Upgading Pickups?!

[Mishter_Grolsch]

Hi. Im new to the forum! Hows everyone doin? Ive been the proud owner of a Stingray for a good year almost now and was wondering about a pickup upgrade. I was in my local music shop and the assistand dude was talking a fair bit bout bartolini MM pickups. I still really dont know a great deal about them though and if anyone has any suggestions they would be much appreciated! Cheers!

 

[dlloyd]

Hi. Im new to the forum! Hows everyone doin? Ive been the proud owner of a Stingray for a good year almost now and was wondering about a pickup upgrade. I was in my local music shop and the assistand dude was talking a fair bit bout bartolini MM pickups. I still really dont know a great deal about them though and if anyone has any suggestions they would be much appreciated! Cheers!

Most Stingray owners consider the stock pickups superior. Depends really on what you're after. What do you find lacking in your present pickups?

 

[dlloyd]

Check out the Seymour Duncan MM pup with alnico magnets, sweet!

Again, you won't necessarily see any "improvement" over stock pickups.

 

[hankSRay]

Heres what they say on the bartolini website:

MMC-bright, smooth humbucker - strong lows and low mids
MMK - brighter humbucker - treble enhanced version of the MMC
MMX - brightest, but not harsh, humbucker - more treble and bass than the MMK
MME - bright, smooth triple coil design
MMEX - brightest, treble enhanced version of the MME

I personally dont see why u would change the pickup from a stingray, I love the way mine sounds stock, but bartolini does make sum kick ass pickups. Judging from the way they describe them on the website and the fact that Flea uses the same pickup in his sig bass, I'd go with the MMX if I had to change pickups, but IMO I would just leave the stingray alone.

 

[shaver]

flea doesnt use barts in his sig bass. Modulus sells the flea sig bass with bartolinies in them however. All of fleas basses that he uses were made when Lane Pore made pickups. However, i personly do want to (i dont know if up-grades the right term) upgrade to bartolinies. I have a hard time with my hand comeing in contact with the pickup pole peices., this is one way i see to change this problem, and i like the overall sound of barts, especialy their 18 volt pre-amp (drool)

 

[tkarter]

IMHO the EB basses are the hardest to hotrod and see a change in ever. If your not happy with the one ya got don't upgrade the pickups get a Bongo.


tk

 

[hankSRay]

Yeah youre right shaver, I forgot Flea uses Lane Poor pickups, its his sig models that use the bartolinis.

 

[Mishter_Grolsch]

Cheers, very helpful stuff i have a couple more questions however. When you say fleas sig bass, which is a modulus, he has uses Lane Poor pickups. Whats the difference between that and a bartolini MMX pickup? Is this the kind of pickup he gets the great sound from because ive seen them live 3 times now and im struggling to hear a better sounding bass to be honest and its the kind of sound i CRAVE!!!

 

[Samingo]

Yeah, I'll agree with you there shaver. Sometime I would prefer if the poles weren't exposed. I'd rather have a covered MM pup than a Bart. Don't get my wrong, I would love to have something with a Bart in it. In my oppinion though Bart's have always sounded more gentle, from what little I have heard. I really dig the aggressive sound the MM's give me.

Also, I hear ya Grolsh. The sound seen on Californication really gets me going sometimes. Though there's nothing like the canyon-deep lows of Otherside. Though, in the end, again, I prefer the MM for my own stuff. From what I've heard live I just don't like how attacky Flea's bass is.(I know that's the graphite neck and not just the pickup, but none the less). It sometimes seems like he's always slapping or popping when he's just playing. Mind you I think he gets a great sound slapping. I just prefer the more mid-rangey sound of the MM's to any here that can agree. Besides, soon I'll get my Bongo and won't need another bass again ever

 

[midopa]

When I had my SR, I didn't find the pole pieces to be a bother at all. I had low action and dug in on the strings. Hm... Are you guys building up the calluses on your fingers? You need them calluses, I say!

 

[shaver]

also remember, flea doesnt use the modulus or Music man in the studio

 

[TSanders]

I beleive that a Wal is his main recording bass, but has used both the MusicMan and Modulus in the studio on several occasions.

 

[Samingo]

Indeed, I've got the calluses, It's mostly an image thing to be honest. And if those are Wal's, then huza huza! I've always had this strange sweet spot for Wals. Could never explain it, just something attracts me to them. Definitely have to invest in one someday.
Also, I have to agree with ebmusicmanlvr83, I'm sure I've heard a Modulus and Music Man in there here and there.

 

[TSanders]

I know that Flea used a StingRay for "Aeroplane" and a StingRay 5 on "Under The Bridge". There are a number of songs that have been recorded with the Modulus, just take a listen.

 

[dlloyd]

I know that Flea used a StingRay for "Aeroplane" and a StingRay 5 on "Under The Bridge".

I knew Aeroplane was a SR, didn't know about Under the Bridge... interesting.

There are a number of songs that have been recorded with the Modulus, just take a listen.

Almost all the tunes on the last two albums were the Modulus, except Cabron which was a Vox with a capo.

 

[Mishter_Grolsch]

How do you guys know all this? And at the end of the day you guys reckon its best to stick with my MM pickup?

 

[dlloyd]

How do you guys know all this?

Magazine interviews and the like.

And at the end of the day you guys reckon its best to stick with my MM pickup?

It depends on what you want from your bass, you might want more punch, in which case you might want to try a ceramic magnet (SR4s have alnico magnets).

I'd be more inclined to play with other preamps than the pickup.

 

[Mishter_Grolsch]

Ok, so whats a pre amp? Im a bit new to the whole 'whats inside a bass' scene and how do you go about changing magnets and the likes? Ive never actually opened my bass mainly because it cost me £1000 (yes thats right kids, Pound Sterling because im from Scotland! The wee country just above England. You know, the one where everyone is called Jimmy and we all eat shortbread and wear kilts ) and if i did something stupid id have no SR4 and id top myself

 

[dlloyd]

Ok, so whats a pre amp? Im a bit new to the whole 'whats inside a bass' scene

It's an amplifier. It's the active (that means it uses a battery) circuitry inside your bass, under the banana-shaped metal bit. Different manufacturers make different preamps that will shape the tone of your bass in a different way to the preamp you have now.

and how do you go about changing magnets and the likes? Ive never actually opened my bass mainly because it cost me £1000

You might want to get someone else to do it for you. Someone who opens lots of £1000 basses.

(yes thats right kids, Pound Sterling because im from Scotland! The wee country just above England. You know, the one where everyone is called Jimmy and we all eat shortbread and wear kilts )

Yep me too (Daizesecondskin is as well, Kenito's lived there in the past as well). Where are you based? I might be able to recommend a good tech who could fit a preamp or pickup for you.

Ultimately though, the question you have to address is what you want from your bass that it doesn't currently give... there might be a simpler solution.

 

[shaver]

a pre amp is not an amplifire... Preamp - pre amplifire...though the batiery does amplifie your sound a little, the main purpose of a pre amp is for tone and sound. its your how your treble, bass, and high knobs work... you also have a preamp on your amp, or use a preamp with your amp... people use different amps because of how its pre amp sounds , or they want more power...

and i think flea might have done give it away on his sting ray..i remember seeing that in funky monks dvd...but yeh, i dont knw about under the bridge, do you think he used it just because he was usen one in the video?