Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

[razar]

My friend asked me to renimate this strange model of bass guitar.

The first steps have been done (you can chech out more photos there, but the text is in Russian: http://razar.livejournal.com/92052.html http://razar.livejournal.com/92052.html), now everything about the acoustical and mechanical properties is OK, the wood souns very good, but pickup do not seem to be the best. The original pickup for tsis bass is a guitar single coil with six magnets! I replaced two of them and moved the others, so that it looks close to the p-bass single coil:

But still sounds rather weak and it has hum. I know that Seymour Duncan have SPCB-1, SCPB-2 and SPCB-3, but in Russia we have only SCPB-1 in store. Besides I'm not sure they differ greatly from the current pup.

So I'm thinking about installing Hot Ralis pickup on this bass. I'm sure that 1) there would be less hum, 2) there would be more output. What do you think this idea?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

I'd try the Vintage Rails or Cool Rails first. The Hot Rails might be abit too thick and muddy for a short scale bass.

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

I'd suggest the cool rails neck model, or a vintage rails bridge.

 

[newmando9]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

how did this work out? I am considering the STK-S2 for the same application. It is also a ceramic bar pup, I just liek the sound a bit more - it seems smoother but I don't know how it will sound on a bass - any ideas?

 

[musicmaster]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

i am also thinking about putting a cool rail (scr-1) in my musicmaster bass. but does it fit the pickguard or do i need to modify the pg?
on some pictures the scr-1 seems like two pickups stacked
has anyone tried this?
thx B

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

I have a new Broncho bass that is a lot like that. I had a spare Dimarzio SDS-1 that I put in it. The pickup sounds really good. The only problem is the A string doesn't sit over pole pieces.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

people always say cool rails for those...

I've never played one. I'd put a hotter single coil in there to cut down on the mud factor, but then again what do I know.

Nice bass.

 

[baritone]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

I would be cool with trying a Hot Rails. I think the higher output would be preferred for a bass guitar. And the advantages of rail design and hum-free are a cool plus.

 

[lawnranger]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Looking at my 70s Musicmaster Bass for a pickup replacement. I hear Hot rails and Cool rails. Any more thoughts on the discussion? Absolutely want something where I do not have to modify the pick guard, the bass is still in pretty original shape/parts.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Looking at my 70s Musicmaster Bass for a pickup replacement. I hear Hot rails and Cool rails. Any more thoughts on the discussion? Absolutely want something where I do not have to modify the pick guard, the bass is still in pretty original shape/parts.

I have a Lawrence 500XL in my Bronco and it works really well. I would like to try a cool rails or a Lace Red Sensor. Anything with rails would work. You could also get a new pickguard cut and use a p-bass or something else.

 

[kurtdaniel]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Personally, I like a fat neck sound, i use it for my guitar lesson. The Hot Rails would be perfect. I think the Cool Rails would be a tad thin and a little bright.

 

[Danomango]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Is this friend in Russia? This looks like a familiar bass guitar.

My friend asked me to renimate this strange model of bass guitar.

The first steps have been done (you can chech out more photos there, but the text is in Russian: http://razar.livejournal.com/92052.html http://razar.livejournal.com/92052.html), now everything about the acoustical and mechanical properties is OK, the wood souns very good, but pickup do not seem to be the best. The original pickup for tsis bass is a guitar single coil with six magnets! I replaced two of them and moved the others, so that it looks close to the p-bass single coil:

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Curtis Novak is the only one of whom I am aware who makes a 4-pole-but-otherwise "vintage style" Musicmaster Bass pickup. It is not hum canceling, though.

The original Musicmaster/Duo-Sonic/Mustang guitar pickups that went in those basses were fine, IMO. No need for a change. The pole spacing is not an issue.

But if hum is the issue, any Strat-sized humbucker will work. Rails would eliminate any pole spacing concerns (though IME, there don't need to be any such concerns).

FWIW, a '76 is my main gigging bass, so I am very familiar with them. My dad bought the bass brand new in '76, and I inherited it when he died in 2007. I have played, literally, hundreds of gigs on it since then, and nearly as many practices. I never found the pickup weak or imbalanced. Of course, like any short scale, it can benefit greatly from thicker strings. This will generally improve both tone and feel, and make it feel more like a "Big Boy Bass." I run .110 or .109 flats on my Musicmaster Bass, and .111 rounds on my Mustang Bass (at the moment).

Also FWIW is that the pickup you modified is not the original pickup. This explains why you were able to move poles without killing the pickup.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Since there was some doubt about how well a Cool Rails would work, this is longcat's Squier Bronco:

The pickup is a Cool Rails bridge model, and we picked this one because I'd heard that a Hot Rails bridge is too hot and I was concerned that a Hot Rails neck model would be muddy. The slight mid scoop of the Cool Rails is great, and the bass has a great old school P-bass tone with LaBella flats. In addition to the electronics, the bridge was swapped for a Hipshot Kicka** and the tuners are Hipshot Ultalites.

 

[Artie]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

I'm wondering if 13 years later, the OP has solved their problem?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Hot Rails as a single for 'Fender Musicmaster' bass guitar?

Ah, ****!