mavuser
Enlightened Member
Same photo as the bass amp thread. Finally my M-85 has the two BS/DS pickups in it, both with coil taps, from Curtis Novak. Wiring and installation was not easy, and was done by commitee; of which the members of said commitee wish not to be named, online or elsewhere, as they do not want anyone to ask for anything like this from them ever again! (no wiring diagram, no f-holes, no back door...among other challenges)
I will say the original NS pickups in this bass sounded pretty good. One of the six positions sounded really good (neck pickup with mini switch). but the Novaks sound absolutley incredible, in every (16!) position. exaclty like a Bisonic and/or Dark Star. But whisper quiet...super clear, warm and punchy Bisonic tones, as good or better than the originals, or at least some of them, as there was variation. The Dark Star tap sounds exactly like what I have heard from Dark Stars (but never played one).
these pickups are HOT! With the coil taps and the mini switch, I believe there are 16 total settings on the bass (not counting turning tone knobs!). The series/parallel switch was not done, after all...in short, it was just too much...and totally unnecassary.
I knew it would be an upgrade in sound over the NS pickups, but this is a very significant upgrade.
I did sell all my Starfire basses, and my Thunderbass amp, over the years. That was all priceless vintage stuff, but just not right for me. When the Bluesbird bass came along, I knew that was all I needed. But it needed some west coast DNA. -side note, nothing will ever sound like a proper vintage SF bass with Bisonic (or a SF-4/5/6 guitar). that design is perfect and stands alone. For bass though, the bluesbird was just best for me. with these pickups now, it is as close in tone to a SF bass, as it can possibly be. the M-85 has it's own hollow resonance/tone also...but these pickups are SF clones. Overall it sounds wonderful (But I have not played it all too loud yet).
The amp was a covid purchase. more of a longer term investment. But it does sound like mountains moving. I may get something smaller also, like the @Frono model PJB
Here's the sunny pic from when I got the bass new in 2014 (with the NS pickups). I never really played it, was more of a time capsule. it maybe had an hour of play time on it total, in 9 years...before the pickup swap. Now i'm ready to dig in, as it's my only bass!
I will say the original NS pickups in this bass sounded pretty good. One of the six positions sounded really good (neck pickup with mini switch). but the Novaks sound absolutley incredible, in every (16!) position. exaclty like a Bisonic and/or Dark Star. But whisper quiet...super clear, warm and punchy Bisonic tones, as good or better than the originals, or at least some of them, as there was variation. The Dark Star tap sounds exactly like what I have heard from Dark Stars (but never played one).
these pickups are HOT! With the coil taps and the mini switch, I believe there are 16 total settings on the bass (not counting turning tone knobs!). The series/parallel switch was not done, after all...in short, it was just too much...and totally unnecassary.
I knew it would be an upgrade in sound over the NS pickups, but this is a very significant upgrade.
I did sell all my Starfire basses, and my Thunderbass amp, over the years. That was all priceless vintage stuff, but just not right for me. When the Bluesbird bass came along, I knew that was all I needed. But it needed some west coast DNA. -side note, nothing will ever sound like a proper vintage SF bass with Bisonic (or a SF-4/5/6 guitar). that design is perfect and stands alone. For bass though, the bluesbird was just best for me. with these pickups now, it is as close in tone to a SF bass, as it can possibly be. the M-85 has it's own hollow resonance/tone also...but these pickups are SF clones. Overall it sounds wonderful (But I have not played it all too loud yet).
The amp was a covid purchase. more of a longer term investment. But it does sound like mountains moving. I may get something smaller also, like the @Frono model PJB
Here's the sunny pic from when I got the bass new in 2014 (with the NS pickups). I never really played it, was more of a time capsule. it maybe had an hour of play time on it total, in 9 years...before the pickup swap. Now i'm ready to dig in, as it's my only bass!
