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P bass with Mudbucker instead of split coil


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I picked up a cheap p bass to mod, and found the routing under the pickguard to be really large, easily big enough me thinks for a BIG pickup to be dropped into the P position to replace the standard split coils. I'm looking for a high output, nasty, dirty rock sound, and came up with the idea to maybe put an Artec EBC4 mudbucker in there. Which should overdrive my amp, and at the same time I will run it through my sansamp to make a huge, overdriven sound (especially as I play with a pick). Also, thinking i should put some 500k pots and a 0.022 cap to squeeze out a little high end.

What are people's thoughts?

 

Edited by hooky_lowdown
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There was a run of Gibson EB3 ("SG-type") basses at one point in the '70s, on which they moved the mudbucker further back - not quite P-bass position, but not right under the neck like they normally are. Haven't heard one myself, but by all accounts they kept a lot of the characteristic "woof" while giving better definition due to the new position.

(I do have an Epi EB-3 stock mudbucker knocking around if you're interested in getting hold of one cheaply...?)

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24 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

There was a run of Gibson EB3 ("SG-type") basses at one point in the '70s, on which they moved the mudbucker further back - not quite P-bass position, but not right under the neck like they normally are. Haven't heard one myself, but by all accounts they kept a lot of the characteristic "woof" while giving better definition due to the new position.

(I do have an Epi EB-3 stock mudbucker knocking around if you're interested in getting hold of one cheaply...?)

Thanks, I know the Epi EB-0 mudbuckers are super lower output (which is the opposite to what I'm looking for!), is the EB-3 pup higher (Artec is 30k)?

Wanting to get something like this sound... tonnes of bottom end with a deep, warm tone...

 

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The issue you need to check is the spacing of the pickup pole pieces. You may not be able align the strings accurately over the PUP pole pieces due to the difference between the Gibson 30ins scale and the Fender P 34ins. I ran into this when trying to fit a Gibson EB3 Humbucker to  P bass,the best solution I found was to use a '72 Telecaster Bass PUP which has huge gain and has a greater range of tones than the EB3 PUP. The value of the tone cap you choose also has a major effect on what you are trying to create. Alternatively you could change the bridge for one with a smaller string spacing.

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Yup, it's a 34 "     String spacing is around the 17mm area.  My digital caliper battery decided to die,  so i may be a .5 mm out

Strings over the DP120 poles is bang on. Strings over the  Bassbucker poles is a tad out but its only a tad.  Basically, if that Bassbucker was a bit nearer the bridge, it would be bang on,  because the poles on both pups are the same distance apart. So the reason they're not bang on for the Bassbucker is because, of course, that the string spacing narrows as we get towards the neck.

Edited by fleabag
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I have a mid 60s EBO and have done a pretty exhaustive search for alternative pickups.  As already mentioned, Curtis Novak does a great replacement but at $265 plus $65 shipping and then duty on top........!!!!

Anyway, I stumbled across a guy in Spain who makes 2 different types of Mudbucker at reasonably decent prices.  Essentially one is a direct EBO replacement and is 109 Euros and the other is pretty much based on the Fender mudbucker found in tele basses in the late 60s/early 70s and is 99 Euros.  This was the one I was interested in as it was a little different:             

https://www.jlguitars.com/index.php?id_product=57&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=p-bass-51-replica-envejecida&controller=product&id_lang=8

I reckon the Fender'ish version may work for your P bass fairly well?  Maybe worth getting in touch with Jess?  Nice guy but after sending me technical specs he offered to send me sound clips which never turned up.  Probably just buy.  Good luck!

 

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4 hours ago, surfguy13 said:

PS scroll down to the bottom of the page for technical specs

Thanks, but I don't need a pickup, as I plan on using the Artec as mentioned in my original post!

I was interested in the thoughts of the placement of the pup in the traditional P position, which some people seem to have missed.

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16 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Thanks, but I don't need a pickup, as I plan on using the Artec as mentioned in my original post!

I was interested in the thoughts of the placement of the pup in the traditional P position, which some people seem to have missed.

My main failing, speed reading everything!  :)  

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