New life for old pickups

[chadpaintsrecords]

I have a 1976 4001. For awhile I was interested in replacing the pickups, but lately I have been researching what can be done to restore the life of my pickups. I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with.

1) What tonal qualities change in a pick up when you increase the winding of a pickup?

2) If I wanted to preserve the tone of my pickup, but increase its output, would increasing the size or number of magnets be the right course of action?

3) Where do I find loose pickup magnets?

4) If I overwind the pickups or add a magnet, are there any changes that need to be made to the wiring in the bass?


Thank you in advance for all your help.

Chad

[rickcrazy]

Hey Chad

To answer your questions,

1) tone gets a little less clear, and output increases

2) affirmative

3) try a guitar repair shop, or order from any dealer carrying suitable magnets

4) maybe - and I do mean "maybe" - the volume/tone controls, and possibly the tone control capacitors.

All the best.

[johnallg]

Chad, for me the 70s pickups are the best sounding of all of them, save for a magnet shoe pickup. I would reconsider messing with them. If you want to experiment, buy new and then alter. Also, if you jumper across the .0047uF cap in series with the bridge pickup (located between the switch and treble volume pot) you will deepen and increase the output of that pickup.

All my opinions.