I picked up a Deluxe 5 tonight

[AprioriMark]

200 bucks, needs 2 soapbar pickups (I have no idea about these and need advice) and a bridge (also taking advice!). 

I'm stoked, and so is the little man.

-Mark

 

[DangerousR6]

Duuuuuuude, you better check your packing slip, I think somebody slip one over on you....... :binkybaby:

 

[AprioriMark]

Haha, I know, right? The Bass VI should be here any day.  I've been looking at getting a 5 and was close to either ordering a Gecko or (more likely) buying Wyliee's, but this was too good a deal to pass up.  It's lightly used and has some nice light flame in the neck.  I dig the Warmoth profile.  What would you call this finish?

-Mark

 

[whyachi]

Duuuuuuude, you better check your packing slip, I think somebody slip one over on you....... :binkybaby:

Totally, they stuck a kid in with your parts.

 

[bigguspickus]

You got a pretty good deal, but I would recommend something with a shorter scale. :toothy12:

I'm pretty sure Bartolini makes soapbars that'll fit it.

 

[DangerousR6]

Duuuuuuude, you better check your packing slip, I think somebody slip one over on you....... :binkybaby:

Totally, they stuck a kid in with your parts.

Yip, it's a big problem these days, they don't leave them on your doorstep any more. They stick 'em in your packages now.... :doh:

 

[JaySwear]

Duuuuuuude, you better check your packing slip, I think somebody slip one over on you....... :binkybaby:

Totally, they stuck a kid in with your parts.

Yip, it's a big problem these days, they don't leave them on your doorstep any more. They stick 'em in your packages now.... :doh:

that explains all the noise from that box i got today. it was supposed to be clear lacquer...

 

[tubby.twins]

...needs 2 soapbar pickups (I have no idea about these and need advice)...

It really depends on what kind of tone you want.  There are many choices!  For a good starting point, I recommend Bartolini's "classic bass" dual coil humbuckers, or SGD's "ND3" neo humbuckers.

I'd also suggest going with a passive setup for now.  Two volume pots and a passive tone control is a good place to start.  You should be able to get a lot of versatility with these pickups (or other nice passive pickups) and then you can decide later on whether you need the full tone shaping that an active pre-amp with EQ can give you.

 

[whyachi]

...needs 2 soapbar pickups (I have no idea about these and need advice)...

It really depends on what kind of tone you want.  There are many choices!  For a good starting point, I recommend Bartolini's "classic bass" dual coil humbuckers, or SGD's "ND3" neo humbuckers.

I'd also suggest going with a passive setup for now.  Two volume pots and a passive tone control is a good place to start.  You should be able to get a lot of versatility with these pickups (or other nice passive pickups) and then you can decide later on whether you need the full tone shaping that an active pre-amp with EQ can give you.

As Tubby is the reigning passive soapbar expert I'd +1 this suggestion.

Also, Nordstrand makes some amazing things in the shapes of Bartolini's pickups. Their Fat Stacks sound awesome. Just ask Wyliee, they're in his spalted Gecko.

 

[AprioriMark]

Thanks, Tubby.  I really do just want a sound as close to a P-bass growl as possible.  Again, I have no idea what these things are even capable of sonically, and what the playing dynamic will be like (I play differently on a J than P for instance, because of the compressed sound).  I would rather stay away from an active setup, but then again, I have no idea what's in that control cavity, because my boy wanted to read and was up fairly late, so we both passed out without opening it up (he always helps with guitar repair).

I'm also not in a hurry, and would rather do this on the cheap if possible, so I'll be looking around for used pickups before I decide if I'm buying new ones.

-Mark

 

[dNA]

what're the dimensions for those pickups? I have the bartolini's I took out of my ibanez (making a replacement body w/ PJ passive eletronics) and I'd be happy to part with them for cheap. From what I understand, the pickups themselves are pretty good but the stock preamp is junk.

edit: scratch that. forgot this was a 5

 

[AprioriMark]

I'm not having a lot of luck "shopping" for soapbar pickups.  Anyone have any advice for good sites to look at?

-Mark

 

[tubby.twins]

You can get some good ideas at bestbassgear.com.  They don't carry everything, but it's a place to start.

 

[Wyliee]

You can get some good ideas at bestbassgear.com.  They don't carry everything, but it's a place to start.

+1 for Bestbassgear.  Brian is my go to place for anything Warmoth doesn't carry.

 

[AprioriMark]

Is there any way to tell visually what size those pickup holes are?  My measuring devices seem to have been appropriated by my brother, who stops in once a month or so to "borrow" things.  They seem to me to be EMG40 sized, but is this something that's not easy to tell without measuring?

-Mark

 

[Patrick]

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=12689.0

the routes look the same and he used EMG 40's so youre on the right track

 

[tubby.twins]

Is there any way to tell visually what size those pickup holes are?  My measuring devices seem to have been appropriated by my brother, who stops in once a month or so to "borrow" things.  They seem to me to be EMG40 sized, but is this something that's not easy to tell without measuring?

-Mark

EMG40 routes should be about 1.5" by 4.0".
P2 routes should be about 1.25" by 4.25".

If you really don't have any rulers, then you can use a strip of paper to measure the short side of the cavity.  If the long side is less than 3 times the short side, then it's probably an EMG40.

 

[bigguspickus]

AA batteries are almost exactly 2" long. So if two end-to-end are a tight fit, it's probably the EMG40 rout.

 

[AprioriMark]

Here's a quick pic of the "finished" beast.  I'm still going to have Jack from JP guitars refinish the neck in satin nitro with the headstock and heel in thicker gloss, as well as shield the cavities and make me a new bone nut.  The existing graphite one is a *hair* too low for me, especially on the E string.  It took a couple days of adjustments to get the action right, since it sat for 2 years with no strings on it.  Those are Bartolini Classic Bass soapbars, and I don't hate them, so it's a good place for me to start.  I had a great experience playing a 5 with a group for the first time on Sunday.

-Mark

 

[tubby.twins]

Nice!