"Mudbucker" repalcement pickup

[Gahr]

I have decided to look for a replacement pickup for the Epiphone EB-0 bass I have. (Or, technically, after I gave it to her it is now my wife's bass, but I'm still the one playing it the most...)

I'm not prepared to spend lots of cash on a pickup, both because I don't really play bass, and also because the bass itself is a real cheap one, but I'd like something with a bit higher output and less mud.

I know Curtis Novak makes a couple of Mudbucker replacements, and there's the DiMarzio Model One, but the Novaks are a bit pricey, and the Dimarzio looks bad (as if that really matters...). But I have come across this one: Artec Custom Hot 4 String Sidewinder Bass Pickup 30K Ohms Chrome

Is the Artec pickup something anyone here would recommend?

 

[eSGEe]

I would ---Ive used their pups before--- they are good--they are affordable ---here that is a 35.00 pup--

Does the Artec differ in some way??

Why do you wish to change the infamous and much maligned mudbucker? Thats why EB-O's sound like they do

 

[Gahr]

I would ---Ive used their pups before--- they are good--they are affordable ---here that is a 35.00 pup--

Does the Artec differ in some way??

Why do you wish to change the infamous and much maligned mudbucker? Thats why EB-O's sound like they do

Thanks!

The reason? Well, my Epiphone is a lot muddier than the couple of Gibson EBs I’ve tried, and the output is really low. I measured the resistance by the way, and it clocked in at a slightly less than whopping 1.2k!

 

[eSGEe]

oh my ---that is MISSISSIPPI mud right thar!

I think for the $$$ the Artec will open her up some----- TURBO CHARGED MUD

 

[Gahr]

With a new pickup and a set of flatwounds I’ll be set to rawk the hell out of my livingroom. Now I just need a nice little bass combo amp...

 

[eSGEe]

May I suggest ---- Ashdown....or Hartke? ----or also VERY NICE for the money Fender Rumbles---
if you going new----

Send me a KEG of darkest ale I will send you a PEavey bass amp

 

[Gahr]

May I suggest ---- Ashdown....or Hartke? ----or also VERY NICE for the money Fender Rumbles---
if you going new----

Send me a KEG of darkest ale I will send you a PEavey bass amp

Man, we brewed a 7,5 % abv rye stout this week. I have a feeling you'd love it!

I was just looking at an Ampeg BA-108 V2 on the net. My local store has one in stock for about $120. Seems to be a nice little amp at a very reasonable price. Only an 8" speaker, but I don't really need much at home. They have got a pretty nice small EBS too. I'll look forsomethingo used as well, but I'll be hard pressed to find anything worthwhile much cheaper than the Ampeg I think.

 

[eSGEe]

if you can --- (IMHO) score at least a 10" speaker ---for bass......I think you will thank me

 

[Gahr]

I got the Artec pickup today. I put it in and strung the bass up with a set of D’addario 100-45 flatwounds. The smooth strings feel really nice! Haven’t been able to play it through an amp yet, though...

The first thing I noticed with the pickup was that the stock one only had two magnets, but the Artec one had four. I have a feeling the difference in output will be rather noticeable...

 

[eSGEe]

I run flats or tapewounds on all mine --- love em---

glad you got it cant wait to see what you think of the TONE baby

 

[bea]

I got the Artec pickup today. I put it in and strung the bass up with a set of D’addario 100-45 flatwounds. The smooth strings feel really nice! Haven’t been able to play it through an amp yet, though...

The first thing I noticed with the pickup was that the stock one only had two magnets, but the Artec one had four. I have a feeling the difference in output will be rather noticeable...

The ARTECs are "buggy": in a real mudbucker all magnets are polarized "toward the core". In the ARTEC that's not the case. Hence it will catch hum. In order to change that You need to reverse the direction of one pair of magnets as well as the winding of one of the coils.

Another mod: remove the pole screws and put a steel bar of 6x6mm (1/4" squared) between the coils. That will turn Your Mudbucker into a real bass monster ...
The coils of my ARTEC are also connected in parallel. This will raise the resonance frequency and also increase the quality factor of the resonance and thus open up the sound a tiny little bit without changing the character of the pickup.

The steel bar mod also works with epiphone's mudbucker and improve it tonally a lot.

 

[eSGEe]

VERY INFORMATIVE and HELPFUL! good on ya Bea!