Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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curefan
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Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Fri Jul 07, 2017 4:03 am

Hello,

I'd like to replace the pickups of my Squier VM Bass VI. I really like and prefer the sound of the mid till the late 60s. Does anyone know the specifications of the vintage pickups (magnets, wire gauge, polarity, measure of resistance...), so that I can buy or let build a suitable replacement?

Thanks in advance!

Marco

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by eggwheat » Fri Jul 07, 2017 4:51 am

They are the same as Jaguar pickups...but I wouldn't bother. I don't think it makes any worthwhile difference.

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Fri Jul 07, 2017 5:47 am

egg wheat is right. Probably won't make a lot of difference.

However, if you want to improve the sound it wouldn't hurt to upgrade the pups. Keep in mind though that the price of the pups would cost about half as much or more than half for what you paid for the guitar.

Get some AV 65 pups, lollars, or novaks. Improvements all the way around. But again, the differences may not be significant. But may make you happy.

If I were going to change the pups, I'd go ahead and change wiring and switches too

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by eggwheat » Fri Jul 07, 2017 6:28 am

This is the reason...a fender VI sounds like a fender VI..95% of that distinctive Bass VI tone comes from the string size, the tuning and the short scale.. that's the reason why a Danelectro VI sounds just like a Fender VI.

The main benefits of a real vintage VI over a Squier is the massive jump in build quality and the investment value. Tone, not so much.

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:08 am

Thanks for your answers. I also thought about buying two sets of the AV65 Jaguar pickups. Which pickup do you recommend for the middle position? A neck or a bridge one? Is one of the pickups reverse-wound to achive the humcanceling effect?

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by N0_Camping4U » Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:31 am

I built, and foolishly sold a bass vi, I had avri 65s pickups in her at one point, but I got bored and put the 63 flat pole style Jaguar pickups in the bass vi and thought it sounded MUCH better.

Your mileage may vary, and all that jazz, but the flat poles are definitely bassier and more .... 'rounded'. It seemed to suit the bass vi very well.

Just something to consider.
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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by simonhpieman » Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:55 am

curefan wrote:Thanks for your answers. I also thought about buying two sets of the AV65 Jaguar pickups. Which pickup do you recommend for the middle position? A neck or a bridge one? Is one of the pickups reverse-wound to achive the humcanceling effect?
I was lead to believe the middle pickup was reverse wound, yes, so I wonder what the way forward is. I have a spare AVRI 62 neck pickup knocking around so was considering a replacement, although I certainly don't hate what's in there now. Quite the opposite, in fact.

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Mon Jul 10, 2017 6:43 am

A while ago I read that Fender used to install neck pickups in the neck and bridge position of the Bass VI. And a bridge one in the middle position. Unfortunately I can't remember the source. Can anyone confirm this setting?

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by blake480 » Mon Jul 10, 2017 11:11 am

curefan wrote:A while ago I read that Fender used to install neck pickups in the neck and bridge position of the Bass VI. And a bridge one in the middle position. Unfortunately I can't remember the source. Can anyone confirm this setting?
I think you are correct. I would also recommend Mojo pickups out of the UK. Really great pickups, and he makes a specific Bass VI set. Also less expensive than Lollar or Novak, even with the international shipping. I'd check out his website.

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Mon Jul 10, 2017 12:18 pm

Oh, very nice shop! I think I'll contact Mojo!

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by 2fLAz » Tue Jul 18, 2017 3:36 am

If my memory is fine (and I am sure it has been discussed here many times), pickup-wise Fender was doing as follow
Bridge and neck pickup woudl feature a neck pickup
Middle would feature a bridge pickup.
But I came across several Bass VI in the past, vintage Bass VI and some were as follow
Bridge and neck feature bridge pickup
Middle was neck pickup.
These were 63 + 64 Bass VI

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by Embenny » Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:05 pm

curefan wrote:A while ago I read that Fender used to install neck pickups in the neck and bridge position of the Bass VI. And a bridge one in the middle position. Unfortunately I can't remember the source. Can anyone confirm this setting?
That's correct. Vintage Fenders only had a difference of wind direction and magnet polarity between neck and bridge (they didn't wind bridge pickups hotter) so they'd just stick the reverse-wound (bridge) one in the middle.
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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Tue Jul 25, 2017 3:01 pm

Great information folks! Many thanks!

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by mcjt » Tue Jul 25, 2017 4:32 pm

i made a bass vi from usacg and Fender bits.....
for the pickups, i just made sure the polarity on the pickups went:
north-south-north
or
south-north-south.
either way you will buck hum when you add one pickup to the next one.
i used a pair of Fender AVRI and a vintage-styled Pickup Wizard.

Image

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Re: Vintage Bass VI pickup specifications

Post by curefan » Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:41 am

Great work! A very very nice Bass VI. Did you oil it?

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