Newer Bird Pickup

[lowend1]

The black pickup looks like the one I have - and I believe Mark has posted pix of one of his that looks that way also, so I'm inclined to think that its on the level. (I think he also had one with an odd staggered coil setup, FWIW)

[gearHed289]

what exactly are those pickups? TB plus for Les Paul bass maybe? Or fake?

Those are the Les Paul type TB+ pups. I have a pair on my Fenderbird.

I agree with Uwe that these are some of the best sounding pups you can get, passive or otherwise. Those and the current Ric high gains. Tone, dynamics, and power!

[uwe]

There are three versions of the TB Plus pup:

- the classic black plastic soapbar most people don't like the looks of here which sometimes crops up in chrome versions too,

- the guitar humbucker size chrome cap ones featured in the auction and on Les Paul Standard Basses, the EB 650 and the shortlived Les Paul Doublecut/Money basses (where there was a gold version available for the rootbeer fin Doublecut) as well as probably on the Epi Elitist Birds (where I have also seen a black version) and, finally,

- the "mock"bucker at the neck position of an SG RI, hidden there underneath the chrome cover.

The guitar humbucker size ones sound sharper and more aggressive - to an extent where I find their sound a little grating on an all maple bass such as the EB 650 (they do fine work on the Les Paul basses). I've noticed that Stjofön has made a different experience on his Ripper, but perhaps that had an alder body or he used the soapbar version?

If you are adamant to put that TBird Plus pup in the place of the current JB pup (my personal opinion: it should replace the split coil or go Mel Schacher/Billy Sheehan style behind the neck), I think you will be better served with the guitar size chrome version if you want a real raucuous sound and with the black plastic soapbar one for a more subdued sound.

Uwe

 

[lowend1]

If you are adamant to put that TBird Plus pup in the place of the current JB pup (my personal opinion: it should replace the split coil or go Mel Schacher/Billy Sheehan style behind the neck), I think you will be better served with the guitar size chrome version if you want a real raucuous sound and with the black plastic soapbar one for a more subdued sound.

What I'm trying to do is to be able to access the Fender and T-Bird "core" tone with the same bass, and to be able to switch between and blend both. Since the soapbar is a little darker sounding by nature, wouldn't it benefit from being up near the bridge for some increased treble?

[uwe]

Understood, but the core tone of any Gibson bass is more determined by the front pup than by arear one whereas a JB singlecoil in the rear still sounds determinative Fender. What you should probably do is a Ric pup for the rear, a split coil for the middle and a TB Plus for the neck - you'd then have the "determinative" sounding pups of three classic basses!

I just checked a couple of my basses with TB Plus pups and even one with a JB pup (the Q-90 as all my Fenders are at home, not in the office). Irrespective of whether you chose the guitar size humbucker or the soapbar, you'll have more mids and bass at the rear position than with a JB pup, the guitar size humbucker will just be louder. But retaining the split coil will not give you the "warm cushion of bass" a TB Plus in the same middle position would. That said, trial is the father of all positve experience so do as intended!

Uwe

[n!k]

Not that my two cents is needed, but I've compared my own modern t-bird (bought new last year) with a '76 and I preferred the TB+ pickups. They had a more stout presence and a little brighter overall, to my ears. I really agree with an earlier assessment though, fundamentally they were the same feel with different nuances.

[lowend1]

Well, I had my tech put the TB+ in place of the Jazz, and we found out a couple of interesting things. First, the pickup works, but it is noisy. It hums unless you roll the tone back, and the tech thinks it might be that it's running as a single coil (the hum changes as you move around, but not when your hand is off or on the strings). Kinda like one coil is shorted. It doesn't seem to lack for power though. Second, when both the TB+ and the split P are engaged, they are out of phase with each other. Weird. Hey, it was used and cheap!
So how does it sound... Pretty darn good, actually. The split P and the TB+ couldn't be more different. When you switch back and forth, it's like having two different basses (so in that respect we succeeded). A very gutsy midrange - what those cork-sniffing bass mags often refer to as "burpy" mids. It also seems to react quite differently from amp to amp - in some cases to a degree I didn't expect.
Overall, I like it, but the phase thing bugs me a little bit -- mainly because the OOP sound is pretty much useless. I haven't taken any pics yet, but it looks great - and no, I haven't done any sound clips yet, either. We'll have to see how it fits into the arsenal. For comparison, I scoped out some other passive soapbar type bass pickups with similar dimensions, and there are a few to choose from - the Bartolini T-Bird thingie, SD, EMG HZ, even Mighty Mite (although I can't find a dealer near me). Based on descriptions alone, I'd probably head for the Bart or the Duncan, but I've had no experience with either model, so if anybody has a .02 contribution here, I'm listening.

BTW - has anybody ever had to repair one of these? Mark, I know you peeled one or two awhile back - are these things completely loaded with polymer?

[TBird1958]

"BTW - has anybody ever had to repair one of these? Mark, I know you peeled one or two awhile back - are these things completely loaded with polymer?"

Yes they are.................I doubt you can do anything, they are quite solidly potted.........wish I was 

[gearHed289]

That's the one drawback about the TB+ pups - they're strangely noisy for an alleged humbucker. Both my LP and my Fenderbird have a pretty loud buzz, depending on your orientation to the amp (or the computer monitor). Way more than any of my single coil basses (Rickenbackers). Kind of a drag. I have a session tomorrow, and I'm going to try to use the F-Bird, but I'm bringing my Duncan equipped 5 string Guild Pilot just in case the engineer can't take the noise.

As far as your out of phase issue - personally, I wouldn't worry about it. You say it sounds like two different basses depending on which pup you use. That's great! It is what it is, enjoy it! I found the same thing with the aforementioned 5 string. A few years ago I routed the bridge pup area to fit a dual coil soapbar. Neck pup sounds great - very P bass-ish. Soapbar sounds great with a StringRay vibe. But together, they don't really compliment each other. It's pretty much one or the other. Oh well! 

[Dave W]

Even the quiet ones aren't that quiet for a humbucker, but some are very noisy and for no good reason. I passed on buying a late-90s Bird about 7-8 years ago for that reason. Everything checked out, it was properly grounded, the ground was connected to the shielding, the pickups' resistance readings were normal, but it was buzzy as hell. Bargain priced but I didn't want to deal with getting replacement pickups.

[lowend1]

That's very good to know. Thanks all!
I will make an effort to post some sounds when I get time.
Also, if this thread is heading too far out of Gibson territory, feel free to relocate.