https://reverb.com/item/69824101-sr4nd-stingray-style-handmade-neodymium-passive-pickup-for-four-string-electric-bass
Passive StingRay-style pickup for four-string electric bass. It has been wound guiding the wire by hand, AWG 44 type (0.050 mm in diameter), and equipped with neodymium magnets, which ensures impressive detail and superior definition especially on low frequencies, always dry and focused. The high frequencies, on the other hand, are extended and transparent. The articulation and naturalness of neodymium over the entire frequency range (with both bass and electric guitar) and the generous output level guaranteed by the use of these rare earth magnets make it the winning alternative even compared to active pickups.
The generously wound coils, together with also proportionately sized magnet assemblies, characterize this pickup for output levels unknown to most passive bass pickups, without sacrificing a balanced sound over the entire frequency range of the instrument. Frequency range which, thanks to the use of neodymium magnets, is in any case wider than those guaranteed by both passive and active pickups equipped with traditional type magnets.
In addition to the adoption of neodymium magnets, the attention in the development phase was concentrated on the geometric characteristics of the magnets and pole pieces, as well as on the type of enamelled wire and relative quantity to be wound on each single coil, to obtain a sound characterized not only from a balanced, warm and hardly comparable naturalness (therefore without unwanted colorations), but also from a dynamics, a richness of harmonics and a touch response unknown to pickups equipped with ceramic or AlNiCo magnets.
The richness of harmonics of the sound produced by this pickup is also due to the winding of the coils, obtained by guiding the wire by hand.
Note: the silver bars you see attached to the bottom of the two halves of the pickup (see attached photos) are not the magnets themselves, but simple aluminum covers. The magnets are located under the covers, immersed in resin, so each single pole piece has been equipped with its own magnet.
Each of the two individual coils has a series resistance (Rs) of 16.8 Kohm and, in addition, in order to improve the noiselessness of the pickup especially when only one coil is operated, has its own copper foil shield. Both electromagnetic shields are electrically connected to the bare of the cable, which in turn must always be connected to ground. The two identical halves of the pickup were made in Reverse Wound Reverse Polarity mode relative to the other. In this way, when both coils are operated, whether connected in series or in parallel, the humbucking effect is exploited.
The pickup cable is equipped with four wires, having the following functions:
- RED: NORTH coil positive;
- WHITE: negative of the NORTH coil;
- YELLOW: SOUTH coil positive;
- BLACK: negative of the SOUTH coil.
The maximum height of the pickup is 23 mm.
The weight is 231 g, including the connection cable and excluding screws and springs.
This pickup is also available in the five-string bass version (see attached photos) and is not recommended for installation on electric basses equipped with an internal preamplifier. In fact, it was designed as a passive pickup and does not need to be pre-amplified or equalized using active circuits eventually installeed on the bass.
Waxing was carried out in a paraffin and beeswax bath, in a ratio of 3:1 w/w.
The pickup has been tested. The package includes the screws and springs necessary to install the pickup and an instruction sheet for correct wiring, plus some tips for getting the best sonic performance.
