DeArmond pilot V - weak B

swamp2

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I've got a DeArmond Pilot 5 string which I bought off ebay a few years ago. I pretty much stick with 4 strings now but pick it up now and then. Pretty nice instrument, but it's always had a weak B string response, have to hit it a lot harder to get the same volume as the E string regardless of the fret. I've never been able to figure out if it's just the pickups don't have the response, or some inappropriate cap value somewhere in the active electronics, or what. Anybody else have any thoughts? IIRC, it's a 35" scale so should have adequate string tension to get a little more bite out of it - I also have a Yamaha RBX765 which is "only" 34" but still has much more uniform response across the strings.

Thanks for any wisdom...
 

swamp2

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fronobulax said:
Welcome, but no suggestions from me. I only have 30.5" four strings.

Well, that's ok - I've got a couple of those too... '73 JS1 and a 2007 Gibson SG Supreme (ok, not a Guild - but really nice!)
 

krysh

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hey swamp2,

if you can find suitable pickups for the dearmond pilot, this was the first I would change.
even my guild pilot 605m has had originally mounted korean made jazzbass pickups of which the magnet was for a 4-string bass resulting in a weak b- and g-string. If you listen carefully to the g-string and it is also weak, they probably used 4-string pickups. but since you probably have the special soapbar-pickups you may need additional wood work for replacing them with new ones. you can also check the magnet size if you dust cuttings carefully on one PU (but remember it is a bit difficult to remove all of them afterwards :wink: ).


edit: .....aaahhh and welcome to ltg.
 

swamp2

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krysh said:
hey swamp2,

if you can find suitable pickups for the dearmond pilot, this was the first I would change.
even my guild pilot 605m has had originally mounted korean made jazzbass pickups of which the magnet was for a 4-string bass resulting in a weak b- and g-string. ...

edit: .....aaahhh and welcome to ltg.

Hey krysh - thanks for the info. Mine does have the JB style pickups, not soapbars. I'll give a critical listen to the G but I don't recall that ever being significantly different. On the B - it's not just the volume, it's also the "bite" and tonal character that's different - just comparatively soft and not snappy. Any suggestions for suitable reasonably priced alternative p/u's? Don't really want to put a lot of $ into it since I don't play it that much...
 

krysh

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swamp2 said:
krysh said:
hey swamp2,

if you can find suitable pickups for the dearmond pilot, this was the first I would change.
even my guild pilot 605m has had originally mounted korean made jazzbass pickups of which the magnet was for a 4-string bass resulting in a weak b- and g-string. ...

edit: .....aaahhh and welcome to ltg.

Hey krysh - thanks for the info. Mine does have the JB style pickups, not soapbars. I'll give a critical listen to the G but I don't recall that ever being significantly different. On the B - it's not just the volume, it's also the "bite" and tonal character that's different - just comparatively soft and not snappy. Any suggestions for suitable reasonably priced alternative p/u's? Don't really want to put a lot of $ into it since I don't play it that much...

well, it could also be a bad b-string itself, changed the strings already?
sorry, don't know about a reasonable low price alternative. (I have a matched pair handwired german delanos JC5 HE in my pilot: http://www.delano.de/english/index-eng.html - http://www.custom-electric-bass-guitars ... .jpg&land=)...
but I would suggest ebay then. search for seymour duncan basslines, lindy fralin, maybe original fender, dimarzio, whatever, it is a wide variety of manufacturers...
 

hieronymous

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My first thought was also the strings. Might want to experiment with a fresh set? Although switching to different strings can be a hassle too, since they could be different tension, requiring truss rod adjustment, etc. Or they might not fit in the nut properly. There are also some strings that have the exposed core down at the bridge end.
 

swamp2

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hieronymous said:
My first thought was also the strings. Might want to experiment with a fresh set? Although switching to different strings can be a hassle too, since they could be different tension, requiring truss rod adjustment, etc. Or they might not fit in the nut properly. There are also some strings that have the exposed core down at the bridge end.

Hmmm... I have changed the strings (once), and don't recall it making much difference. It was a little while ago though - but I'm not a big fan of really fresh strings.

Re: the pickups, Stew-Mac has EMG selects which it says are ok for 4 or 5 strings. They're cheap enough for me to consider. Anybody have any knowledge of these? Would I just be changing some marginal for something else marginal?
 

danerectal

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I'd say so. Your best bet would be to find a pickup that's specifically designed for 5-strings. Add to that that I don't think EMG selects are very good. I've used one before, not for a bass, but it wasn't very nice. I've really gotten into DiMarzio lately. I don't know if they make a 5-string model, but they're usually pretty balanced with nice output.
 
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