pickups for fretless bass

[klangster]

Hi I am putting together a fretless 6 string gecko and am looking for thoughts on pickups, my instinct it to go with Norstrands either fat stacks or dual coils but I don't actually see many fretless basses with these otherwise very popular pickups. My other choice was going to be Bartolini classic bass but I think that bridge spacing of 16.5mm is a bit too tight for that option (not sure if they do a custom spacing). I want modern sound but the ability to get a fat warm growl I have a bass with deep tone Bartolinis s and I love the lows and low mid but am looking for a bit more full range on this one.
Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated
  Thanks
Klangster

 

[greywolf]

I'ma a fan of Bart's .  the widest spacing they have is  the G6  G66CBJD Classic Bass tone version which is a bit wider than the norstrand which are good pickups.

(These will work well with string widths of 96-102mm )

 

[Wyliee]

Unless you have a set of custom Nordstrands made, you'll likely need to select a bar magnet type that can accomodate a wide range of string spacings.

I would also recommend looking at Delano pickups.

 

[stubhead]

The EMG HZ pickups are a good choice in the bar-magnet type. On my short-scale five-string High-C fretless bass, I was specifically concerned about a lack of bite because A) it's 30.5" scale; B) it's fretless; C) I knew I would be using D-Addario Chromes, which are the brightest flatwounds but, they're flatwounds. But the EMG HZ's have a ceramic bar and a steel bar. What sold me was they recommend using a .047 capacitor with them - which to me, means there's a tunable tonal range of output. I don't mind changing capacitors if need be, but I wired a 3-way to a .015 and a .033 and it works fine. Given that I use a SWR SM500 amp, 250w per channel, "lack of low end" is sort of a comical concept. Contrary to what legions of +$4,000 bass manufacturers want you to think, bad bass tone is almost always an amp problem.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

You can ask at Best Bass Gear what they would suggest with the Nordstrands.  I know from personal experience that they talk to Carey Nordstrand to make sure they get the best possible solution for some of the road less traveled issues that come up.  They also have good prices and fast shipping.  They really took care of me, so I like to return the favor.
Patrick

 

[Cagey]

Contrary to what legions of +$4,000 bass manufacturers want you to think, bad bass tone is almost always an amp problem.

I'm not a bass player, but that's what I've always thought. Crummy amp and/or crummy speakers. I mean, the thing doesn't sound "blatty" acoustically, so what are the amp and speakers doing to it? Not responding faithfully, has always been my guess. Need lotsa watts, lotsa speakers and/or lotsa cone travel, or you're in deep, meaningful sheep dip. You just can't move enough air to do anything useful at those frequencies otherwise.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I do agree with the above statements, however...  If I am going to put a bass together, I am doing the research to get the parts that are going to get the closest to the sound I want.  It is easier to ask questions first about the parts I am interested in to make sure I am not overlooking something simple.  To accomplish this, I'll ask around and see what the results are.  So I would always suggest asking around first.  Just as a practice.
Patrick

 

[jackthehack]

Contrary to what legions of +$4,000 bass manufacturers want you to think, bad bass tone is almost always an amp problem.

I'm not a bass player, but that's what I've always thought. Crummy amp and/or crummy speakers. I mean, the thing doesn't sound "blatty" acoustically, so what are the amp and speakers doing to it? Not responding faithfully, has always been my guess. Need lotsa watts, lotsa speakers and/or lotsa cone travel, or you're in deep, meaningful sheep dip. You just can't move enough air to do anything useful at those frequencies otherwise.

I actually agree with Cagey? The "best-selling" bass amps these days are these allegedly 400-750 watt solid state heads played through whatever speaker cabs and to me they all sound like shit.

My "house bass amp" is the normal channel in an old Fender 75 (50 watt dual 6L6 Paul Rivera Ultralinear design) 1x15 combo with an Eminence Big Ben 15" speaker. Every bass player that's ever plugged into it wants to buy it from me...

 

[greywolf]

I play mine through a Tony Bruno designed  Sovtek Mig 50 run at 4 ohms through a 4x12  Marshall , and a Acoustic B200  with a 1x15 with a horn .. works fine  whether it's my Dimarzio stack equipped Jazz fretless bass or one of the customs with Bart's .

 

[klangster]

Thanks for all the reply's!
I had Warmoth rout for a p4 shape and  hip shot bridge before doing all my research so I am limited a bit in which direction I can go I did not find any delano or EMG's that fit that shape but I am still looking around, I am going to call best bass gear and see what is possible with custom spaced Norstand's I would like to go through them because of my great experience in the past and I want them to wire the pre amp in for me.
This site is a wealth of info and I am grateful that I can read and ask questions as I go.
Kalyan

 

[kurcatovium]

I'd suggest to use piezo bridge... Great choice for fretless

 

[tubby.twins]

Thanks for all the reply's!
I had Warmoth rout for a p4 shape and  hip shot bridge before doing all my research so I am limited a bit in which direction I can go I did not find any delano or EMG's that fit that shape but I am still looking around...

Delano "SBC 6 HE/S" pickups have the P4 shape.  They have the same dimensions as the Bartolini P4 pickups (4.65" by 1.25").  I've got one bridge pickup sitting in my parts drawer.  I may also have some extra Bartolini 6-string P4 pickups as well.  Let me check on that and get back to you.  You can also order them in EMG45 shape (4.5" by 1.5") but those are less common.

The Delano SBC pickups sound fantastic - like slightly higher-fidelity versions of the Bartolini "classic bass" range, which is a great pickup as well.  Villex pickups sound even better.  Nordstrand pickups are also great - I've really enjoyed the "Big Split" series.  Delano can also make some custom pickups based on their twin-coil inline armatures (basically one half of the model "MC 6 HE") which sounds divine.

 

[klangster]

Thanks for pointing that out about the Delano I had looked on best bass gear and only found the emg shape so they were on my list any more,but now I looked on the Delano site and found the p4 shape so I am giving that serious thought . The folks at bestbassgear had recommended them first when I described what I want. Also your description of high fi version of the Bartolini classic bass sounds exactly like what I am looking for. I am not familiar with the Villex but I will do some research.
I am also now looking into the piezo bridge I had not thought of that, of course I am going to put some p4 shaped pickups in regardless as the bass is already routed for them.
Thanks you guys have been super helpful I appreciate you taking the time to answer