Novak's EB-AA and EB-BS

chromium · April 18, 2013, 03:23:25 PM

Okay spill the beans... anyone here try them yet?

There is a clip of the "fatbucker", but I haven't heard the Bisonic-alike version in action yet.

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/EB-AA.shtml

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/EB-BS.shtml

4stringer77 · April 18, 2013, 04:44:01 PM

This is the only way a pickup that looks like a mudbucker should sound.

chromium · April 18, 2013, 04:57:33 PM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 18, 2013, 04:44:01 PM
This is the only way a pickup that looks like a mudbucker should sound.
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Love that!

This sound/track was always a favorite of mine. Rattles my fillings!

I love these basses, and while they are easy to get great sounds from at low volume (or high, with some overdrive) - they do take a bit of wrestling to get dialed in during live settings. Always spend a few songs in the first set futzing around with eq. That's with the EB-3. Haven't even braved taking out the 2D yet...

4stringer77 · April 18, 2013, 05:19:25 PM

That's why I disengaged the choke on my EB3. Why would you want to limit the pickup's full potential? Don't be shy about unleashing the 2D. Force your will upon the audience and they will learn to love the sound.
Anyways sorry to derail your thread. If the EB-BS sounds close to a hagstrom bi sonic I'm sure it's lovely. Can't say that I've heard it though.
I can transcribe "sittin' on a rainbow" if you like btw.

saltymonkey · April 18, 2013, 08:33:41 PM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 18, 2013, 05:19:25 PM
I can transcribe "sittin' on a rainbow" if you like btw.

Yes, please do. And what was the song you were playing?

Dave W · April 18, 2013, 09:13:51 PM

Quote from: chromium on April 18, 2013, 03:23:25 PM
Okay spill the beans... anyone here try them yet?

There is a clip of the "fatbucker", but I haven't heard the Bisonic-alike version in action yet.

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/EB-AA.shtml

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/EB-BS.shtml

...

Is there really a market for another mudbucker replacement that's "actually a humbucker unlike the original Mudbucker."? The players who wanted to replace them already installed Model Ones a generation ago before anyone realized their basses would be more valuable with the original. Seems to me that a replica designed to sound like the original might sell better.

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 18, 2013, 04:44:01 PM
This is the only way a pickup that looks like a mudbucker should sound.

Post

Excellent!

iMHO the best sounding of the EB series with that thick body.

4stringer77 · April 19, 2013, 07:47:02 AM

Quote from: saltymonkey on April 18, 2013, 08:33:41 PM
Yes, please do. And what was the song you were playing?

That's not me. It's Al Romano. He's primarily a guitarist. He took lessons from Leslie West when he was a teen and somehow ended up with Felix's gear. He also has a sweet Les Paul that used to belong to Ace Frehley. He's playing parts from a few different Mountain tunes. I know there's some Nantucket Sleighride in there.
I'll work on "sittin'.." but I have a special piece I have to finish first that I'm trying to debut in time for Earth Day. Stay Tuned!

Dave W · April 19, 2013, 10:25:07 AM

There was some "Never In My Life" in there too.

Video is unavailable right now.

chromium · April 19, 2013, 11:49:03 AM

Quote from: Dave W on April 18, 2013, 09:13:51 PM
Is there really a market for another mudbucker replacement that's "actually a humbucker unlike the original Mudbucker."? ... Seems to me that a replica designed to sound like the original might sell better.

Looks like he offers a sidewinder pickup that caters to the vintage spec, in addition to these others. I suspect there is very little market for any of these, and I was surprised to read of the two alternative offerings.

To 4stringer77's point, it also makes me wonder how many folks will buy them not realizing the affect that the choke circuit has on the stock mudbucker (e.g. in the case of the EB-2s and 60s EB-3s). Gibson had addressed that in those final Norlin-era EB-3s, but if someone were to plop one of these replacements into the earlier versions- it would still be filtered.

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 18, 2013, 05:19:25 PM
That's why I disengaged the choke on my EB3.

I've actually temporarily tried that on mine - but only at low volume. I might do it again and take it for a spin in the live setting.

I built a new harness for the 2D years ago with a 3-pos switch in place of the pushbutton. Gives the two stock filtered sounds, plus "wide open" mode. That bass still redefines the term subsonic!

4stringer77 · April 19, 2013, 12:25:19 PM

Nice EB2! Thing looks mint. Good choice with the 90 degree instrument cable too.
I like the tone of my EB3 with both pickups (position 3) sans choke better than with it.
I'm sure the EB-BS could work well in a SG bass or EB0, and probably some folks use em in custom builds.
I got that vid from facebook. Al probably values his privacy. Hope I didn't piss him off.

amptech · April 20, 2013, 04:21:17 AM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 18, 2013, 05:19:25 PM
That's why I disengaged the choke on my EB3. Why would you want to limit the pickup's full potential? Don't be shy about unleashing the 2D. Force your will upon the audience and they will learn to love the sound.

Everybody should try to disengage the choke, it´s wonderful!
My #1 EB-3 has the standard neck-both-bridge switch rather than 4 position.
Some might find it troublesome to balance the mud with the mini, but as described in earlier threads it can be done
with resistors if you don´t have a pickup winder.

I´m currently working on a mudbucker in minihumbucker size. Many have probably done this before, but still.
It´s just a downscale of the big sidewinder, with two alnico bars. The only dilemma is the bobbin size and
magnet wire thickness. If you reach for perfect balance using both pickups, maybe you´ll find that there is no point replacing the mudbucker after all.

4stringer77 · April 20, 2013, 12:59:27 PM

Different resistors than what is already stock?
Position 3 seems fine with both volumes on full but the mudbucker takes over when you cut the minibucker.
Interestingly positions 1 and 4 sound slightly different even though I thought they would sound the same without the choke.

copacetic · April 21, 2013, 11:56:57 AM

with that Novak pickup the only 2 advantages I can see is that 1. From what I can tell it will fit right in and you can reverse it. 2. You can get out of the mud. From listening to the sound files it sounds nothing like the TB+ either.

chromium · April 21, 2013, 09:30:25 PM

Quote from: copacetic on April 21, 2013, 11:56:57 AM
with that Novak pickup the only 2 advantages I can see is that 1. From what I can tell it will fit right in and you can reverse it. 2. You can get out of the mud. From listening to the sound files it sounds nothing like the TB+ either.

That's what I was thinking - nice to have some options out there besides the model one, and it's an easy way to change things up a bit. Still curious to hear feedback on these if anyone here tries them out before I get around to it.

Quote from: 4stringer77 on April 19, 2013, 12:25:19 PM
Nice EB2! Thing looks mint.

Thanks! That was the bass I sought out when I started playing again about ten years ago. Having spent years with "practical" instruments, it was fun to finally explore a bass that I had long lusted after.

There are some more pics here, and details of the choke-bypass mod that I implemented.

Also found a

(neck pickup) before and after the bypass (I had temporarily disconnected the ground from the inductor). Big difference! I'm going to try it again here soon, but in the live setting this time.