pnkranger Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Before you flame, just know that I searched and could not find the information I was looking for... I have a Mexican P-Bass that plays great despite the obvious electronic hang-ups. I want to update it with new pick-ups, but I have been out of the bass world for about three years. I have no idea what is out there or what is good/better/best. I play basic rock music in the vein of Pearl Jam, early Radiohead, etc. so I don't need any special features. I just wanna stay passive, but get a fuller range sound with less noise. So what are the best pick-ups for replacement? My basic choices are: Fender Vintage replacements (American P-Bass pick-ups) Quarter Pounder (Seymour Duncan) Bartolini (I'm not sure of specific models...help would be awesome) DiMarzio (also, not sure) Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Here is the best endorsement of the Seymour Duncan Antiquities P Bass pickup I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Phil Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 I bought a Dimarzio SPLIT-P pickup, and I think it sounds great. I think I got it for about $60 or $70. It also comes it White or Black!!! NEATO!! http://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/blue.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/black.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/fuscia.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/grey.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/orange.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/purple.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/red.JPGhttp://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/dots/yellow.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 I'd recommend either the DiMarzios or the Basslines. Welcome back to the world of bass and the The Lowdown! Cheers Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hags2k Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 I have a Seymour Duncan Basslines "Ligntin' Rods" pickup in my p-bass. It's an active pickup with passive tone and volume controls. It provides more "clarity" than a standard p pickup, kind of like the clarity of a good jazz bas, but the sound is fat and full like a p-bass, even with that p-bass crunch/growl. I think it sounds like a clarer version of a good ol' fender p-bass, and most certainly has the expanded range you were mentioning. The output is also just about the same as a passive pickup (and the overall output is less than my passive jazz bass) Quarter pounders also have that extended range thing going on, though they have a bit more fat and a bit less clarity, in my opinion, and are higher output than most other passive (and many active) pickups. If you want vintage-accurate sound, antiquites are about as good as you can get. Lindy Fralin also makes a great vintage p pickup. I know DiMarzio has some of the best jazz replacement pickups, but I have no idea about their p-bass pickup. unkownroadband.com - step into the unkown :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 I put a '62 reissue in my project P bass and it sounds, well, like a Fender P bass. Those other brands are good, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 DiMarzio p-bass pickups are excellent I have a P-J config in my Precision with a 3-way miniswitch. most of the time I play it with the P pickup solo'd. It is powerful,punchy and yet articulate. I must point out that these pickups are the late 70'or early 80's model. I have not had any experience with the newer stuff,but I'm sure that they are good. For the type music you are doing the hotter p'ups are what you will prefer I think. Bartolini makes very good p'ups however, I really think that they are best teamed with an active circut (shields up). I had a Jazz set in a bass I built but they sounded real thin and I ended up trading them out for DiMarzios. Good luck in your tone quest, keep us informed. Cheers Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkranger Posted November 27, 2003 Author Share Posted November 27, 2003 hags...how does the battery clip fit in? And have you had to change the battery? Is it a huge pain in the butt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Better look at Bill Lawrence\'s P-46 too. between his site and the Dudepit, etc, there is a lot of info, much of it actually useful ; } I use the Lawrence's J-45 at the neck and its very good, but haven't heard the P-46. But some of the people talking about it aren't the usual garden-variety ignoramuses either... By the way, when recommending a pickup by BRAND ONLY it actually helps to choose from the several models a brand might make. They don't all sound or act the same, you know. If they did, would they make different models? {answer to retorical question: probably YES - companies know the market is full of people who wouldn't know the difference anyway ; } Resonant peak area probably has more to do with fitting one's bass, strings, rig, and tonal ideals than most other parameters that are easily examined. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hags2k Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by pnkranger: hags...how does the battery clip fit in? And have you had to change the battery? Is it a huge pain in the butt?I was able to get the battery to fit right into the control cavity, underneath the pots. A friend of mine did something similar, but he ended up sanding just a bit inside the cavity to make it fit in a little easier, which took him about 5 minutes to do. In order to change the battery, you do have to remove the pickguard. However, since it gets about 2000 hours of continuous use, you can go a VERY long time between battery changes. In my case, I've only changed the battery once in the two years it's been installed, and even then I only changed it because I felt like it and wanted to see if there was a difference in sound. There was not. Supposedly, you get a very mild crunching when the battery is about to go, like a very hot humbucker, and even then there is supposed to be quite a few hours of usable life left, so you're not left hanging if the battery starts to go before a gig. unkownroadband.com - step into the unkown :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by dcr: Here is the best endorsement of the Seymour Duncan Antiquities P Bass pickup I've ever seen.Said endorsement, and playing a bass with them installed sold me. I'm getting these very pick ups in my new bass. T-minus ~70 days to delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeR Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Personally I'm pretty much sold on EMGs. Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; one lick and you suck forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 MOPAR. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by greenboy: MOPAR.I hope those in Europe (where the history comes from) get that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick123 Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 My personal favorite so far is the Seymour Duncan Vintage P (SPB-1). However, I was after the "P-Bass sound". I've tried and used the Quarter Pounder but liked the Vintage better. I built a bass with both P and J pups and used Quarter Pounders all around. It really rocks but it doesn't sound like any P-Bass. The Antiquity series comes highly recommended for P-bass applications but it was a bit more money. Let us know what you do...Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by greenboy: MOPAR."That thing got a hemi?" [/slackjawedyokel] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by basshappi: Bartolini makes very good p'ups however, I really think that they are best teamed with an active circut (shields up). I had a Jazz set in a bass I built but they sounded real thin and I ended up trading them out for DiMarzios.funny you should say that -- when i bought my bartolini P a few years ago knowing nothing about replacing pickups, the bass guy said the same thing about their J pickups. i have had no problems with my P pickup's output. it is loud enough and not noticeably weak or hot. however, if i were to buy bartolini J pickups, i certainly would not do so without a preamp, based on his recommendation. and i trust him and his experience. he steered me right with the bartolini P. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikmag Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 when my crappy pickup sin my crappy old ibanex died i purchased some of them quarter pounders by SD, i didnt know what i was doing so it wasnt really a conscious decision, but i still play that bass every now and then and it sounds pretty good for being such a piece, so you might wanna give those a try. We distort. You abide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 wow. resounding. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hags2k Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 Originally posted by robb.: wow. resounding. robb.My thoughts precisely. unkownroadband.com - step into the unkown :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73 P Bass Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 I personally like the way original Fender pickups sound. I put a Seymour Duncan QP in a bass once and took it out almost immediately in choice of the original. It wasn't any quieter humm wise and didn't improve the tone, just had higher output. "Start listening to music!". -Jeremy C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted November 27, 2003 Share Posted November 27, 2003 http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/tonechart.shtml#bass DiMarrzio has similar little charts for their pickups. Be aware that they are sometimes questionable. Still comes down to finding a closer to vintage sound or finding what compliments your bass, rig, and style. More output isn't better if you already have a good pregain range in your head/preamp, and standard P p'ups because of their "split humbucker' electrical design are powerful enough to not need onboard preamps really, to get THE P SOUND. High output isn't the answer unless you have some crap head/preamp, and it always sacrifices something. If you are getting a P, it makes sense not to get TOO far from the recognizable P sound. In general subtle improvements on vintage pickup characteristics are the best. With the P you don't have the issue of hum to contend with, so that's a plus. Specs nearer vintage tend to overdrive more gracefully and have a better and smoother top end. Leo didn't just pluck those windings specs out of thin air ; } . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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