thornev
Junior Member
Hello All,
I just bought a 2021 Starfire II bass. Love it. Always loved that woody sound of 335-like basses from my first one 51 years ago.
I've read hundreds of threads here and all the differing opinions about pickups and bridges. I bought a Hipshot bridge and a Curtis Novak pickup with the coil tap option.
Since the Hipshot is flat and the top of the Starfire II is slightly curved, has anyone figured out a way to make the Hipshot work? Maybe some shims under each side? I have a Badass on my Precision and the improved sustain and smoother resonance I'd like to have on my Starfire. No, not the same as a solid body bass.
I can see that wiring a replacement pickup on an f-hole instrument is not easy. It's been suggested to remove the bridge pickup because access to the harness is much easier through there. For those of you who have replaced pickups, do you have any tips for this task? I don't know that the Novak pickup will give me the sound I want, but I'd like to try since what I've read sounds promising. No, the Bisonic doesn't sound bad. I like them. Just want to try something different. I'm handy with electronics.
I'm new to this forum. I've been performing in bands continuously since 1971 and until 2 years ago when my band of 10 years decided to call it quits. And then COVID hit which pretty much shut down starting with a new band. I did do some sub work and a few auditions but nothing grabbed my interest. But now I'm raring to go and I've been keeping up my chops. Oh, I'm really a guitarist, but I do my own recording with my wife who sings so I get to play all the instruments - bass, guitar, synths, drums (programmed drums), whatever. It's my passion.
Thorne
PS - I tried flat wound Chromes as I love the flat wound sound and feel, but the E was way too muddy. I ordered a Pyramid Gold set and replaced the Chromes with round wounds for now. Don't like round wounds on this neck. Too noisy the finger movement.
I just bought a 2021 Starfire II bass. Love it. Always loved that woody sound of 335-like basses from my first one 51 years ago.
I've read hundreds of threads here and all the differing opinions about pickups and bridges. I bought a Hipshot bridge and a Curtis Novak pickup with the coil tap option.
Since the Hipshot is flat and the top of the Starfire II is slightly curved, has anyone figured out a way to make the Hipshot work? Maybe some shims under each side? I have a Badass on my Precision and the improved sustain and smoother resonance I'd like to have on my Starfire. No, not the same as a solid body bass.
I can see that wiring a replacement pickup on an f-hole instrument is not easy. It's been suggested to remove the bridge pickup because access to the harness is much easier through there. For those of you who have replaced pickups, do you have any tips for this task? I don't know that the Novak pickup will give me the sound I want, but I'd like to try since what I've read sounds promising. No, the Bisonic doesn't sound bad. I like them. Just want to try something different. I'm handy with electronics.
I'm new to this forum. I've been performing in bands continuously since 1971 and until 2 years ago when my band of 10 years decided to call it quits. And then COVID hit which pretty much shut down starting with a new band. I did do some sub work and a few auditions but nothing grabbed my interest. But now I'm raring to go and I've been keeping up my chops. Oh, I'm really a guitarist, but I do my own recording with my wife who sings so I get to play all the instruments - bass, guitar, synths, drums (programmed drums), whatever. It's my passion.
Thorne
PS - I tried flat wound Chromes as I love the flat wound sound and feel, but the E was way too muddy. I ordered a Pyramid Gold set and replaced the Chromes with round wounds for now. Don't like round wounds on this neck. Too noisy the finger movement.
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