Source
r/Bass•
pricks

What the heck pickups can I fit on my Frankenstein of a 6-string?

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/A2Wg0

Hey all,

My bass is a weird beast. I bought it years ago, with no logo, from a local shop; I had never popped it open or bothered to check what was inside. I still almost wish I hadn't. The pickups were hand-made from magnets and beginning to corrode, and the wiring and soldering was a tangled, burnt mess. Furthermore, the tops to the pickups were lost, so there was nothing holding them attached to the body, and wouldn't have been playable anyway.

So I pulled it all out, and plan on doing a little refurb. Problem: the holes for the pickup measure just under 1" high and just under 4" wide, and I can't find any 6-string soapbar pickups that will fit. I was hoping to get some active EMGs in there but it's not looking good without busting out a router and ruining the paint - might not be horrible considering I was planning on giving it a fresh finish. Could I maybe bust the EMGs out of their case? Will I have to make my own custom-sized pickups?

Thanks!

Posted Oct 9, 2017, 1:49 PM UTC

25
ChuckEye•

Could I maybe bust the EMGs out of their case? Will I have to make my own custom-sized pickups?

It's a hell of a lot easier to make the hole in the wood larger than it is to make a pickup smaller…

8
cynicaltater•

Emg pickups are epoxied bud.

2
rickderp•

If you buy pick ups without exposed pole pieces that don't need to line up perfectly with the strings then you could possibly put a 5 string pick up in. Whats the string spacing at the Bridge on your bass? Maybe they weren't 6 string pick ups to begin with?

These Nordstrand Soap Bars EMG40 shape are 4.02"

1
RexMantlepiece•

You can cut foam and lay that around the pickups that are smaller than the cavity.

Imgur

Those are two J pickups stacked next to each other with foam keeping them spaced apart and in place.

1
Nipplas_Cage•

Aguilar has a soapbox pick up that might fit. You might also want to check Bartolini depending on your budget.

1