kbithecrowing wrote:kbithecrowing wrote:Achtane wrote:kbithecrowing wrote:I want a mudbucker bass. I played an old Murphy bass from the 60s today at a local guitar shop and the sound just fucking poured off this bass. I got similar results with a CV P bass, which has a single coil, but still has the pickup close to the neck. I think I may be on the quest to make a franken-bass.
DO IT!!
I really, REALLY like the mudbuckers I put in. It's not the most versatile sound ever but what it does, it does well.
I wasn't sure how I'd like them but I'm totally enamored! I like neck+bridge even more than neck alone.
Did you get a full, rich sound? Or was it more just straight bass?
What kind of pickups did you use?
I think I came up with an idea. I have a jazz bass currently... maybe I can replace the current neck pickup with a dimarzio model J and then route a space for another pickup closer to the neck and drop my old neck pickup in there... on/off switch an volume knob for all three and an overall tone control, and finish it off with a new bridge and custom pick guard.
Anyone think this is a good/bad idea?
I think you should go for it...and not only because the neck Model J is fuckin' awesome...
Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I noodled around a bit with my amp set flat to get a different view on them. I usually have it set to a low/low-mid heavy tone and in that context it's a little less defined.
It's definitely not as articulate as a normal Jazz or P pickup. Even playing right next to the bridge, it is not going to sound like a Jazz. It's altogether different.
With my normal settings it's big, warm and round. JUST LIKE...meh, too easy.
With the amp set flat...well, it's still huge but a bit "tighter". Yes, I would say it's "full and rich". Despite its name, it isn't all bass. You aren't going to make a P or J sound like one of these just by messing with the tone knob. It's not bassy in that way. But I'm sure all of this depends on your setup.
I run a Peavey VB-2 into a Hartke 410.
To summarize, it's a really "deep" sound, maybe not as great of an all-rounder as a P or J, THE SHIT for mellow stuff especially. Play near the bridge or with a pick to get more articulation out of it. My P pickup sounds thin in comparison, especially playing right up on the neck. Not even close.
On that note, the difference between stock neck J and neck Model J is immediately noticeable; same thing with neck Model J and neck mudbucker. But that's with normal J spacing -- your idea of moving it even closer is interesting...
My brain feels fried right now, so I'm really sorry for the horrible descriptions.
I got both of mine in a TB deal, so I'm not sure exactly which ones of these they are:
http://basspartsresource.com/bass_pickupseconomy.htm
or http://basspartsresource.com/bpickup_aftermarket.htm
Not sure what the difference is between those two anyway...
Also, regarding my mud - P - mud bass (and Bassus' post), combining all three is pretty mediocre. I think this is because of the impedance difference (30k vs 11), but that configuration sucks out all of the bass and just leaves you with a weak P sound. Maybe if there was a way to better balance it.
)
Holy guacamole...