Spectrum SX Single Coil Replacement

[SunDog]

The middle p/u on my SX is toast. I went to replace it yesterday - got way into the process and then realized that the cavity does not accept a std single coil shaped like the ones I had lying around. I would like to find an original Magnaflux replacement - so if anyone has one for sale - let me know. Barring that, any suggestions on pickups that will fit in the cavity.

Thanks in advance.

[Barry]

Sorry to hear that SunDog. Always painful when these vintage pups poop out.
Any chance of rewinding her (I'm assuming that's the problem)?
Might be the best solution in the long run.

[Warrn]

Rewinding might be the best solution. It's rare enough to see an MMK45 on eBay, but I've never seen one of the singles.

[corsair]

yeah; I'm betting that the s/c were thrown over the left shoulder when they got replaced, sadly. Someone in here must have replaced one or two at some stage, surely??

[hendrik]

I faced a similar problem with the middle pick-up on my green concord.

After a while I saw the broken bare wire. Just at the outside.
Soldered both end together, works fine now.

No idea it will help. But it's worth try.

H.

[boutjp97]

Find an old clunker Westone and part it out. We have used gear stores in the states and at this very moment this is for sale for $79.99 USD. Looks like a challenger which was Korean made but used some Matsumoku stock. The pickups are different but you get the idea. Just wait for one to come along.

[Westbone]

Hello, might have a pickup for you. Middle pickup has a blue live? reverse wound, reverse polarity. I have one reads 5.73. Cant recall which Spectrum it came off but is a middle pup. Give us a shout if it's any good to you.

[SunDog]

That would be the one. Let me know what you would like for it

email johnnyo3478@gmail.com

[silence86]

i would be interested in the broken one by the way ...i'd like to have a try in rewiring a pickup...

[pfbacon]

Hi you guys,

Can you tell me how to put new strings on my rail bass? It's not made like any bass I've had before.

I would post a new thread about it but I can't find the post button on this website.

Thanks for helping a newcomer.

pfbacon pfbacon@gmail.com

[Warrn]

Okay, on your Rail bass instead of a headstock with tuners, there is a clamp behind the nut, held down with three allen screws. once you have detuned the bass to loosen the strings, you need to pull the allen screws back enough to pull the strings out (taking the clamp all the way off is fine). Now take your new strings, insert the ball ends into the tuning block past the bridge, and slip the ends of the strings through the holes behind the clamp; clamp them, cut them off, tune. Cut the strings off as close as you can; they will be sharp. If you mark where they come out from the back of the bass, pull them out, and then cut them off so they aren't sticking out at all, all the better.

[pfbacon]

Thank You!
I will try it.
pfbacon

[pfbacon]

I got the strings changed, thanks again for your advice.

I also had to take off the plate over the tailpiece to get the ball ends out of (and new ball ends into) their little cavities.
I could have used an extra hand - the ends kept jumping out as I put the next ends in.

Changing strings on the Rail is a pretty big hassle but being a bass player I won't have to do this often.
If I was a guitarist breaking strings every night I would throw a matching pair of middle fingers at westone.

I used LaBella black tape wound strings. If there is a way to post an mp3 here I will put up a clip soon.
If not, I will put something up on my myspace (Peggy Foster Bassplayer).

Now I'm wondering if there's a way to adjust the height of the strings over the pick-up, just in case they need to be evened out.

Peggy Foster Bassplayer

[Warrn]

You can move the pickup up or down on each side.

[pfbacon]

Loosening the knob and sliding the pick-up up and down changes the tone on all the strings,
but it doesn't change how close each string is to the pick-up.
On most basses, we can adjust each string closer or further from the pick-up by turning tiny screws on the bridge, raising and lowering each string to compensate for varying thicknesses of strings from one brand to another.
Perhaps Westone doesn't have that, I don't see it readily.
When I was recording with the Westone, one string got picked up louder than the others and the A string was quieter than the others ... doesn't happen when I record with my other basses so it's not a finger technique problem or a recording device problem.
I wondered if the Westone needed new strings so I changed them.
I'll record with it tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks! Peggy

[Warrn]

You're talking about adjusting the action with the bridge saddles, and yes it can be done, you just need a small allen wrench. You can also adjust the position of the pickup itself with a small screwdriver, the middle screw of the three screws on the left or right of the pickup will raise or lower it (unless you have an aftermarket pickup).

[pfbacon]

I'll try your suggestions ... Thanks!

Peggy