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MM Replacement Pickups
- Thread starter wahit
- Start date
- Status
chewstermaniac
Member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2002
- Messages
- 9
I've heard lots of people using the Bart's with extremely good results.
puzzled40
New member
I had a Bartollini put in my Stingray several years ago---to get more versatility for studio work. I had it removed. I like to play hard occassionally to get that MM growl. The Bartollini gave an ugly distortion, so they didn't fit my playing style. Then again, maybe a electronics expert could have fixed that. Anyway. I never liked the sound myself. Dead sounding. This might be a little off topic, but I have a Symore Duncan preamp replacement now, with the original pickup. It is ok, but not nearly as clear as the original MM preamp. I was told Ernie Ball doesn't make replacements for pre EB Musicman basses. hmm. Question---why do you want to replace the pick-up?
bovinehost
Administrator
Bartolinis are for girls.
No, seriously - they are. I find them too warm and nice and polite.
Keep the stock pickup(s). There are many other ways to get what you want out of your bass - change your strings or your cabinets, for instance, although strings are much cheaper - but the sound of your bass is in the pickup that came with it.
YMMV, etc.
Jack
No, seriously - they are. I find them too warm and nice and polite.
Keep the stock pickup(s). There are many other ways to get what you want out of your bass - change your strings or your cabinets, for instance, although strings are much cheaper - but the sound of your bass is in the pickup that came with it.
YMMV, etc.
Jack
johans
Well-known member
keep the stock ..
dhuffguitars
Well-known member
I recommend the Nordstrand replacement pickups!
http://www.nordstrandguitars.com
I supplied him with an early Pre EB Stingray pickup to use as a reference for the Alnico pickup. Big sound difference over the later ceramic versions.
http://www.nordstrandguitars.com
I supplied him with an early Pre EB Stingray pickup to use as a reference for the Alnico pickup. Big sound difference over the later ceramic versions.
johans
Well-known member
you have an expensive guitars there dhuff 
dhuffguitars
Well-known member
After I am in my new shop I will be trying to get a more "blue collar" priced bass out there.
I don't like having only high priced basses for sale, especially since my own current basses are all Stingrays(pre eb's)...
The Nordstrand pickups are a great choice , and they are standard on all my basses.
Darrin
I don't like having only high priced basses for sale, especially since my own current basses are all Stingrays(pre eb's)...
The Nordstrand pickups are a great choice , and they are standard on all my basses.
Darrin
Psychicpet
Well-known member
jack, you rock! er I mean Rawk!!bovinehost said:
A friend of mine just sold is custom Kinal due to the "polite" lost in the line of fire Bart tone.
But onto the question at hand, another option if you do really want to swap out pick-ups is Aero p/u's together with an Aguilar 3-band pre , I've heard the combination and it's great. Not as great as a dual H Bongo but it's a good sound
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
>>>>I was told Ernie Ball doesn't make replacements for pre EB Musicman basses
EB does make a replacement pre-amp for the Pre-EB Basses. Part number is "M0 5400". It's a replica except for the inclusion of a protection resistor which was a 1982 MM modification anyway. The 4250 IC chip has a tendency to get zapped if the guitar lead is short circuited. It's not sealed in epoxy like the early originals. I recently bought one. EB requires the return of the old pre-amp when purchasing the replacement.
Darren...I've just bought a Nordstrand. Looks really well made. I'm lucky enough to also have a spare 1978 black epoxy. I'm in the process of doing a retro my 1989 'Ray.
Is there any differences between the early EB PUPS and the Pre-EB PUPS with regards to impedance and resistance...or are they interchangable???
P.S. I have a copy of the 1982 circuit mod if anyone needs it for their Pre-EB Bass.
.
EB does make a replacement pre-amp for the Pre-EB Basses. Part number is "M0 5400". It's a replica except for the inclusion of a protection resistor which was a 1982 MM modification anyway. The 4250 IC chip has a tendency to get zapped if the guitar lead is short circuited. It's not sealed in epoxy like the early originals. I recently bought one. EB requires the return of the old pre-amp when purchasing the replacement.
