body, filling the holes and rerouting for Ric placement. Seems SFs would make great Ric type pickups since T-Series pickups in split mode do the Ric thing pretty well. I have the measurements/placements for Ric-ish, adjusted for 34" scale--24 7/8" and 29 7/8", though 25" and 30" may be close enough for RnR!

Saving this info! Thanks!

 

[Runnerman]

That looks nice. A yoga mat!....great idea. I have a couple bomb cases that need relining. I made a template years ago but put the project aside for lack of a good lining material. Looks like you've solved it. Any idea if the yoga mat material might affect the finish?

That's a good question and embarrassingly, I had not considered it. Was just so stoked to have it back. I don't believe it would. The matt is made from a very fine closed cell foam and the top surface has very limited porosity and there is no stickiness to it at all. I guess we shall see. Has to be better than the old disintegrating foam that was in there.

 

[JEDI BASS]

What are the odds that a random 2nd Super Ferrite could be dropped in a Patriot and leave me with a 2 p’up hum canceling mod’d bass? I am thinking about finding a 2nd SF and placing it near the neck. So, I guess I’m asking if they’re pretty much all the same pickup through the years?

I know that some of the T-20 SFs were gigantic under the pickguard. I’m talking about all the normal skinny soapbar style SFs.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mech]

What are the odds that a random 2nd Super Ferrite could be dropped in a Patriot and leave me with a 2 p’up hum canceling mod’d bass? I am thinking about finding a 2nd SF and placing it near the neck. So, I guess I’m asking if they’re pretty much all the same pickup through the years?

I know that some of the T-20 SFs were gigantic under the pickguard. I’m talking about all the normal skinny soapbar style SFs.

Thanks in advance.

All the Super Ferrites in the Foundation and Dyna Bass are the same size as the Patriot. The difference is that the ones used in pairs are opposite magnetic polarity......north up on one and south up on the other. The coils are wound the same and the + and - are flipped when wired and this forms a humbucking pair when at the same volume. Magnetic polarity can be checked with a compass but people selling them on the interwebs don't check so you won't know the magnetic polarity when buying a single. It would be best to buy a known pair and use the one that sticks to yours. FWIW, I don't know if all Patriot PUs were north or south up or if they used either since it makes no difference in a one PU bass.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Thanks!!

 

[bigtone23]

What are the odds that a random 2nd Super Ferrite could be dropped in a Patriot and leave me with a 2 p’up hum canceling mod’d bass?

With a Patriot, you just need to drop a neck PU in the proper spot (the 24th "fret") to get a Peavey 4003! The bridge PU of the Patriot lines up with a Ric bridge PU.

 

[Shawn Luckman]

Bigtone knows his stuff! Pickup placement is huge!

Somebody buy an uncut body and put some SFs in the Ric locations..... and sell it to me please!!!

Agreed bigtone knows his spacing's .

 

[kodiakblair]

@bigtone23

Doesn't the 4003 have a mini humbucker at the neck ? They were also kinda weak as I recall so wouldn't an SF be overpowering ?

 

[JEDI BASS]

I was definitely thinking of putting a SF near the neck on my Patriot to get “close” to the Ric spacing and sound.

You guys must be mind readers :-D

 

[bigtone23]

@bigtone23

Doesn't the 4003 have a mini humbucker at the neck ? They were also kinda weak as I recall so wouldn't an SF be overpowering ?

That's the toaster pickup used up to 1973ish. It's a single coil with dual slots on the cover. The classic, post 73ish era 'high gain' pickups started lower wind and got slightly overwound in the 80s. Outputwise, the 80s ones are right there in the same ballpark as a SF for output and more oomphy tone vs the 70s brighter tone. The high gain bridge pickups were most always hotter than the toaster and high gain neck PUs.

Back to Peavey and this thread... This is what's cool about the T40 and why it's often mentioned as the most Ric of the non Rics. It's pickups are in similar spots as a Ric, except that they are both located a tiny bit shifted towards the bridge. Split the T pickups and those solid sounding, single coils get a decent, live RnR approximation of the harmonic and tonal signature of a 70s Ric.

