Has Artec Mudbucker Quality Control Improved?

[drmordo]

I have a Epiphone EB0 that I love a disproportionate amount. I've been playing for decades and have nicer basses, but after I adjusted and shimmed the neck a bit the EB0 has become my goto bass in my home studio.

That said, I'm toying with the idea of swapping the pickup just to see if I like a 30k Mudbucker even more than the stock Epiphone pickup.

Reading thru the threads here, the Artecs are recommended but seem to have lots of quality control issues like magnet polarities facing the wrong way and coils miswired.

Has anyone bought a Artec Mudbucker in the last few years? Have they gotten better?

 

[poochiecheeks]

I bought one recently and can't find much of anything wrong with it aside from the metal cover coming off a bit too easily, which is a non issue when you screw it on the bass. Has a resistance of like 34k compared to the ~30-31k advertised but whatever

 

[airfrank]

I bought one recently and can't find much of anything wrong with it aside from the metal cover coming off a bit too easily, which is a non issue when you screw it on the bass. Has a resistance of like 34k compared to the ~30-31k advertised but whatever

I hope I'm not off topic but I don't wan't to start a new thread for what could be a question easily answered : I hot an Aztec second hand and the magnets are currently mounted as follows : one side has the white edges visible and pointing outwards and the other has them pointing inward and thus not visible. Is that correct ? The pup sounds ok and I don't have any hum but I read in another thread that they're supposed to be all oriented the same way which is....

 

[digmeout]

I bought one about 6 months ago and installed it in a Jazz Bass ala Mel Schacher. It reads about 29.6 or so on my multi meter, no hum or other problems, so far so good.

 

[airfrank]

In my preceding post "Aztec" should read Artec btw as in "I got an Artec second hand" - spelling corrector wants to see Aztec sorry bout that - I tried to edit it directly but that doesn't seem to be possible


@digmeout : do you recall how the magnets were set up?

 

[digmeout]

In my preceding post "Aztec" should read Artec btw as in "I got an Artec second hand" - spelling corrector wants to see Aztec sorry bout that - I tried to edit it directly but that doesn't seem to be possible


@digmeout : do you recall how the magnets were set up?

Sorry I don't. I just installed it and figured if I had a problem I'd take it out and fix it, but no problems so far.

 

[poochiecheeks]

I hope I'm not off topic but I don't wan't to start a new thread for what could be a question easily answered : I hot an Aztec second hand and the magnets are currently mounted as follows : one side has the white edges visible and pointing outwards and the other has them pointing inward and thus not visible. Is that correct ? The pup sounds ok and I don't have any hum but I read in another thread that they're supposed to be all oriented the same way which is....

So the pickup at the start of this thread that I mentioned ended up getting destroyed when i drove a 3" screw directly through one of the coils trying to mount it on the bass, but I ended up replacing it with two jazz bass pickups taped together. To answer your question, basically you'll know if something's wrong or not. if you can, try mounting the pickups with the two magnets repelling and attracting, and also experiment with switching the hot and ground wires when you connect them to the pot, which reverses the polarity (i think) and see what sounds the best. If they're not oriented right, then it's going to sound really thin and quiet, which means they are out of phase. If i remember right, I had the two magnets laying next to each other parallel to the body of the bass so that they were attracting and not repelling. Don't remember how the coils were arranged. you can use a compass to check the direction of the field on each magnet, i started by arranging them so that when the compass was over one coil it would go one way, and then reverse direction when i put it over the other coil in the same way. Hope that helps and good luck

 

[melstheking]

Sorry I don't. I just installed it and figured if I had a problem I'd take it out and fix it, but no problems so far.

I’m also interested in installing one of the Artec Mudbuckers in a J Bass ala Mel S.
If you pursue Mel’s tone like I do I’d also like for you to share any other bass mods, strings utilized, effects, amp. The GFR Live Album has bass tone to die for.
I’m using a J Bass Ultra, soon to add Artec mudbucker, d’Addario flat wound chromes, medium gauge, Keeley Bassist compressor and currently exploring OD’s/fuzz. Leaning towards the Way Huge Pork & Pickle. Tried the EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe Drive but it’s way too bright. Need fartier with bottom end growl. Amp is an Ampeg V4B reissue into a Classis 15E cab. Thinking of second 15E for bigger venues.
Would love to hear from others that love Mel’s tone and how you may have had some successes achieving it. Especially any effects pedal favs.