Pickup brand?

[CorrieDeee]

Hi everyone,

 

I got this pickup with a Precision Bass from 1978, the well-known modification. According to the previous owner, it was put on the bass in the 1980s. I wonder if anyone can tell what brand this pickup is. The pole pieces are copper/gold colored, the casing is cream colored, both wires are wrapped in brown shrink tubing and the coil is wrapped with copper foil. If anyone has an idea, I'd love to hear it!

 

Cheers!

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by CorrieDeee

[itu]

Cream colour, could be a DiMarzio.

[NancyJohnson]

On 20/03/2023 at 21:22, itu said:

Cream colour, could be a DiMarzio.

 

I think most DiMarzio pickups had extra magnets hot-glued on the underside (the glue being prone to failure over time, the magnets coming off and flipping 180° in the pickup cavity).

[Dan Dare]

There were fewer replacement pickups around in the 80s than there are now. A Di Marzio is a good shout and they were known for cream casings. I don't think that's copper foil, but the windings themselves. The wire gauge is very fine and can look like a sheet of copper at a distance.

[Matt P]

i've looked at the photo's and i think it is actually copper foil, the join is visible in the first photo, and the next photo shows the foil soldered to another piece of foil that wraps round onto the base (if this was just the windings it would short the pickup out surely?) 

 

i've not seen this before, it looks like there is a ground sleeve in the wiring as well as the 2 usual wires for a jazz pickup.

 

Matt

[basstone]

On 24/03/2023 at 11:32, Matt P said:

i've looked at the photo's and i think it is actually copper foil, the join is visible in the first photo, and the next photo shows the foil soldered to another piece of foil that wraps round onto the base (if this was just the windings it would short the pickup out surely?) 

 

i've not seen this before, it looks like there is a ground sleeve in the wiring as well as the 2 usual wires for a jazz pickup.

 

Matt

I agree, that solder would short out the pickup coil. It's a foil screen and I'd guess there would be some tape over the coil winding behind it to protect the fine coil wire. That screen is probably very effective in reducing noise when using only one pickup (no humbucking effect from using both pickups). I have screened jazz pickups by using copper foil, but I use the self adhesive tape and put it on the inside of the covers including the top.

 

Back to the main topic and my vote would be for DiMarzio. I have a DiMarzio P pickup from the 1980s with the same colour cover. It's a great fat sounding pickup with allen key adjustment on each of the pole pieces. I'm assuming your P bass has been modded to be a PJ bass with this pickup in the usual bridge position?

[CorrieDeee]

Thank you all for replying! The pickup was indeed in the bridge position, the original precision pickup was also still in it. The body has had a DIY refin, I will have it restored to its full glory. The hole for the J pickup will then be filled. I will also ask the local specialist/luthier if he has an idea about the origin of this pickup. If he does, I'll post it!

 

[mcnach]

DiMarzio weren't the only ones. I don't think this is it. Schaller was also very common, and these look more like the Schallers I've seen but I'm not sure these are it either. Hmmm.

[snorkie635]

I've seen a bass with something similar from Mighty Mite?

 

could be waaaaaaay off though.🤔