surfguy13

Where did I get Peter from............?!

Definitely not, upheld it throughout !!!!!!!!!!!  

I recently bought a Phil Jones amp from the guys at Musiker and thought it was worth mentioning that it was a really smooth and friendly purchase.  Peter (or Ped), who I was dealing with, was really friendly and helpful and spent loads of time discussing the different amps.  He was also really knowledgeable.  Peter is a Basschat member: pedfromthestore. 

The price I was quoted beat anything from the UK by a big margin and  everything is not only post free but comes with a 3 year warranty.  I can heartily recommend them to anyone considering buying any gear, they seem to have a huge range and most of the products on the website are in stock.  

I should add I have no affiliation with Musiker other than as a happy customer!!!!   

Many thanks for that, no good for me but best of luck with the sale! 

Any idea what gauges?

14 minutes ago, geoffbyrne said:

Check John East preamps - the J-Retro is the one you probably want.

 

www.east-uk.com

 

G.

Brilliant, thanks for that.  I'll go and check it out now!

I really should know the answer to this question but even after an internet search I'm none the wiser!  I was wondering if it is possible to install an active system into the control cavity of a standard passive J bass?  I really don't want to start routing out the body for a battery.  I have never owned a bass with active electrics and thought it might be worth a try as long as I could do so without any physical mods to the body.  There doesn't look like there's a hell of a lot of room in the cavity so I'm guessing its not possible but............?!

You don't have the original pickups by any chance?

GLWTS on Ebay Paul.  I'm amazed that it hasn't sold on Basschat, absolute bargain!  

PM incoming......

PM'd

Link to photos doesn't seem to work?

The link to photos doesn't work for me........does it have the original case?

Pure joy to see that you can get decent quality vegan straps!!

Great listing, this is how they [i]all[/i] should be! High quality photos and decent description. Good luck with the sale!

PM'd

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1469350067' post='3097501']
The original pickup looks like a Dimarzio Model G. Basically an X2N with eight poles in place of the blades.
[/quote]

Can't tell you how useful that bit of information is!! I had no idea what the Dimarzio was and now I know. It was interesting to read a few bits about other people's experiences with this pickup and most if not all are very positive which tends to suggest that maybe it's me and not the pickup at all!! I guess I have little to compare it to as I no longer have my old P and the only other bass I own and use regularly is a '68 Jazz......probably not fair comparing the sound I get from that to the Martin.

Anyway, appreciate the info!!

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1469220233' post='3096840']
I know the blurb on the page says < 2" but according to the instruction sheet, the max recommended string width for an EMG-HB is 2.1". 2.125" isn't that much different. It's up to you but I wouldn't be overly concerned about overstepping the mark by 0.025". I would guess they are talking about string width as it passes over the pickup. Looks like there's plenty room in the control cavity for a 9V battery You would have to replace the volume pot with a 25k one, and you could either continue to use the pot and cap of your current tone control, or replace that too with an EMG-BTC (stacked bass/treble) for even more control with no physical modifications. The switch wouldn't be much use any more - perhaps use it as a kill switch?

Just thought of another plus for the EMG - it's available in an "ivory" casing, which might look better than the traditional black.

Other guitar humbucker sized bass specific option which comes to mind is TV Jones pickups (Thunder’Tron / Thunder’Blade / Thunder’Mag).

There's not much available off the shelf for bass in that form factor. I guess if you paid a custom maker enough you could have a single coil hiding in a humbucker casing.
[/quote]

What can I say but a BIG thank you for all the info and advice! I think you're right, the EMG makes perfect sense and if it's available in ivory then it will look right too. Great that the width isn't an issue, I guessed this might be the case and 0.025" isn't going to be an issue at all!!

The control cavity is huge and with only the two pots there's loads of room to install a battery and accomodate the new active wiring. I think I'd probably go with the EMG stacked tone as the more tonal options the better and I can just lift the two existing pots out complete and put them to one side in case I ever want to revert back.

I'm guessing that if I lifted the existing volume and tone pots out, and indeed the jack socket too as I see the EMG kit includes one, then the small electronic box would be bypassed completely? Therefore I guess I could just leave it in situ and install the EMG system around it?

I'll look into the TV Jones options as they sound interesting....never played a Gretsch bass but I understand that the TV Jones guitar pickups are really nice.

Just been looking at the specs of the two pickup options that @neepheid suggested and they would both definitely work and will fit in terms of dimensions etc etc. However, I agree that maybe the Schaller might be more of the same in terms of how it sounds, certainly judging by the comments made by users which leaves the EMG. The installation kit looks straightforward and all very do-able but my only concern is that the optimum string width is under 2" (I assume over the pickup) and in the case of the Martin it is 2 1/8th. However, maybe it's optimum and not a firm spec.

This is probably a stupid question but are there any other options other than a straight like for like humbucker? Or does the existing pickup determine what can go in there? I just wondered if there were any options for basses as there are for guitar pickups where, for example, a P90 is fitted into a humbucker footprint.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1469199058' post='3096589']
Oh, and I'm guessing that the "boost" you speak of will be a series/parallel switch (or a series/single coil - at work just now, no time to go tracing the wires in your photo to confirm) - series mode does tend to beef up the sound versus parallel or single coil wiring.
[/quote]

I think that it is series/parallel now you mention it. There's so little info on these basses as they only made 700'ish. It works really well and definitely offers two very different sounds.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1469198705' post='3096583']
Are you including the pickup ring in those measurements? Only reason I ask is that there might be a couple of direct replacement options - the Schaller Bassbucker (which to be fair is very similar to what you already have) or go active with the EMG-HB - an active P (rails) inside a guitar humbucker sized package. I used them on this Epiphone Les Paul and I think they sound great.