Darren...I've just bought a Nordstrand. Looks really well made. I'm lucky enough to also have a spare 1978 black epoxy. I'm in the process of doing a retro my 1989 'Ray.
Is there any differences between the early EB PUPS and the Pre-EB PUPS with regards to impedance and resistance...or are they interchangable???
P.S. I have a copy of the 1982 circuit mod if anyone needs it for their Pre-EB Bass.
.
Last edited:
Bassplyr
Well-known member
If you don't like the sound of the MM pickup, just buy a different bass. But don't swap out the original pickup. Then it's not really a Music Man, is it?
dhuffguitars
Well-known member
Rod- I am pretty sure there is no problems with dropping it in any Musicman pickup route. If the ohm's are different it will just sound different. They will be close enough that you shouldn't hear a drastic boost or cut in overall sound, but you will hear a change in tone.
Bassplyr-If he/she likes the feel and playability of their bass I say keep it and try doing some simple mods to try and nail the tone. Now if they are trying to make a Stingray sound like a P they have lots of work ahead of them. But by changing pickups you will change it's tone a lot. I had a Cutlass 1 that was WAY too brittle, and a Bartolini made it into a killer bass.
Bassplyr-If he/she likes the feel and playability of their bass I say keep it and try doing some simple mods to try and nail the tone. Now if they are trying to make a Stingray sound like a P they have lots of work ahead of them. But by changing pickups you will change it's tone a lot. I had a Cutlass 1 that was WAY too brittle, and a Bartolini made it into a killer bass.
TSanders
Well-known member
bovinehost said:
If you want bartolinis get a lakland. why buy a bass with a GREAT sounding pickup and change it for a weak sounding replacement. This is the Ernie Ball MusicMan bass forum, not the Bartolini forum.
bovinehost
Administrator
Easy now, I was just having fun with the Bartolini statement.
rulyøngo
Well-known member
dhuffguitars said:
I have heard great things about Nordstrand Pickups... you should check them out... and then let me know what you think...
bassmonkeee
Well-known member
If you like everything about the bass, but don't like the sound, then, by all means, try different pickups--just make sure you keep the original in case you want to sell the bass in the future. As you can see, a lot of people won't give a modified MM the time of day on the used market. But, I mean, c'mon--They weren't brought down from the mountain by Moses, or anything, fer crying out loud.
It's your instrument--do what you want to make yourself happy.
Bartolinis have a lower output that I've found can be negated by simply using the passive input on an amp. Through the active input, my basses with Barts sound a bit anemic. Using the passive input rectifies that, and simply results in a beautiful, clean sounding bass.
You want to change out the pickups? Fine.
You want to change out the preamp? Go for it.
Wanna cut off the horns, and superglue plastic army men to the headstock? Sounds like fun to me.
You want to cover it in cowhide? Fine.
Wanna dip it in lighter fluid, and set it on fire while praying to Peter Tork? Go nuts.
It's your instrument--do what you want to make yourself happy.
Bartolinis have a lower output that I've found can be negated by simply using the passive input on an amp. Through the active input, my basses with Barts sound a bit anemic. Using the passive input rectifies that, and simply results in a beautiful, clean sounding bass.
You want to change out the pickups? Fine.
You want to change out the preamp? Go for it.
Wanna cut off the horns, and superglue plastic army men to the headstock? Sounds like fun to me.
You want to cover it in cowhide? Fine.
Wanna dip it in lighter fluid, and set it on fire while praying to Peter Tork? Go nuts.
bovinehost
Administrator
Wanna dip it in lighter fluid, and set it on fire while praying to Peter Tork?
Sounds like a fun Friday night. Bring some chips, I've got the vodka.
Sounds like a fun Friday night. Bring some chips, I've got the vodka.
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