Which brings up this theory to get maybe even closer to a Ric tone with a Peavey bass...

I was definitely thinking of putting a SF near the neck on my Patriot to get “close” to the Ric spacing and sound.

You guys must be mind readers :-D

PLEASE DO THIS JEDI BASS!!!!
I'm sure it would rock and I would live vicariously through your Peavenbacker.

I want a Ric 4001/3, but very, very few are comfortable to me. Decided I would have to approximate one with a comfy bass. The Patriot is a perfect choice.
The first time I had a Patriot in hand to play, I had to check that pickup location. It seemed further back than the standard P location, but a touch forward for a Ray. Turns out it is only about 1/4" closer to the neck vs a Ric's bridge PU. That's a margin of error I can work with! Another cursory measurement shows that another pickup may be dropped in right at the Ric's neck PU position, the virtual 24th fret. Right under that octave harmonic. Wheels started turning... How to make it more Ric?
Keep it clean with master volume and tone, but add the 3-way PU switch, move the jack to the side, and have a push/pull on one pot to add the .0047uF hi pass cap on the bridge PU to get more authentic, vintage Ric tones. Bypass the cap for modern Ric as well as the original Patriot tones. Oh, and a SF at that neck position? OOOOMMMPH! Some tweaking of the pickup heights would probably fine tune the Ric-ness.
I'm kinda dying to try this, it's just getting another bass is kinda tricky right now.

 

[melloncollie]

So this is a potentially odd question, but I just acquired a g-bass. I’m liking the tones and feel but I noticed that the pickup shape and size is a little odd. Does anybody know of anything that might fit if I wanted to replace the pickup?

 

[JEDI BASS]

The first time I had a Patriot in hand to play, I had to check that pickup location. It seemed further back than the standard P location, but a touch forward for a Ray. Turns out it is only about 1/4" closer to the neck vs a Ric's bridge PU.
Keep it clean with master volume and tone, but add the 3-way PU switch, move the jack to the side, and have a push/pull on one pot to add the .0047uF hi pass cap on the bridge PU to get more authentic, vintage Ric tones. Bypass the cap for modern Ric as well as the original Patriot tones.

You’re picking up what my lunatic mind is tossing ‘round!! And, you’re spot on with that pickup location! I used pics during my lunch break, to compare and indeed... it looks like the centerline of a Ric bridge p’up is right at where the back edge of the Patriot SF is. And, I think I’ve marked the approximate location of the neck SF (see pic). This is gonna be fun and rewarding!

 

[mech]

So this is a potentially odd question, but I just acquired a g-bass. I’m liking the tones and feel but I noticed that the pickup shape and size is a little odd. Does anybody know of anything that might fit if I wanted to replace the pickup?

Congrats on a fine bass! I don't know what else fits but can tell you the G Bass pickup is an active humbucker.

 

[Chuck M]

So this is a potentially odd question, but I just acquired a g-bass. I’m liking the tones and feel but I noticed that the pickup shape and size is a little odd. Does anybody know of anything that might fit if I wanted to replace the pickup?

I believe the PU in the G Bass is the same one used in the single HB PU Forum.

I also own a G Bass and am curious as to why you would want to replace the PU. The G Bass, like the single HB Forum, is a muscular sounding bass with tone that sits very well in the mix. IMO the tone is very usable with the OEM PU and is easily tweaked with the Cirrus 3 band electronics it is equipped with.

The only improvement I can think of is the GV! I would love to have one of those rare gems.

 

[bigtone23]

View attachment 3108545 You’re picking up what my lunatic mind is tossing ‘round!! And, you’re spot on with that pickup location! I used pics during my lunch break, to compare and indeed... it looks like the centerline of a Ric bridge p’up is right at where the back edge of the Patriot SF is. And, I think I’ve marked the approximate location of the neck SF (see pic). This is gonna be fun and rewarding!

It’s gonna rock!

 

[mech]

Oh, Lord!!! Somebody PLEASE hide my credit cards!!!! Price is stout for me or it would have already been ordered.

Vintage NOS Peavey G-Bass W/ Original Case Made In USA