The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Chris P. on April 07, 2022, 11:22:26 AM

Title: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Chris P. on April 07, 2022, 11:22:26 AM
Curtis Novak made a new Gibson replacement pickup:

"Finally got my final production parts for my version of the Gibson EB-4L pickup. If you are not hip to this pickyo you should Google it. Was produced during the 70's. It has a nice clean full tone. I wired it same "Revolutionary design" where you can play the whole pickup as a single humbucker, or the top 2 strings can be separated from the bottom 2 strings. Mine is designed to fit in a standard modern Gibson EB-0 pickup route."

At the moment only visible as post on his instagram profile:

https://www.instagram.com/curtis_novak_pickups/
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: ilan on April 08, 2022, 10:11:52 AM
Interesting. Waiting for the demo. I can't find a good EB4L demo on youtube.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Dave W on April 08, 2022, 01:36:27 PM
I can't imagine there would be much demand for these, not that many EB-4Ls were made. OTOH Curtis' business isn't mass production.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: uwe on April 08, 2022, 01:49:22 PM
If your EB-4L pup has issues, you're happy for something like that. Wonder if he did something about the pitifully narrow magnetic field of the original pup which makes pulling a note near impossible, the tone immediately dies.

The EB-4L was the failed attempt to make a a long scale SG bass sound a bit more like a Jazz Bass.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: ilan on April 08, 2022, 01:52:37 PM
I can't imagine there would be much demand for these, not that many EB-4Ls were made. OTOH Curtis' business isn't mass production.

I think he designed it as a mudbucker alternative for vintage EB3/EB0, for guys like me that love the bass but hate the pickup.

Wonder if he did something about the pitifully narrow magnetic field of the original pup which makes pulling a note near impossible, the tone immediately dies.

The same thing happens with 70s Rickenbacker button-top neck pickups. Butterfly vibrato high up the neck makes a tremolo effect.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Alanko on April 08, 2022, 02:33:15 PM
Looks like a forerunner of multi-coil pickups like Wal employ. Highly desirable for some, so maybe Gibson were ahead of the curve or failed to capitalise on the exotic coil combinations possible with this sort of thing?
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Dave W on April 08, 2022, 03:14:31 PM
Looks like a forerunner of multi-coil pickups like Wal employ. Highly desirable for some, so maybe Gibson were ahead of the curve or failed to capitalise on the exotic coil combinations possible with this sort of thing?

It does look like the original, which predates the Wal, but I don't know if it was the first of its type. IIRC the problem was the narrow magnetic field around each string.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Grog on April 09, 2022, 07:52:35 AM
I’ll post a few photos of the original, looks real close……..

(https://i.imgur.com/uDcSYAKm.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/Rj9RHUkm.jpg)
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Pilgrim on April 09, 2022, 09:22:21 AM

The EB-4L was the failed attempt to make a a long scale SG bass sound a bit more like a Jazz Bass.

As a friend of mine says,  "The WHY question occurs to me."
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: godofthunder on April 10, 2022, 12:23:10 PM
  While I am not a fan of these pickups this is just the thing for someone wishing to restore a gutted EB4L.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Basvarken on April 10, 2022, 02:17:53 PM
How many are there who need/want to restore their EB-4L?
Two, worldwide?
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: godofthunder on April 10, 2022, 06:03:12 PM
How many are there who need/want to restore their EB-4L?
Two, worldwide?
lol I colyd have used one a few years ago!
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Dave W on April 10, 2022, 08:50:30 PM
1066 were shipped according to the Gibson shipping totals.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Chris P. on April 11, 2022, 01:08:56 AM
Maybe it sounds good in a modern SG Reissue Bass? I like the fact Curtis is doing stuff other people don't.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Rob on April 11, 2022, 04:08:06 AM
By chance do you know how the magnets are positioned regarding their N:S orientations?
i have 4 coils wound on sewing machine bobbins that I might use.

Since I'm asking do you know the resistance per coil?
Thanks
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: Rob on April 18, 2022, 06:11:25 AM
Well no response.
I am trying to get rid of stuff setting in boxes and storage.
I have 4 of these single coils built around a sewing machine bobbin (just like the ones pictured).
Free to a good home. Just PM me with a mailing address.
Title: Re: Curtis Novak EB4L pickup
Post by: bobyoung on May 15, 2022, 10:36:38 AM
I have an EB4-L, it's actually a very good sounding bass, mine does tremolo while bending higher notes but at least part of the problem with mine is the bridge is a little bit off center, I do know the magnetic field is small though.