Mod collection EDS-1275 Double Neck 4+6. Tbird PUs

[Basvarken]

I've heard you've perfected the art of the sliding pup, Rob ... That would make sense especially on the 5er; the shortie could do with just two fixed pups. One up-front, one more to the middle, don't squeeze it too close to the bridge.

I'd have to make a pickguard in order to facilitate a sliding pickup. Uwe: That's ok.

Any specific pickups in mind for the shortie? And/or the fretless? Uwe: A TB-Plus can be among them, also DiMarzios or Seymour Duncans or Jim DeCola, I wouldn't even be averse to a Fenderesque split-coil which does fine work on the Yamaha Billy Sheehan Signature. We're not emulating Gibson here.

Don't be obsessed with a Gibson (parts) look, functionality comes first. Monorails as bridges are perfectly fine, for instance, let's go with the times.

Because of the two octave strings there is no other option for the shortie. Uwe: I'm fine with monorails on the 5er was well.

The necks should have different woods perhaps. Maple on the shorty for a bit more bite, maho on the x-long scale for ultimate growl? Body for both: maho. Different fret board materials too. Why not a snappy maple board on the shorty? Ebony on the fretless.

If you want snappy, ebony js the way to go. Uwe: Snappier than maple?

Four controls, 1 x vol x-long scale sliding pup, 2 x vol short scale (each pup) and a master tone for everything, toggle switch for change between the basses, middle position: both on. That's all I need.

Shouldn't be a problem

The shortie should have a high E (like in your design sketch), the 5er should have a double octave neck.

In the sketch it already has

Two outputs for feeding them into different rigs? One of them functioning as a mono output for both if solely used.

We'd need a switched output. Yep, that's possible. I did that on a previous build.


Question: what string spacing (at the bridge) do you prefer for the 5-string? Uwe: I'm a klutz, I'll never be able to play with fingers, so the string spacing can be tight, just not silly tight.

[uwe]

I've put my answers in your previous post! In deep purple, of course.

[Basvarken]

You need to be more specific about the string spacing.
17mm, 16mm? (heart-to-heart distance)

[BTL]

This is going to be a fun build to watch, wow!

[uwe]

You need to be more specific about the string spacing.
17mm, 16mm? (heart-to-heart distance)

What's wide, what's medium, what's narrow? I like my steak medium-rare if that helps.

I've never bought or not not bought a bass because of string spacing, I just adjust to what's in my hands. Ric 4003/5ers are just a bit too narrow for me (they are deemed unplayable by most finger players), anything else goes. What I don't like about aircraft carrier deck fretboards is the look, not the playability. Most 5stringers with wide necks look unelegant, so let's not have that.

[Basvarken]

Did a lot of drawing and calculating last night. With this body type a sliding pickup is impossible with a 24 fret neck.

Best I can do is a 20 position neck. The sliding plate where the pickup is attached to takes a lot of space and has to be able to obcsure the gap in any position.





I personally don't really like the pickguard.



I would skip the sliding pickup.
And go for this one:



- Artec Mudbucker pickups on the shortie
- EY Guitars 60 repro Humbucker on the fretless
- Ebony fretboard on both necks
- Gotoh Res-o-lite bass tuners. And Gotoh CBX-01 carbon plate tuners for the two octave strings
- Custom Brooks Duo Rail bridge system for the shortie
- Babicz Solo Rails  for the 5-string 35" fretless
- Mahogany body
- Maple neck for the shortie
- Mahogany three piece neck for the 5-string 35" fretless
- Volume Artec Neck, Volume Artec brigde, Volume EY, Master Tone
- Two outputs. One of them switched to allow for one output for all pickups
- Three way toggle to choose upper, both or lower bass
- Wine red high gloss finish.

[4stringer77]

Cool stuff. Looking forward to seeing what you guys end up going with. Personally, I'd pull out all the stops and go for a semi hollow body based on the es or lp shape, multiply binding everywhere possible and a wide ribbon flame top with some flavor of burst. Oh and can't forget some fancy inlays made from abalone or mop. But that's just me.

[uwe]

That was a dumb idea with the slider pup, too gimmicky really, even if it had worked. And the scratch plate really takes away from the look. Forget it.

Are those Artec pups any good? You seem to have experience with them. The shortie better not sound too muddy or the octave strings will be swallowed up (I don't like distorted multi string sounds like the guys from Cheap Trick or King's X have either, I like the octave strings to sound clear). And the magnetic field not be too narrow, I want to pull strings (that's the point of having a short scale) on that without any volume fading. With the 35", I'd want a warm, wooden sound.

I might prefer a satin worn fin without fillers to a hi gloss one. I like that 'reptile skin' feel of the wood surface.

[Basvarken]

I love the Artec Mudbucker.
They are structurally the same as the Gibson Mudbucker. Which means the magnets are glued to the sides, all across the length of the pickup.
So the screws in the middle are not pole pieces.

I used two of these in the Thinline Telebird:

[BTL]

As a PSA, Lollar winds its Thunderbird pickup in a 5-string configuration (I was order #1) and also offers OEM pricing.

[Basvarken]

That would be a very good alternative for the EY.
The magnet of the EY is 63 mm wide. Which should be just enough to pick up the B to G

[BTL]

Initially the 5-string model was more expensive, but on my last orders they charged the same price as the standard. I just order the 5-string model for all of my builds now.

[Basvarken]

I don't see it in his website?

[BTL]

I don't see it in his website?

It's not there...it's "off menu". I assure you, it's a stock production item. Reach out via email and feel free to tell them I sent you.

[uwe]

Just as a comparison, Rob, how much would you have to further set the two basses apart to have both the necks perfectly parallel without their headstocks tangling up? Would that make the body too huge?