Guitar humbucker sized bass pickups, what to use?

Deathshead · February 08, 2010, 02:21:51 PM

Hey there, anyone have much experience with guitar humbucker sized bass pickups?

Im going to be upgrading the pups in my epi les paul standard and I have alot more choices than originally thought.

Im looking for the following tone,

huge,sweet and with good bite. (I play alot of different styles, harder rock mostly. pick/fingers on roto flats.)

I have found the following out there, but never had too much expierience with many besides the Gibson TB plus's

The look does not matter, as i will be modding the pups to take nickel covers, easily done with a little sanding on say an emg..

EMG HB's.. IDK.. I have had some time with EMG p-bass pickups and to me, they just sounded bleh.. very very sterile. However never tried the "HB" model.

Bartolini 1cb - not currently showed on the bartolini site, and pricey $275 a pair!

Schaller bassbucker - cheap and alot pop up on ebay from time to time. Any experience with these?

Dimarzio basbucker? look just like the Schallers.. Same pup?

Rio grande pitbulls, I was really thinking about trying these out, I haven't heard 1 bad thing about them,
I have heard that these be 2 heavily modded 51'p bass single coils wound as a humbucker and stuffed into the guitar humbucker case and supposedly sound pretty big.

Fralin bassbucker - they have the correct look, but are pricey..

Seymour duncan hawkbucker,-- These are blade type humbuckers that should accept the chrome covers just fine, see these alot in there rickenbacker kit.

So thats about all I can find.. anyone have any clues too how these pickups might sound?.

Thanks for your help!

Iome · February 08, 2010, 02:32:20 PM

Hi, you could also consider the original Gibson Les Paul TB+ pickups, they are on the bay for around 100$

OldManC · February 08, 2010, 07:41:49 PM

I have a pair of those LP pickups that I'm just waiting to drop into that cheap Epi I plan on running across one of these days.

Nocturnal · February 08, 2010, 08:27:36 PM

I'd go with the Gibson TB+ on Ebay. They will drop right in and make a Hell of an improvement imo.

shadowcastaz · February 09, 2010, 04:40:29 AM

Ditto on the TB's. Also Pitbulls from Rio.

Barklessdog · February 09, 2010, 05:46:47 AM

I have been dying to try these-

Dimarzio X2N-7, X2N

http://basstremfanatics.forumotion.net/pickups-f16/dimarzio-x2n-t119.htm

Quotef the specs are to be believed, than the X2N is by far the hottest guitar pickup currently on the market. But even though it is a guitar pickup, it is finding a new identity as a bass pickup. DiMarzio used to make an actual bass version called the X2N-B, but this was only in the naming, since the X2N and the X2N-B are the exact same pickup.

This is the Model DP102 made for six-string guitar. John Gallagher of Raven uses this exact pickup in his Explorer bass for his screaming distortion tone.

Also I believe Dimarzio Model G pickups would fit?

godofthunder · February 09, 2010, 09:11:30 AM

Dimarzio model G gets my vote. But you knew that already.

Here is what one sounds like.

Deathshead · February 09, 2010, 09:54:42 AM

The model G or the X2N are pretty interesting pups, especially the x2n, with chrome covers might just fit the bill,
I want somthing can get give me a nice bite the flats i run.. plus they are all over ebay for about $150 less than the pitbulls.

exiledarchangel · February 09, 2010, 10:18:43 AM

You know, there are some X2N copies for the musician on a budget. Look here:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsporacrpok1.html

All you have to do is buy them and add a pair of chrome humbucker covers...

Deathshead · February 09, 2010, 10:48:03 AM

Got a reponse back from Dimarzio about the X2N vs X2N-B (alot of forums claim to have heard from Dimarzio that the X2n and X2N-B are identical, heres thier reponse..

1) They are not the same pickup. The X2N-B is louder and darker-sounding.
2) It is impossible to know in advance if an X2N will produce the sound you are looking for.
3) Installing a metal cover may cause noise problems, and we do not recommend this.
4) You might do better considering a D-Activator X (DP222). It has a more open sound than the X2N.

Dave W · February 09, 2010, 10:59:58 AM

Yep, no matter if somebody on a forum says otherwise, the X2N and X2N-B are not identical. But you don't want either of them if you want clear tone. That's not what they do.

Deathshead · February 09, 2010, 11:10:10 AM

they are wound up fat and muddy or totally overdrive any preamp im guessing?

Dave W · February 09, 2010, 11:18:03 AM

Not a pleasant muddy like the Gibson EB-series mudbucker, more of a distorted sound. Its heyday was in the 80s. It would probably overdrive most solid state preamps at a low setting.

Deathshead · February 09, 2010, 03:10:27 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on February 09, 2010, 09:11:30 AM
Dimarzio model G gets my vote. But you knew that already. Here is what one sounds like.

Sounds good! nice tube grind there..

Highlander · February 09, 2010, 04:10:47 PM

I quite like the pair of EMG's (branded "Select") that are in my Hohner Jack; I also fitted one in my Thunderbird which worked well but was a bit to "clean" for my likes - still planning to put it into my RD... I suppose they would be classed as "80's" ...