Epi Eb-3 modding

[Fozza]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here so please be gentle with me!

I'm about to embark on modding my Epiphone EB-3 (the limited edition short scale version) and I could do with some advice/tips/opinions.

I've ordered a Dimarzio Model One to replace the stock neck humbucker and I'm interested in putting in a coil split so I can use either or both coils to give me more variety of tone. Has anyone ever done this? Is it worthwhile? Looking at the pinned thread on coil tapping at the top of this forum I assume I only need an on-on-on mini switch and wiring to do this (I'm not keen on pull-push knobs)?

Daft question - I'm also replacing the pots as they're a bit 'all or nothing' at the moment. However, I can't seem to get the knobs off so I can have a look to see if they are solid or split shaft. I can't see any screws about to suggest they're solid but I've tugged as hard as I dare and I can't get the buggers to shift! Does anyone which would be OK? I assume split shaft but I'd like to be sure before ordering any.

Last question (you'll be relieved to hear) is about the bridge pickup. I'm not a huge fan of the stock one. It's too honky and tinny for me. I've looked on the web but I haven't seen any direct replacements out there. I assume any possible replacement would have to be routed. I realise much of the sound of the pickup is due to it's placement right by the bridge but does anyone know of a reasonably priced alternative which will give me more punch and smoother highs? I was thinking off a Darkstar but it's a bit heavy for my pocket and seems overkill for such an inexpensive bass. Perhaps I'll get all the tones I need out of the coil-tapped Dimarzio?

By the way, I won't be doing any of this work myself. It'll be going to a luthier. I'm rubbish at anything practical - playing bass included!

Well, that's it. You know, I was happy enough leaving my basses stock until I started lurking on here! You guys have opened up quite a new world for me.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Fozza' post='1041132' date='Nov 29 2010, 01:37 PM']Hi everyone,

I'm new here so please be gentle with me!

I'm about to embark on modding my Epiphone EB-3 (the limited edition short scale version) and I could do with some advice/tips/opinions.

I've ordered a Dimarzio Model One to replace the stock neck humbucker and I'm interested in putting in a coil split so I can use either or both coils to give me more variety of tone. Has anyone ever done this? Is it worthwhile? Looking at the pinned thread on coil tapping at the top of this forum I assume I only need an on-on-on mini switch and wiring to do this (I'm not keen on pull-push knobs)?

Daft question - I'm also replacing the pots as they're a bit 'all or nothing' at the moment. However, I can't seem to get the knobs off so I can have a look to see if they are solid or split shaft. I can't see any screws about to suggest they're solid but I've tugged as hard as I dare and I can't get the buggers to shift! Does anyone which would be OK? I assume split shaft but I'd like to be sure before ordering any.

Last question (you'll be relieved to hear) is about the bridge pickup. I'm not a huge fan of the stock one. It's too honky and tinny for me. I've looked on the web but I haven't seen any direct replacements out there. I assume any possible replacement would have to be routed. I realise much of the sound of the pickup is due to it's placement right by the bridge but does anyone know of a reasonably priced alternative which will give me more punch and smoother highs? I was thinking off a Darkstar but it's a bit heavy for my pocket and seems overkill for such an inexpensive bass. Perhaps I'll get all the tones I need out of the coil-tapped Dimarzio?

By the way, I won't be doing any of this work myself. It'll be going to a luthier. I'm rubbish at anything practical - playing bass included!

Well, that's it. You know, I was happy enough leaving my basses stock until I started lurking on here! You guys have opened up quite a new world for me.[/quote]

If you want to use the same knobs on the new pots then they will need to be split shaft for press fit knobs.

To get stubborn knobs off pots I take an old t-shirt or other cotton cloth and slide the edge of it under the knob, I then wrap the t-shirt around the knob, keeping the edge under the pot, bunch the rest up above the knob and pull up on the shirt/cloth. If you've got the cloth under the knob all the way round it should pull off and it won't fly off across the room, it'll stay in the cloth. Howzat?

[spinynorman]

I had the knob problem (that sounds painful) with an EB3 clone. If the T-shirt method doesn't work, I used padding like a much folded T-shirt or duster, slid a pair of round ended scissors under the knobs, so the blade ends are on the pad, and leavered them off. But, if you're giving the rest of the job to a luthier, why not let them deal with the knobs?

