Help! Changing Sterling Pickups

[LABassGuy]

I have a 4 string Sterling HS. I don't like the sound of this thing. If I change the humbucker to a Nordstrand MM4.3 Pickup, will that alter the sound?

Would the writing be difficult? Would this pickup even work as a replacement on an HS model?

I am kind of lost here. I know everyone loves the sterling, and I love the action too. But I can't get into its tone.

 

[bassmonkey]

View attachment 6295

 

[strummer]

View attachment 6295

lol @ bassmonkey

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Don't mess with you Sterling. I would leave it the way it is. Try and experiment a little more with all the control settings.

 

[TheAntMan]

lol @ bassmonkey

+1

-- Ant

 

[Sonnyonbass]

I have a 4 string Sterling HS. I don't like the sound of this thing. If I change the humbucker to a Nordstrand MM4.3 Pickup, will that alter the sound?

Would the writing be difficult? Would this pickup even work as a replacement on an HS model?

I am kind of lost here. I know everyone loves the sterling, and I love the action too. But I can't get into its tone.

Maybe a stupid question. But why did you buy it when you don't like it?


Yep. try to fiddle a bit more with the eq. A little does a lot.
Changing pickups would caost you a lot of money and won't change it for the better I think.

 

[Big Poppa]

THese threads always go wrong...Ill try to see if I can answer your questions and try to explain the forum at the same time.....

FIrst off this is better suited for Talk Bass or the Nordstrand forum if they have one.

Secondly if you do swap your pickups out save them. What happens is that people swap the pickups out and see that they can sell them for a lot of money on Ebay due to the fact that we only replace pickups and do not offer them as accessories, THen they decide that the copies they bought dont suit them or they go to sell the bass and there is very limited resale and at a signifigant discount because its been modified. THen they contact us and find out that they shoudlnt have sold their pickups and we arent replacing them...then they post on all the boards about what bad guys we are....so save the pickups and save all of us the heartburn!

Feel free to do what you want with your bass and Im glad we got some of it right for you.

Is this your first active bass? What is it that you dont like? Maybe I can help a little but If we keep talking about other brands then it gets ugly and sideways.

It is really important that this forum retains its focus...thanks

 

[Basscake]

Well said BP!

EBMM has a very wide variety of beautiful Instruments and every model has something unique about it.

Having said that I sometimes also wish I could "frankenstein" some of these unique features into one instrument.

EBMM does that to an extend but they are no custom shop.
But they certainly react to recurring requests from players:
I'd guess the SLO Special is a response to a lot of guys asking for a SR with a slinkier neck. That might be exactly what LABassGuy is looking for...

But some requests are probably rather specific and not worth creating a production model for. Like mine:

I love the seriall sound of my SR5 with ceramics.
When I was looking for a 4 stringed counterpart I found out that the only 4string that I can get that sound out is the Sterling.
I just happen to like the looks and the neck of the Stingray 4 better and so I'm stuck with this little predicament.

So long I just play my faithful 5 String....
...and dream what a Stingray4 with CeramicPU and 3-way switch would be like.
I don't even dare asking for it.

Well, what I'm trying to say is:
The thought of "customizing" a instrument doesn't mean disrespect for the original product. Quite the contrary. It proofes that the instrument has something that makes you wanna keep it at all costs.

 

[godsey]

The HS configuration is so versatile . its amazing the tones you can get from it...The eq is god sent,when you can play thru any amp flat and sound awesome every time someone has really done their homework. hell many times i just go direct to FOH no need for an amp.......

 

[TheAntMan]

I am sure that a lot of thought and consideration went into creating each type of EBMM instrument model. To try to redesign the instrument is always an option for the owner of the instrument but realize that EBMM is not responsible for the outcome of your work. There have been success stories and many not so happy outcomes.

If the tone which is the main thing that the instrument is made for was not what you liked then the real problem was the purchase not the instrument. Between the coil selections and the EQ; these instruments have a lot of various tonal options, not to mention your amp settings.

I had a neighbor who was always tinkering with his old car even though he was not a mechanic. He said it never felt right to him. His wife was always telling him to leave it alone. They finally got a brand new car and within a week he was under the hood. About a month into this car; it caught fire under the hood while he was out driving with this family. Insurance investigation showed his adjustments had caused the destruction of the vehicle.

Best of luck on your quest.

-- Ant

 

[phatduckk]

between the amp's EQ, basses EQ & different types of string you should be able to make that bass do just about anything you want.

