Author Topic: Danelectro pickup options  (Read 1594 times)

slinkp

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1358
    • View Profile
    • slinkp home page
Danelectro pickup options
« on: November 24, 2016, 12:38:07 PM »
I brought my circa-1999 dano DC bass to rehearsal the other night. I'd forgotten how much I love playing it! It has a feel I really like.

And I remembered the reason I don't: way too anemic in the mids for my taste. I cranked up everything from about 500hz to 2k and eventually felt like I could hear myself okay.  But I've never been especially thrilled with the lipstick pickup sound.

Has anybody tried the replacements on the market?
GFS has 6k and 8k models. Duncan has some too but not sure if they sound different than the originals.

Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

exiledarchangel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1660
  • I like big necks and I cannot lie
    • View Profile
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2016, 01:17:24 PM »
I have put a pair of the GFS lipstick humbuckers on my epiphone les paul guitar. They have a very clear sound, even on humbucker mode. 
If you want some gnarly mids you must look elsewhere. Its a very nice and useable sound, but you need a cranked booster in front of them definately.

I have never tried Duncans, but they must sound more middish, they use alnico 5 instead of alnico 2 that GFS use. There are also Artecs on ebay, they use Alnico 5 magnets.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2016, 02:04:12 PM by exiledarchangel »
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

Granny Gremlin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2942
    • View Profile
    • Granny Gremlin home page
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2016, 02:50:16 PM »
I brought my circa-1999 dano DC bass to rehearsal the other night. I'd forgotten how much I love playing it! It has a feel I really like.

And I remembered the reason I don't: way too anemic in the mids for my taste. I cranked up everything from about 500hz to 2k and eventually felt like I could hear myself okay.  But I've never been especially thrilled with the lipstick pickup sound.

LOL, this explains why I like lipsticks (and am not so hot on modern SS Ampeg heads).  Sorry can't help.
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (drummer and bassist of Deep Purple, Jake!)

Dave W

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 22193
  • Got time to breathe, got time for music
    • View Profile
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2016, 03:08:37 PM »
Duncans sound very much like the originals.

IMHO you'd be better off buying a separate preamp pedal than chasing mids that aren't there in the pickup design.

Denis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4036
  • Harvester of Appendixes
    • View Profile
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2016, 06:21:28 AM »
Every now and then Jerry Jones lipstick pickups appear on the 'Bay, but they are few and far between.
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

slinkp

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1358
    • View Profile
    • slinkp home page
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2016, 10:14:25 AM »
Hmm. I suppose onboard preamp would be another option. There is no shortage of room in there :)
Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

Dave W

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 22193
  • Got time to breathe, got time for music
    • View Profile
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2016, 10:39:56 PM »
Why not an outboard pre?

slinkp

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1358
    • View Profile
    • slinkp home page
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2016, 11:21:46 PM »
No reason really. I've never looked into the outboard options. Just seems like one more thing to carry around though. And I'm not especially attached to the dual concentric pots on the bass, so not averse to changing them out.
Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

Dave W

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 22193
  • Got time to breathe, got time for music
    • View Profile
Re: Danelectro pickup options
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2016, 07:00:23 AM »
It is one more thing to carry around, but you can use it on any bass.

I have an MXR (Dunlop) M81 preamp with direct out, it packs a lot into a small package.