[/quote]

Dead interesting, both options sound good. Sorry, I should have made it clear that the dimensions did include the pickup ring but the pickup itself measures 70mm x 38mm if that helps tie it down.

The EMG active pickups sound good and would probably have more range? Would this necessitate a battery and more wiring? The EMGs on the LP bass look pretty much identical to the picup on the Martin.

Hi Guys

I have an old '78 Martin EB-18 which I love but I'd like to try and change the pickup just to get a different sound. It is a solid body bass and currently has its original Dimarzio Patent Applied For installed and it is surface mounted:

[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/Martin%201978%20EB-18/EB-18%20Pickup%20002_zpssnf7wqjk.jpg.html][IMG]http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/guymerchant/Martin%201978%20EB-18/EB-18%20Pickup%20002_zpssnf7wqjk.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/Martin%201978%20EB-18/EB-18%20Pickup%20001_zps3kwftola.jpg.html][IMG]http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/guymerchant/Martin%201978%20EB-18/EB-18%20Pickup%20001_zps3kwftola.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/Martin%201978%20EB-18/1978MatrinEB-18003_zps51d8c5e8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/guymerchant/Martin%201978%20EB-18/1978MatrinEB-18003_zps51d8c5e8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

It's a 4-conductor pickup as it has some sort of boost installed (original) that thickens and slightly boosts the sound. The control cavity is laid out as below:

[URL=http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/Martin%201978%20EB-18/1978MatrinEB-18022_zps048efe25.jpg.html][IMG]http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/guymerchant/Martin%201978%20EB-18/1978MatrinEB-18022_zps048efe25.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The dimesions of the pickup are:
89mm across
44mm wide
20mm deep

String spacing (centre string to centre string) 18mm.

I'm really wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction in terms of finding another pickup that would just drop in as that would be my preference. I simply haven't got a clue where to start looking or indeed what I should be looking for! I'm not exactly sure what sort of pickup I [i]am [/i]looking for to be honest, just something that gives me a slightly smoother sound I guess......a bit more P bass sounding.

Any help/advice would be very much appreciated.

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1465129727' post='3065463']
Chiliwailer, who replied to your post in 'bass guitars', is very knowledgeable about vintage Fender. As he says, it's unlikely to be 1966 as the four digit code came later and was used in the early 70s. This was replaced by a 6 digit code from around 1974 so the last digit (which usually indicated the year) being a 6 is a bit of an oddity. Which I guess is why you're asking! Pics showing examples of 1966, 1974 and 1976 pickups attached for ref.
[/quote]

Aha, thanks for pointing me in the direction of the post in 'Basses'. I thought a mod had deleted it to be honest as I couldn't find it......I'd originally posted in Repairs and technical' and then when I went into that topic to make sure the post was there......it wasn't! So I thought I'd post under 'basses' and then found it wasn't there either!! However, what I didn't realise was that I needed to log out and then back in to see the posts. hence a post under both headings.

The photos are REALLY helpful as they show all the pickups from '66 to '76 and they all look pretty similar. However, I agree, I'm 99% sure they are not '66 pickups.

Yeah, it was the 4 digit code that seemed somehow wrong for a '76 pickup and that's what I couldn't work out. However, having now read Chilliwailers comments it could well be an early 70s pickup as the codes didn't seem to be set in stone.

Appreciate the adive!

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1465052977' post='3064983']
The stamps came in use in the late 60's and the pole piece tops are not rounded, so I'm pretty sure these aren't from 66. I've had a fair few 1966 P Basses and all had hand written dates.

The early 4 digit never did seem to have a way of dating that appeared clear to me. But early 70's seems fair.

I'm not great with colours, but the pickup winding is usually burgundy. Can't tell if yours is burgundy or black? (The wires have been changed so it made me have a look).
[/quote]

That makes perfect sense and to be honest I didn't thiunk they were '66 as both my teles, which are from '66, have handwritten date codes as you say. Also, from what little I could find out the 4 digit codes had no consistent references to year, week etc. Maybe they were just factory references and not used for anything other than identification purposes?

Yes, I wondered about the windings as well given that the hookup wires have been replaced. You're right, the winding is burgundy, not black.

Very much appreciate the input!

[quote name='chrisanthony1211' timestamp='1465055527' post='3065002']
I think in 66 they were hand writing the dates, in the 70s the last three of the four digits were usually week and year, being 46th week of 1976......but I'm not sure when they went to the six digit codes......
[/quote]

Well, from what I can gather the 4 digit codes stopped in '74 and were replaced by 6 digit but I'm guessing that wasdn'r set in stone! However, I did assume they were '76 pickups and your suggestion that they're week 46 in '76 sounds like it could be spot on. Again, thanks for the input!

Thanks Highfox, really appreciate that. So it seems that the last 2 number refer to the year? Does that mean the pickups I have are '66? I wonder if there any other way of working out the year other than the stamp?

Cheers

Guy