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  • Mudbucker mods

    A friend asked if I could get rid of some of the mud in his bass. It’s an Eastwood with a mudbucker in the neck, looks like it’s the same as the Epiphone pickups with a low 1.3K DCR reading. My first thought was just connecting the coils in parallel, has anybody tried this before, and most importantly, does it help?

  • #2
    1.3K seems very low for a Mudbucker.
    Here's a thread on some Mudbucker mods.
    https://music-electronics-forum.com/...ight=mudbucker
    GL,
    T
    "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons." Winston Churchill
    Terry

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    • #3
      Yeah, it’s very low, I thought it was something wrong with my ohm meter at first, but then I read that the Epi mudbuckers have about the same resistance. Apparently they use pretty thick wire, 36 gauge or something like that.
      If I try the parallel connection, should both coils be grounded to the baseplate?

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      • #4
        I can't find any reference to the Epi mudbuckers being so low in DCR. I think there may be something wrong with the pickup or the measurement.
        "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

        "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

        "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
        You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

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        • #5
          I found it here: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/epi...edence.919380/

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          • #6
            Well huh? For your link I wouldn't hesitate to suppose another shorted pickup as coincidence since there's virtually no tech in the discussion, but for this thread from here:

            https://music-electronics-forum.com/...ad.php?t=44222

            Whatever that pickup is, at 1.2k to 1.3k it's not a proper Mudbucker at any rate. And that DCR is SO low I might suspect that the Epi model not only uses thicker wire, but may also already be wired in parallel. Only further examination can tell.
            "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

            "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

            "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
            You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

            Comment


            • #7
              It is wired in series, the coils are a little over 600 ohms each. Not a proper mudbucker, but still no shortage of mud

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              • #8
                Not the answer anyone wants to hear, but the mudbucker is IMO a poor design, plagued with problems.
                I always take the cover and build something else under it.
                Like I did here.
                https://music-electronics-forum.com/...ight=mudbucker
                YMMV, GL
                T
                "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons." Winston Churchill
                Terry

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                • #9
                  I don't have the equipment to rewind it so I'll try wiring it in parallel first. If it doesn't get any better I have a humbucker with blade magnets we could try instead, there's plenty of room for it under the stock cover.

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                  • #10
                    How are the magnets placed on the end of the coils?
                    Is it a sidewinder, or a sidebucker?
                    A picture with the cover removed would help determine that?
                    T
                    "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons." Winston Churchill
                    Terry

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Click image for larger version

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                      This is the only picture I have on my phone, I can get a better picture a little later. Both magnets have the white mark on top.

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                      • #12
                        Is this a solid, thick brass baseplate? If so, it is likely to cause some eddy current losses (reducing highs).
                        Last edited by Helmholtz; 06-07-2019, 12:51 PM.
                        - Own Opinions Only -

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                        • #13
                          The baseplate is a pretty substantial piece of brass, about 2mm thick. It’s only held on with 2 screws, so it might be worth trying without it?

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                          • #14
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                            Can't seem to get the images to preview, but just click the attachments

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                            • #15
                              Even if the wire gauge is 36 (as you say it may be and which I don't doubt) that DCR still represents about 1400 feet per coil. Which would certainly be very short for a guitar pickup at less than half of typical. But I'm not a pickup guy so I don't know what's normal for a bass pickup, let alone a "sidewinder" type. Still, I wouldn't expect it to be muddy except for Helmholtz observation about the base plate.
                              "Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo

                              "Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas

                              "If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
                              You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz

                              Comment

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