A replacement pickup for an Ibanez Roadster RS-900

[Pekka]

I've been thinking of trying a new pickup for my RS-900. Are there any drop-in replacements available? A passive model, preferably a humbucker. The stock pickup sounds good (the preamp is bypassed) but I'd like to try something a bit darker and powerful. Closer to Aria SB perhaps (which has approx. the same pickup location and a humbucker).

I found one that should fit:
http://www.bartolini.net/product/bb4cbc-t/

Any others?

[Granny Gremlin]

An old friend had the guitar version - looked distinctly metalier (black with floyd rose and pointier headstock).  Love the finish colour on yours

Looks like any soap-bar style thing will fit.... including 90s style TB Plus (someone around here can easily provide measurements).

[dadagoboi]

Not a fan of Barts, low end too muddy for me.

How long ago did you disconnect the pre?  Maybe give it another shot to see if it's improved with age

[patman]

I had that exact bass 30 years ago...it was the punchiest bass I ever had...I liked the preamp...everything about it 'cept the fact that you didn't have a bypass switch...

It was brutally clear and punchy...I wouldn't change a thing except maybe re-connect the preamp

[Pekka]

Not a fan of Barts, low end too muddy for me.

How long ago did you disconnect the pre?  Maybe give it another shot to see if it's improved with age

Thanks for the Bart info, never tried those.

I've had the bass since 2012 and the preamp was disconnected quite soon after that. Mainly because I generally don't like any of my basses having a batteries and as the pickup is the same as on the passive RS800 I figured it would work without the preamp (it does). I also recall that there was some oddity on the bass control; when turned all the way up the output level dropped a bit.

Does anybody have schematics for the preamp? I might try connecting it back. Anyway, I won't do anything that prevents me changing it back to original. It's a great bass, enough Stingray for me. A bit heavy 'though.

[the mojo hobo]

I do like Barts, I have one in my Bachbird. I would go with the neck version though:

http://www.bartolini.net/product/bb4cbc-b/

[Psycho Bass Guy]

They're hard to find, but cheap when you do: later Ibanez Musician pickups that look like stacked side-by side Jazz Bass pickups. Yours has one of the earlier versions. Later ones sound completely different. Out of curiosity, why did you bypass the preamp? On my Musician, the tone is the same in active or passive until you tweak the EQ, but active is good for when I need more push. It's probably the least "active" sounding bass preamp I've ever heard.

[Pekka]

There was some slight "problem" with the bass knob. I recall it didn't increase the bass but more like scooped the sound and dropped the volume a bit too. Also I prefer my basses passive so there was this convenience factor not having to worry about the battery.

Are the controls bass and treble? The latter is surely a treble boost/cut but not sure about the other knob.

Can you link a pic of the later Musician pickup?

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I don't even know where to begin looking for one. I bought one years ago off eBay in a parts lot. The pickup came still in the  original shrink-wrapped blisterboard. It was just a nice bonus.

[lowend1]

Looks like a T-bird pickup would fit - Thunderbucker, perhaps?

[Psycho Bass Guy]

A Thunderbucker would definitely give it more character. The Musician series of electronics always seemed to be as neutral as possible which really highlight the tonal character of the construction. The Roadster's less expensive build came through. Giving one an intentionally "charactered" pickup will give it a whole new life. Since the Roadster is a little mid-shy, the Thunderbucker should be a perfect fit sonically.

[ack1961]

an early-80's to early 90's Super Ferrite?

[Dave W]

IIRC Ibanez called this pickup the Super 4. I would not assume that anything mentioned here will fit as a drop-in replacement. Just because it's a soapbar that looks like the same shape doesn't mean the dimensions will be the same.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Dave, I've never made formal measurements, but the dimensions are visually a match to Bart soapbars. The Super 4 has smaller depth with a radiused top though, so depth could be an issue. I never knew the name of the pickup. The later Musician pickup I got off eBay later just said "Musician Bass Pickup" on the blister card and had a part number. I'm sure I kept the packaging, but it's buried in my garage somewhere. I would imagine that later pickup has a different name since it has a double set of adjustable double polepieces, almost 20 years before Fender started making the similar looking stack-paired Jazz MM-sized humbucker but without pole adjustments for the active USA Deluxe series.

Many of my basses are still at my parents' as my ongoing health issues have kept me from being able to get things straightened up here at my home to bring them here. I was visiting last week and went through the cases and played the ones still there for my 2 year old nephew, whom they keep for my brother during the day. He was enthralled, and I got to complement myself on having some VERY nice instruments. The necks on my G&L L5500 and my Fender Diamond Anniversary Jazz are so unbelievably fun, and the Musician, which is fretless, just sings. I played a bunch of 'music store goof off licks,' complete with crazy slapping, something I never use in bands, but I have developed a few licks I like. He just giggled, danced and clapped. It was a good day.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

BTW, the later "Musician" pickup that I have looks to be the same as the neck pickup in this Destroyer.