It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:21 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 1:13 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
I have an 03 P bass that sounds a little weak. I have a approx 1996 Duncan spb-2 that has been in the box since that time- 15 years--( don't know that it makes much of a differance--) but I'm thinking of putting it in the P bass---- I'd like to get some opinions on the spb2--- I need even tone at least. Any comments are appreciated. :D


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:16 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Thanks Sabre--I have some Qpounders I posted about (topic) in Jazz Bass Guitars- same thing-- I want to put QP's in a Jazz I have.


When I bought the spb2 hots I remember I installed them in a bass and they didn't improve the sound of it. That was like 15 years ago. I took them out and put them back in the box . It could have been a dud bass to begin with. I don't remember which bass I put the pu's in. I just remember I wasn't impressed at the time. I guesss the best way to find out is to put them in the bass I have now and see what happens. I need a certain loudness and sound for our band. It's all wierd that I'm searching for the same sound all the time. But if it doesn't do the job or come close I won't use the bass and it will sit in the case. I know me pretty good. It's hard to sell a bass around here. I've had the one I'm talking about for sale for a year-- so now I'm going to put some effort into it and try to hang on to it.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 1:51 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Try Brother Dave's web site. He could have something there about the SPB_2's.

http://brotherdave.com/


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 6:38 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
okay thanks Oxfan -- I'll post if I find out something.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 8:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
SD pickups represent a tremendous value. The "2" is a hotter pickup, overwinding is what makes it louder. The downside of overwinding is that you sacrifice upper mids to get the extra volume. With modern amps, overwinding really isn't necessary for me. In it's favor,, the "2" is more pick friendly and you won't have to roll off so many highs to tame the pick click. I play with my fingers though and prefer the "3" model with the larger poles that have increased sensitivity and all the upper mids are still there. If you decide to try the "2", and find you are not as happy then you might want to try a different tone cap value like 0.022 instead of the stock 0.05.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:04 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:19 pm
Posts: 110
I have used SPB-1 and SPB-2.

Brother Dave's info is accurate as usual.

Both sound good, but the SPB-1 is more vintage and more versatile, IMO/IME.

I used a Fender TBX tone with .022 cap in both.

Give it a shot and see how you like it, that is what matters.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 3:53 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Or, buy as many basses to try all the different options you want to try. It's o.k., you're a bass player, you NEED more bass guitars.

That guy in the picture set the standard.



Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 4:36 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Thanks for the info-- I have the big table cleared off and ready to go for it. The project will be: 03 Precision gets the Hot and a 22 ----- 08 Jazz Gets the QPounder-- I have the DVD player and monitor on the table- so I'll put on some video and do my thing.
Maybe some Blind Faith live....that should get me in the right place for the job.


Thoughts-- 03 P has the S-1 switching--
08 Jazz is so mint- maybe a shell p.guard to go with
the Blizzard Pearl finish.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 4:47 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Sound like a plan. I hate to be the one to have to say it but, it's extremely bad karma to re-do an even number of basses. Historically, bad things have been known to happen.

You should get one more bass.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 1:08 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Funny you should say that my friend.-- Today I was out and about and I remembered one of the guitar shops I go to was near so I cruised in to maybe pick up some Rotosounds..... Low and behold what do I see in the glass cabinet but a Duncan spb3 Quarter Pounder 51 bass pickup. I snatched it up to install in my Sting bass. So that means no bad luck will befall me as I am now including it in my "Great Pickup Install Spring Seminar" on the big table in my basement where it's always a cool 68 degrees!!!! I'll be working on 3 basses and my Karma will be saved.

I also picked up a 22 and 4.7 cap(s) to experiment on the Sting pickup.
YeeHaw!!!!!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 2:04 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Hallelujah!

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 7:40 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Yep- 68 and lower during the Spring. In the Summer it doesn't get a whole lot warmer than that. I have a well that's not real deep and has alot of water pressure. Shale and sandstone baserock (bassrock HA!)then solid bedrock beneath that. The basement is eight feet deep. The floor is cold all the time. So I think all that combined make for the even temp down there.

BTW- Just finished phase 1. STING BASS= Quarter Pound pickup is installed and working --22 mfd cap in place. The pickup fits real tight with edges up against the walls of the route. I had a heck of a time feeding the pickup wire thru the drilled hole from the pu cavity to the electronics cavity. The ground wire running from copper tape ( I installed) in the hole was causeing problems. I finally used a guitar "D" string to fish the pu wire thru to the pots. It worked the best. I've had this problem many times over the years and I just usually keep at it untill the wire finds it's way thru. BUT now I'll continue to use the "D" string. A wound "G" might do a good job too. I taped the pu wire to the string real tightly with just one round of masking tape. It went thru on the first try. The thing is that on the Sting there's a sharp curve at the pu cavity end of the hole. The "D" string is strong enough and flexible enough to plow right thru. My new tool is a "Fish Tape D string".


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:27 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 256
Location: Guam
Hell yeah MacGyver Vance.

_________________
Liam

-Candy Apple Red Precision Bass (Maple fingerboard) carrying Rotosound Steve Harris Strings
-1980-something Bentley Series 10
-Fender Rumble 15


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 6:55 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
HA!!! At my last job I did MacGyvering for 10 years-- it really makes things interesting when you have to just make something up doesn't it?
Stuff like:" Astroturf Splash Guard" on a wet saw. ... a 12 ft. long industrial fan turn off tool = "Offeronner Device" . "Electrostatic Self Grounding Bracelet" keeps you from falling off a work platform. "Box Launcher" for loading trucks :D

3:51 PM - Duncan Spb-2 Hot P bass pu is in the 03 Precision. The bass had the S-1 switching and I have removed it . A CTS 250k pot is now installed along with some very old "chicken head" knobs . The bass is black on black and the knobs look cool. I still need to go tune it up and plug it in for a sound check. I like the raised pole pieces on the spb-2. I had forgotten that they had those.

Next: Q-Pound Jazz pickups to 08 Blizzard Pearl Jazz.
Am taking the Sting to my gig tonight. Sweet!!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Duncan spb 2 vs stock pickup
Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 10:40 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
UPDATE (if anyone is curious) : all three basses are done and my Karma is safe and still good.

Sting bass with Quarter Pound-- sounds very nice, better, and can be used at any gig. Sounds great on Heavy songs and the like.

03 P bass with spb- 2 Hot-- very nice and even tone- louder output-- have yet to gig with it.

08 Jazz with Quarter Pound- more pronounced, louder- needs to go to a gig for trials. Need to tweek neck.


NEXT- 83 P bass tune up special, tweek and set seminar. Nice rosewood fretboard.

Anyone ever hear of Garside guitars???


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: