Brighter soapbar pickup for 5-string

[KingRazor]

Have a 5-string schecter bass. Came with EMG 40 pickups. I swapped them for Nordstrand Jazz bar 5s. I like them well enough, but could really use something brighter and clearer. More high mids, less low mids.

Any suggestions?

 

[ctmullins]

Which EMG40s? There are lots of different models, with different tones. I can’t imagine anything brighter than a 40DC-X, for instance.

 

[KingRazor]

Which EMG40s? There are lots of different models, with different tones. I can’t imagine anything brighter than a 40DC-X, for instance.

I'm not sure. I didn't like them, hence the original swap to the Nordstrands. Right now I'm just looking for something brighter than the Nordstrands I have in there now.

 

[SoniaMara]

Did you swap the 25kΩ pots EMG uses for the appropriate 250kΩ, or even better 500kΩ if you want even more top end?

 

[KingRazor]

Did you swap the 25kΩ pots EMG uses for the appropriate 250kΩ, or even better 500kΩ if you want even more top end?

Yes. I used a 500k volume and 500k balanced blend. Don't have a tone control.

 

[sikamikanico]

Maybe a Q-Tuner, if you can find one. Zen Blade might be close, or maybe Big Rig. In parallel or course… or a split coil wired in parallel - maybe a split J, Big Split, or the Dingwall pickup.

But yeah, what EMGs exactly did you have? Active or passive? I’d imagine their active pickups should be plenty bright…

 

[BGroovy]

I wanted less highs so swapped my EMG40DCs for a 40P5 and a 40CSX

Others asked but do you know what 40 model you had? If it was a set of DCs then the issue might not be the pickups as those are super bright.

Are you using the EMG active blend control?

 

[Barticus]

EMG-X with BQC sounds amazing. DC40 is the size, but as other’s have said, there are a ton of different pickups that they make in that size so you have to know which ones you had to determine which direction to move.