Ray35 CA replacement pickup

gregouille23

gregouille23

Jan 1, 2012
380
359
4,551
Antwerp, Belgium
#1
Hi there,

I am considering changing the pickups in my Ray 35 CA. I like the tone of the bass but I am looking for more clarity and punch. The problem is the dimensions of the replacement pickup. I think that the one from the CA version is smaller than the regular ray35, but I could be mistaken.

I was looking at Aguilar, SD and Nordstrand but they all seem to have different dimensions, none of which seem to match the stock pickup on my Ray35 CA.

Did someone around here already swap the Ray35 ca pickups? Any info/experience is welcome! :-)
 
#5
gregouille23 said:
Hi there,

I am considering changing the pickups in my Ray 35 CA. I like the tone of the bass but I am looking for more clarity and punch. The problem is the dimensions of the replacement pickup. I think that the one from the CA version is smaller than the regular ray35, but I could be mistaken.

I was looking at Aguilar, SD and Nordstrand but they all seem to have different dimensions, none of which seem to match the stock pickup on my Ray35 CA.

Did someone around here already swap the Ray35 ca pickups? Any info/experience is welcome! :)
Click to expand...
There are a couple different 5-string MM pickup covers around, simply because there was never a “standard” 5-string pickup like there is for the 4-string.
J10715000000000-00-500x500.jpg

There is the 5-string pickup with the “ears” just like the 4-string, and then there is the one shaped like a Soap-bar
BBG-2145.jpg


And EBMM, came out with one that has the ears, but the side with two screws has one large “ear”
ae00-40064.jpg

EBMM seems to use the both the ones in the HH above (single large “ear”) and the soap-bar shaped pickup (below) ...don’t know why they don’t use just one or the other
1354115566_music_man_stingray_5_sunburst_22.jpg


Whichever one you have, if you can get a replacement, it will have a standard case size.
No aftermarket pickups that I know of have the large ear with two screw holes, only the rectangle and dual-ear versions are available. But I think that if you have a pickup with the one large ear, you can fit a dual-ear pickup in there, but have to deal with a tiny opening between the ears.
 
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#7
eastcoasteddie said:
Also, you might just be able to reuse the pickup cover while replacing the coils. Have you ever removed the pickup? Is the cover removable or is it all epoxied together?
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for the good info. I've never removed the pickup no. I measured the space between the screws from one "ear" to the other and I get something like 4,1 inches which matches the measurements of the SD SMD-5A/D pickup. The Aguilar and Nordstrand appear to be bigger...
 
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#8
gregouille23 said:
Thanks a lot for the good info. I've never removed the pickup no. I measured the space between the screws from one "ear" to the other and I get something like 4,1 inches which matches the measurements of the SD SMD-5A/D pickup. The Aguilar and Nordstrand appear to be bigger...
Click to expand...
Many manufacturers give dimensions
SD rectangle:
https://www.seymourduncan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SMB-5A.pdf

One with dual “ears”:
http://www.delano.de/uploads/tx_smtdelano/mc5_6_long_2pages_01.pdf
***Note that Delano makes both styles...!!!
 
#9
gregouille23 said:
Hi there,

I am considering changing the pickups in my Ray 35 CA. I like the tone of the bass but I am looking for more clarity and punch. The problem is the dimensions of the replacement pickup. I think that the one from the CA version is smaller than the regular ray35, but I could be mistaken.

I was looking at Aguilar, SD and Nordstrand but they all seem to have different dimensions, none of which seem to match the stock pickup on my Ray35 CA.

Did someone around here already swap the Ray35 ca pickups? Any info/experience is welcome! :)
Click to expand...

@gregouille23 Sorry I know this is an old thread. Did you replace the pickup in your Ray35 CA? If so what did you find that fit? And if you did, do you happen still have the original? I think I have a bad pickup and so need to either purchase the original or a drop in replacement.
 
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