Ibanez Bass

[big_teee]

I don't know the model yet.
A friend of mine works on guitars, and one of his customers has a Ibanez bass with active Soap bar Pickups. My Friend wanted to know if I could rewind them.
I told him that they were probably epoxy Encapulated.
So does anyone know anything about active soapbar pickups in a 10-12 year old Ibanez Bass? Probably a 4 string bass.
BigT

[David Schwab]

Epoxy encapsulated. They might be in an EMG or Bartolini style cover, so you can make new pickups to fit. But they might also be in some proprietary shape. My '87 Ibanez used two bridge length Jazz style active pickups. Now I have some of mine in there.

[big_teee]

So if I had a suitable soap bar cover the right size I could make a pickup similar to a jazz and the put it in the cover?
Is there alternatives to me having to encapsulate it in the cover? What's the easiest down and dirty method?
Terry

[David Schwab]

You are going to have to wait until you see the bass. It might use P or J shaped pickups. It might use soapbars. If it uses fender style pickups, that's easy.

Here's my '87 SR-885LE. This used two bridge length Jazz pickups.

[big_teee]

Good looking rig.
They already told me it has SoapBars.
Did you change the angle of the your neck pickup, or was that way stock?
If it has soapbars and they are recessed in the body Looks like there would be a lot of leeWay!
T

[David Schwab]

The pickup was angled like that. All I did was change the bridge for an aluminum Hipshot A Style, and replaced the pickups and removed the preamp. That was the first 5 string bass I had. It's still one of my main basses.

Yes, soapbars are a lot easier to work with. I make both mini humbuckers and sidewinders in the Jazz cases, and they are a tight squeeze! You have a lot more room in the soapbar case.

[big_teee]

The pickup was angled like that. All I did was change the bridge for an aluminum Hipshot A Style, and replaced the pickups and removed the preamp. That was the first 5 string bass I had. It's still one of my main basses.

Yes, soapbars are a lot easier to work with. I make both mini humbuckers and sidewinders in the Jazz cases, and they are a tight squeeze! You have a lot more room in the soapbar case.

Well, it looks this guy is leaning towards Bartolini Soap bars.
I told them that you made bass pickups.
Dave Could you shoot me a PM with a price for a Pair of 5 string soap bars.
You may be covered up and don't have time.
The guy also just wants to go Passive and get away from the active thing.
BigT

[David King]

You could make a quick and dirty plaster cast mold of the existing pickups and cast the new ones right in there. By all means, ditch the whole active rig, most of those basses sound miserable to my ears.

[big_teee]

Looks like I'm off the hook.
The guy wants Bartolini's.
I'm trying to get him to buy some from David S.
T

[David King]

If he wants barts he'll do well to go through bestbassgear or he can try Tom Wagner. I can supply Tom's phone number or he can find it posted on the Bart's website.

[big_teee]

If he wants barts he'll do well to go through bestbassgear or he can try Tom Wagner. I can supply Tom's phone number or he can find it posted on the Bart's website.

Sorry I wasn't clear. The customer is having my friend make him a bass and change out pickups on the Ibanez bass. I'm trying to get my friend to use Davids SGD Pickups instead. I listened to davids clips and his Series 4 Sidewinders sound Superb.
He has better prices than Bart. Not trying to give David S a Plug, but I was very impressed with all of his Sound Clips, and Bass Playing as Well.
Kudo's David!!!
Terry

[David Schwab]

Thanks Terry! I'm very happy with the latest version of the Sidewinders.