Regarding the pickups, you'll probably get more answers in the Gibson forum on [url="http://bassoutpost.com/index.php"]The Last Outpost[/url]. That's where the world's Gibson/Epi nuts hang out.

DarkStars are unlikely to be an option. The web site is still there, but Fred Hammon is reportedly not answering emails. They don't often come up for sale used.

You could always go the Mike Watt route

[henry norton]

[quote name='spinynorman' post='1041269' date='Nov 29 2010, 04:28 PM']DarkStars are unlikely to be an option. The web site is still there, but Fred Hammon is reportedly not answering emails. They don't often come up for sale used.[/quote]

Umph is waiting for a couple of DarkStars to be delivered for his Shuker build at the moment (in Build Diaries) so I hope for [i]his[/i] sake Fred's still in business. He hasn't been very quick answering the couple of emails I've sent him in the past so maybe people are just getting a bit impatient in this instant messaging world in which we live. The pickups themselves are pretty good although you could buy a couple of Model 1s and a tone circuit for the price of one, but remember you can always take it out again if you decide to sell the bass on. They fit a standard guitar humbucker sized rout so you can always replace it with a £12.50 Wilkinson or something similar if you decide to flog it.

[Fozza]

Thanks for the replies, chaps.

The Last Outpost forum has a lot of good information on this sort of thing, very useful.

[Big_Stu]

I had a s/h Gibson EB3 many years ago that came with the Dimarzio fitted. I hated it, it's a much thinner sound & of course the coil tap drills another hole in your body - so I went the other way & put a stock old Gibbo pup in it.
Of course such tastes are subjective to the owner, but in Last Bass Outpost there was a thread recently on the same subject & most owners came out against the DM too.
The pups on the Epi are like night & day compared to the original Gibsons so in your position my own taste would be to save up & buy vintage Gibson original pickups, mid to late 60's if poss. The original "mudbucker" was seismic in it's depth!!!

With the knobs a luthier I knew used to cover the body area in a few layers of masking tape, pull a wooden clothes pag apart - the kind with a spring & tap a clothes peg "wedge" under each side, tapping each one alternately..

I can also recommend WD pots, they're what's in my custom bass as recommended by JayDee custom guitars.
[url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/category/Electronics/Pots,b.html"]http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/category/Electronics/Pots,b.html[/url]

Edited December 1, 2010 by Big_Stu

[Mr. Foxen]

Series or paralell wiring make a fair bit of odds to those Model 1s. Might be good to make that switchable, even if you leave the switch in the cavity.

[henry norton]

Here's my EB (actually an EB-0) bought used from here and with the original trebly, quiet Epi pickup moved to the bridge position, a 4 magnet monster mudbucker placed in the neck position, again bought for not much money on the forum and a bass varitone from some American guy on the internet. It'll do most sounds from muddy ground shaking through Stanley Clarke slappy to Jaco harmonics. All in it cost me less than one DarkStar pickup!

I think some people are disappointed with Model 1s because they are bought to replace an Epiphone neck pickup, which has a very different output and tone compared to an original Gibson Mudbucker. They really are boomy and muddy whereas the Epiphone is quite clear and low output in comparison. As the DiMarzio was originally developed to give Gibson players clearer, less distorted output, it's ended up sounding fairly similar to the toned down, sanitised pickup now used in Epiphones. When someone pays big money for a replacement pickup they're looking for a dramatic change, which swapping over an Epi pickup for a Model 1 won't give.

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='Fozza' post='1041132' date='Nov 29 2010, 01:37 PM']Last question (you'll be relieved to hear) is about the bridge pickup. I'm not a huge fan of the stock one. It's too honky and tinny for me. I've looked on the web but I haven't seen any direct replacements out there. I assume any possible replacement would have to be routed. I realise much of the sound of the pickup is due to it's placement right by the bridge but does anyone know of a reasonably priced alternative which will give me more punch and smoother highs? I was thinking off a Darkstar but it's a bit heavy for my pocket and seems overkill for such an inexpensive bass. Perhaps I'll get all the tones I need out of the coil-tapped Dimarzio?[/quote]

If the bridge pickup route is the right size, a toaster style pickup like this [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/Replacement_%22Toaster%22_Pickup_Rear_SRK1R"]Kent Armstrong[/url] could sound good. They're single coils, so are likely to have more highs than the existing humbucker. I have one in the neck position on my bass, but I'm sure it would work well at the bridge also. They're intended to be guitar pickups, but work well on bass.