Question: Pickups question

[Vitilla]

Hello everybody, please if somebody could answer to these questions I will really appreciate it. The questions are: Can I buy a MusicMan StingRay 5 bass guitar with a single pickup, and then in the future customize it and add an extra pickup?? (turn it to a HS or HH). If it is possible, what would happen with the 3 way pickup switching and controls? will they put a 5 way switch instead and an extra volume control? what would be the price for getting this?

Please somebody answer..

Thanks,

Victor

[fidooda]

nobody is going to stop you frmo modding your bass. That being said, if you do that, you will have all kinds of trouble getting a preamp (Ernie Ball won't sell you one aftermarket). You will also lose value if you want to sell your bass after the mod.

If you want an HH or HS, buy an HS or an HH.

[oli@bass]

Originally Posted by Vitilla

what would be the price for getting this?

The price would be the difference between what you get for your SR5 H and what you pay for a SR5 HS.

However, you'll probably not want to sell the single H, and just add an HS and an HH to your stable of MM basses...

[the unrepentant]

You'll either have to do it yourself or buy an HS and you can't buy EBMM single coil p'ups.

[phatduckk]

Theoretically its possible but it's not going to be easy at all as the guys pointed out. You can't get parts from MM so you'd have to hope that you could find all the necessary components (new preamp, new pickup) used. So, it's possible but it's just not very likely that you'll find the parts on the used market.

Also, assuming you did find the parts: the price of the pickup + preamp + routing + installation will FAR outweigh the cost difference of just buying an HS or HH from the get go.

[laneline]

The beauty of these basses is the ability to get the bass the way you want it & not have to mod it, and have the best cust service out there. Plus all of the previous mentioned
variables. I'm a mod freak, but never on a EB/MM, they just don't need it ,as in they're friggin' perfect. Find which configuration you like & get it that way from the get go, you won't regret it.

[Vitilla]

Alright, thx folks. I just didn't know that I can't get any parts at the store.. now the question would be: is there a huge difference.. I mean, it really worth it to pay the extra money for a HS or HH? (I'm talking about sound, not versatility)

[mynan]

Originally Posted by Vitilla

I'm talking about sound, not versatility

When talking about versatility, you are talking about sound.

If you pick up a H and say "this is the sound for me", then do it. If you like the full sound you get from both pickups on an HH as well as the sound of the H, then it's worth it to get the extra pickup.

[iamcatwarrior]

If it were me, I'd go for the HH configuration, rather than go through the time and money to modify a one-pickup bass. It costs a bit extra for one more pickup, but it's totally worth it. I used to think that one pickup may have been enough, but once I played a SR5 HH at Guitar Center, my opinion changed. There's a lot of versatility for your tone.

As for the HS configuration, I've never played a Music Man with this pickup configuration. I would just try the HS and HH basses and see which you prefer.

[phatduckk]

Originally Posted by Vitilla

Alright, thx folks. I just didn't know that I can't get any parts at the store.. now the question would be: is there a huge difference.. I mean, it really worth it to pay the extra money for a HS or HH? (I'm talking about sound, not versatility)

the retail price difference isnt that much between an H and HS/HH. Check out MusicMan Basses - StingRay 5 String Fretted Basses & find an HH & Single H basses with identical specs to see the price difference yourself... it's really not that much.

Regarding if it's worth it or not - well, that's up to you and your ears. For me it's 100% worth it!