EB minibucker info needed

[Granny Gremlin]

Any of youze know if anyone makes a (good) copy of these?

Failing that, do we know anything about the construction of them, i.e. are they a 4 pole version of the guitar minibucker or a sidewinder like 70s F/TBirds or what?  I know they're 6.6-7.7(ish) K depending on year.He's hoping he can ask one of the pup makers he knows to wind one up. 

A guy I know needs one and I won't sell him mine

[Basvarken]

Don't know if these are any good, but there are plenty of them over at Ebay


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allparts-Chrome-Humbucker-Bridge-Pickup-for-Gibson-Epiphone-EB-Bass-PU-0419-010-/222509563921?hash=item33ce9a8011:g:ns0AAOSwAuZX3Gbw

[Pilgrim]

Just by eye-ballin' that pickup, it should fit onto a Squier Bronco nicely if someone is playing with different pickup ideas.

[dadagoboi]

The Asian copies (as used in Epi's and sold by AP)is about 20% larger and different construction compared to a 60s Gibson...but they ARE cheap.

Just sold my original PAF stickered one for $200 which was the going price last time I checked.

[Granny Gremlin]

Size difference isn't an issue (EBO to EB3 conversion - new route either way).  Aren't the Asian copies kinda sucky?  Don't think I ever used one.

[dadagoboi]

Size difference isn't an issue (EBO to EB3 conversion - new route either way).  Aren't the Asian copies kinda sucky?  Don't think I ever used one.

Buy an Asian one and have somebody rewind or replace the guts.

[Granny Gremlin]

1) Cuz I dunno if there are better ones available or if these are decent (I suspect a TB+ version like from a midtown or SG reissue, might be a better pickup).

2) Cuz I dunno if the internal construction is even remotely similar

3) Cuz I don't have specs for a rewind (other than DCR which isn't enough all by itself)

4) Cuz now I'm just goddamn curious.

[amptech]

Well they are little less than 4 pole guitar minihumbuckers.

I put an Allparts repro EB3 bridge humbucker in a EB0/EB3 conversion, and if I compare it to soundclips of other EB3 pickups (originals) they are not good at all. Very thin. The unfortunate sound of a minihumbucker in EB3's have been discussed before,
but I promise you that Allparts unit is the worst bass pickup ever! But maybe they sound decent in other basses/builds.

As Carlo suggested, I tried to rewind/ beef it up a bit. First With 42AWG (not room for enough wire to do much difference) and 43AWG (more output but not a pleasing sound still) .

Then I tried out winding a single coil SideWinder (like the original mud but smaller) and managed to get a somewhat louder and fuller sound but I still didn't like how it matched the original neck mud.

As I have posted before, I found the best match to be this : a sized down mini sidewinder  humbucker with dual mini alnico 5 magnets and 43AWG wire wound up to 27K. This design only came out of desperation, but I find it good sounding, powerful, not harsh but clear and loud. And it matches the output of the neck mud real good. I am currently working on a unit with ceramic magnets, as well as an improvement on the singlecoil mini sidewinder.

Ok, it's become an obsession - but I like the idea of tinkering With this issue.
But I still stress the fact that the sound I like might not be in the ballpark of classic EB3 sound.
Some People rave about the early Gibson mini's, other think they are too thin and just the same as modern mini's.
For reference; I never had personal experience with  a real Gibson mini bass humbucker.

EDIT: Oh, I just remembered that I recently did a rewind of the pickups on a Hofner bass (60's vinyl shortscale).
Owner never took it out because of weak output. Did a rewind (I have specs somewhere..) and they really blew me away.
They had four screwpoles and four small bar poles each, seen them on ebay. Pick up one and rewind, that's a good candidate if you are curious! I think they would fit.

[lowend1]

1) Cuz I dunno if there are better ones available or if these are decent (I suspect a TB+ version like from a midtown or SG reissue, might be a better pickup).

This.
I have a chrome TB+ (like from a recent LP bass) installed at the bridge in an Epi EB-0 that I love (but couldn't deal with the sound of the cheap mudbucker copy). A Model One helped, but I still wanted more definition. The TB+ did a wonderful job, and IMHO is head and shoulders of any mini - even the Gibson. Unlike the mini, it can hold its own solo'd.

[Dave W]

Are you saying that that's a TB+ in the bridge position in your pic? Looks too small.

[dadagoboi]

I knew amptech would be the guy to ask!

Lately I've been putting an 11k SX Chinese ceramic "jazz" pup in a Thunderbird cover in the bridge position for some builds.  It's worked out well, keeps up with either or both humbuckers and soloed.


It fills only half the cover so it can be installed with the coil very close to the bridge or closer to the neck by rotating 180 degrees.  I just used my last one, probably try a DiMarzio J next.

[lowend1]

Are you saying that that's a TB+ in the bridge position in your pic? Looks too small.

I am saying that. The TB+ comes in a plethora of guises and iterations dating back to the '90s. The "mudbucker" in the earlier reissue "SG" basses was referred to as a TB+ as well. You may recall that when Mark denuded/disemboweled a black Thunderbird TB+ in preparation for a chrome cover, it revealed itself to be a smaller twin blade pickup.

http://archive.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/bass/sgstandard/
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/LP-Junior-DC-Bass/Specs.aspx
https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/13303-gibson-les-paul-standard-lpb-3-bass-1990s-cherry-sunburst
http://archive.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitar%20of%20the%20Week/Les%20Paul%20Money%20Bass%20NS/

[Dave W]

I am saying that. The TB+ comes in a plethora of guises and iterations dating back to the '90s. The "mudbucker" in the earlier reissue "SG" basses was referred to as a TB+ as well. You may recall that when Mark denuded/disemboweled a black Thunderbird TB+ in preparation for a chrome cover, it revealed itself to be a smaller twin blade pickup.

http://archive.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/bass/sgstandard/
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/LP-Junior-DC-Bass/Specs.aspx
https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/13303-gibson-les-paul-standard-lpb-3-bass-1990s-cherry-sunburst
http://archive.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitar%20of%20the%20Week/Les%20Paul%20Money%20Bass%20NS/

All true, but the small bridge pickup was referred to as a T-Bird Mini. No idea if it the construction was the same as the TB+.

[lowend1]

All true, but the small bridge pickup was referred to as a T-Bird Mini. No idea if it the construction was the same as the TB+.

You are correct, but that is a different pickup than I am referencing. The "mini" is a mini - this TB+ is "guitar sized" - check the links in my post.

[Dave W]

You are correct, but that is a different pickup than I am referencing. The "mini" is a mini - this TB+ is "guitar sized" - check the links in my post.

I understand, but the one in your pic looked like a mini to me, not the guitar-sized TB+.

I'm easily confused.