Darkstar experiences?

Do you know "Thor" on TB?

He's a big proponent of them.

 

I've had several, and I absolutely loved them. They're just big all the way across the spectrum, it's addictive.

 

I've got one in a Lakeland and I think it's just great. HUGE round tone, very deep and full. I'm saving my pennies to get another pair to put into my Guild Starfire II reissue..

 

I'm actually dealing with Fred Hammon right now to get a set for my Lakland hollowbody. I hang out on TB and the Dudepit quite a bit, I've only ever heard good things about these pickups, and Fred is awesome to deal with. Poke me in about 2-3 weeks, I should have the pickups delivered and installed by then, and I'll be able to give ya the lowdown on what had to be done, etc.

--Lee

 

I'm Thor2 over at TB, and sadly I don't have any experience with Darkstars. I also have been currious about them since first hearing about them. In my research I have also heard a lot of great things about them.

Even though they are designed to be more of a P-bass upgrade, I think it would be cool to drop one in an EB-O. I like the basses, but the standard "mudbuckers" leave me flat. Not sure if they would be a simple swap, but seems like Fred would be easy to work with to help make it happen.

Cheers,

Edward

 

Thor, I don't think they were designed to be a P-bass upgrade. The current Darkstars and a modern remake of the old Hagstroem pickups of the 60's & 70's. Guild Starfires were fitted with them for a while back then. These pickups were favorites of Jack Cassady and Phil Lesh at that time. Having said all this, they sure do work well in a P-bass!

 

Check out Fred's website--he can make you a shim ring for an EB-0, no problem.

-GB

 

I had a set in a lakland hollowbody, and then a single darkstar in a 44-02 (no neck pickup in that one at all, it was like the world's coolest stingray killer)

I've used them for all sorts of material, and I've never had a problem getting the right sound with those pickups. I'm really hoping that Fred cranks out a 5 string version sooner than later.

 

Interesting - thanks for the info! I guess that I got the wrong imression since it seems that most folks are dropping them into their p-basses.

Well, since it seems easy to drop one in an EB-O, now I gotta find a good deal on a beater EB-O....

Cheers,

Edward

 

Weren't these originally designed for the reissue Guild Starfire II basses from the 90's? I just put mine SFII bass up for consignment over at Umanov's, it has the stock PUs. I wonder how much a change over to Darkstars would make.

 

Berry Oakley was stuffing these into his Jazz basses, even then (the original Haggies of course):



/rick

 

Absolutely huge difference. There's a reason people stopped buying Guild basses when they stopped using the Hagstrom pickups. Not sure what Guild was thinking there....

-GB

 

Just saw this thread over at TB and thought of this thread...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399821

 

Enabling is our business (and business is good)

Let us know when you finally pick one up!

Cheers,

Edward

 

I have two basses with Dark Stars,
and a third is going to be dark starred tomorrow.
They are strong, punchy, definitive, and articulate.
Audiences enjoy their sound, and other musicians love their tone...:RoCkIn