 

[LABassGuy]

No, this is not my first active bass. In fact, I have a stingray fretless and sounds fine.

With the sterling, it seems like I can't get a decent low out of it; period. I don't even risk touching the EQ because either it gets too boomy or muffled. I still have the original strings on there so the next step will be to change those and see if it makes a difference.

But what do you guys suggest? I really want to love this thing. The reaosn I bought it is I fell in love with the action and comfort. And I figured I can EQ my way to any sound I want.

 

[A.J.]

Changing the strings is a great place to start

 

[bovinehost]

Strings are the easiest and least expensive way to change your entire attitude about any given bass - that's been my experience.

For YEARS, I was always at least slightly unhappy with bass after bass after bass, and then I discovered a brand of string that just absolutely works for me - and now I wish I had all those basses back.

Everything in the chain has an effect, of course, but start with the simple stuff.

Having owned zillions of brand-X basses and now gajillions of EBMM basses, it is my opinion (key word, sure, I know that) that unless there is some type of problem, you should be able to get nearly anything you want out of a Sterling HS.

Before you change the pickups, change those strings! And try your bass through other amps, if you can. (I owned a rather expensive hi-end amp that simply everyone ADORED, only I hated it with a passion.) (iAmp 800, if you're wondering.) And start flat, of course, with the EQ on the bass itself, and add and subtract carefully. If you're using 15" speakers, try a 4-10 or a 2-12. Experiment! Ideally, it should be fun.

But listen to what Sterling says. (That's Big Poppa, above.) If, in the end, you do decide to try another pickup, by all means keep the original.

I bet changing the pickup isn't necessary, though.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Jack

 

[Davecg2]

No, this is not my first active bass. In fact, I have a stingray fretless and sounds fine.

With the sterling, it seems like I can't get a decent low out of it; period. I don't even risk touching the EQ because either it gets too boomy or muffled. I still have the original strings on there so the next step will be to change those and see if it makes a difference.

But what do you guys suggest? I really want to love this thing. The reaosn I bought it is I fell in love with the action and comfort. And I figured I can EQ my way to any sound I want.

Play with the EQ more and remember to adjust everything in very small amounts. If its getting too boomy or muffled the increments your adjusting are probably just too large. It takes the tiniest adjustment on a Sterling to make a significant change. If you still want to swap pickups, its your bass do what you want. But i would def spend a good amount of time playing with the EQ before i did that.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

No, this is not my first active bass. In fact, I have a stingray fretless and sounds fine.

With the sterling, it seems like I can't get a decent low out of it; period. I don't even risk touching the EQ because either it gets too boomy or muffled. I still have the original strings on there so the next step will be to change those and see if it makes a difference.

But what do you guys suggest? I really want to love this thing. The reaosn I bought it is I fell in love with the action and comfort. And I figured I can EQ my way to any sound I want.

As you've rightly suggested, have a go at fitting some fresh strings preferably of the EB kind, and then try different settings on your amp that you haven't previously thought of trying, you never know that sound you seek might just be in there waiting to come out.

What amp have you got by the way?

Either way good luck I hope your perseverance will pay you back.

 

[LABassGuy]

The amp; that's another thing.

My rig is very much hi fi, without any coloring whatsoever. I run my signal to an Avalon U5 then to a SWR bass head and Aguilar cabinets. That's why I can't expect my bass rig to bail me out if the bass itself doesn't sound good.

 

[Big Poppa]

La Bass guy....IM not so sure I have the aggie cab and it collects dust! I have old swrs and hate them....Maybe you should change your pickups! heheheheheh!

 

[Kristopher]

Are there any pickup positions you like? Which ones do you dislike the most? (Position 1 is closest to the bridge, 5 is closest to the neck.)

Pickup position 1 on your Sterling is both bridge humbucker coils wired in series. The Stingray humbucker is wired in parallel. You may be someone who prefers the parallel humbucker sound (I'm a series guy myself).

Also, if you're into the slimmer neck profile of the Sterling but prefer the sound of the Stingray, you can get the new Stingray SLO special that gives you a Sterling neck profile on a Stingray.

Good luck.

 

[LABassGuy]

The 1st and 3rd positions--I like those the most. And they do sound fine until you play a low F or E--then it is just boomy. Now the deep growl of the stingray but something kind of artificial. Anyway, I just have to experiment with it I guess, string and all. A lot of people like this bass--so maybe it is just my setup.