hello tbers,
I have the chance to get a smokin' deal on a bass w/ Lane Poor Soapbar pickups in it. These are full blown soapbars w/ sparkly Lane Poor logo very well maintained. These have been used for the past 5 years by the bassist. Does anyone have a going rate for these pickups used? I know these were the cream of the crop for Lane Poors and I am more interested in the pickups than I am in the bass. Let me know what you all think. The pups are paired up with an EMG active preamp and I am thinking of taking it all out and selling the pups and preamp and putting in passive barts to make some money. Thanks!

FWIW:

been a while since I've seen any LP's floating around so no current comparison's. Some are more popular than others. The MM's are most popular then 4 lead soaps, and wide aperture more so than narrow. The MM's usually $250/$300 range. The soaps around $150 up each depending on the "moment". 4 string also more popular than extended range. I sold a 4 lead MM5 for about $220 shipped on ebay but that same (exact same) pup went for $360 before I picked it up so that just goes to show you what I mean by moment.

Thanks...that helps me out a ton. I am looking at buying a bass for $500 with the Lane Poors so I think it might be worth it considering it is a USA bass and a nice build.

If you listened to them vs the barts even once, I doubt you'd be able to get yourself to go through with the sale. GREAT freakin pickups.

I took the plunge and I am buying the bass for $525 including shipping. It is a 5 string Jazz style with Lane Poor soapbars. I'll post pics once the bass is in my hands. I can't wait to play the holy grail of pickups!

They're not "in-store ear dazzlers", but rather just perfect pickups for real life. So take it on a few gigs and sessions before you form too many opinions.

Thanks for the advice Pickles! I have just heard so many good things about the pickups themselves. I have played a 1997 Modulus Flea back in the day and loved the tone...but I know that was a MM style pickup. I am just looking forward to the clean tone itself.

Thanks for the advice Pickles! I have just heard so many good things about the pickups themselves. I have played a 1997 Modulus Flea back in the day and loved the tone...but I know that was a MM style pickup. I am just looking forward to the clean tone itself.

Contact TB'r JoeWarrior (think that's his complete screne but a search will verify it). LP's are his thing and he has an LP site and just the site has good info (at least I think it's his site).

In recall, some of soaps are the MM's in soap form. There is no mag pup I've ever heard that is a scream above the rest and different pups have different tones for different applications. The LP's in general are a clear, balanced tone pup that in deed sound much like a stereotypical Bart - except LP's have a full top end and don't have the muted quality many Barts have. Bart makes (has made) so many pups that have a different tone though. I had a set of real burpy pups early on that I wish I'd kept (or even knew what they were for that matter) but burp was all they did. I think those may have been Barts - not like any other Bart I've had though.

If you like the LPs at all, I'd keep them and sell the bass to reclaim money. You can always get another bass.

I'd say the pickups are worth roughly $275-$325 and I watch these prices closely.

I should have the bass in on Wednesday or Thursday! I'll post pics once it comes in with the LPs.

The Lane Poor pickups are in! I am putting the bass through the usual tests but so far I like them. Pickles was right...they are not complete dazzlers...but oh so quiet and articulate. I think I'll hear the best difference when I am going direct for my gig on Sunday. I'll try to post pics of the bass and LPs later today.

I owned a custom a while back w/ Lane Poor soapbars. Apart from their super low output, I really liked em and they were the cleanest, quietest pickups I've ever used.

I used to own this Fodera NYC back when it still had Lane Poors and I hated the sound so badly that I sold the bass cheap. It would even pickup radio stations. Jeez, I hate Lane Poors. Never dialed any sound I liked.

I used to own this Fodera NYC back when it still had Lane Poors and I hated the sound so badly that I sold the bass cheap. It would even pickup radio stations. Jeez, I hate Lane Poors. Never dialed any sound I liked.

I've never heard the LP jazz pickups, but have only heard from people who hated them, and have never heard from someone who actually liked them. It's the Wide Aperture soaps and the MM humbuckers that sound absolutely fantastic in my experience.

Well guys...I am certainly keeping these pickups...and this bass! Sounds amazing!!! Complete articulation...sounds amazing with my DR Marcus Miller strings...total complements from the soundguy last night and the other musicians! Posted is a pic...knobs are missing from volume pots. I don't really care for the EMG preamp...but it'll do.

Well guys...I am certainly keeping these pickups...and this bass! Sounds amazing!!! Complete articulation...sounds amazing with my DR Marcus Miller strings...total complements from the soundguy last night and the other musicians! Posted is a pic...knobs are missing from volume pots. I don't really care for the EMG preamp...but it'll do.

Are you able to bypass the EMG preamp? In my experience, it will limit the sound quality coming from the Lane Poors (I've got a set of LP M3.5Ws and an EMG BTS in my Hamer Chaparral 12). I've replaced the LF442 op amp in the BTS with an LT1352 (http://www.linear.com/pc/productDetail.jsp?navId=H0,C1,C1154,C1009,C1099,P1 091), which is much better sounding IMO. A pull-bypass volume control is another worthwhile addition.

If you get the chance, perhaps sometime you might lift up one the the pickups and see which coil type it is: HB (humbucker), W (wide), or N (narrow). I've tried both the Ws and HBs, and the Ws are my favorites so far. I found the HBs a bit too pronounced in the low-mid range, but Lane used to say the HBs "moved pants"....

The EMG preamp came with an active/passive switch...so that is nice. The sound between the preamp on and off isn't much different other than adding a little high end sizzle and some mid-range control. The pickups say W...so I am assuming Wide. I love the pickups...the bass plays like a dream and I couldn't be happier with them. I think I'll keep them in the bass.

If you get the chance, perhaps sometime you might lift up one the the pickups and see which coil type it is: HB (humbucker), W (wide), or N (narrow). I've tried both the Ws and HBs, and the Ws are my favorites so far. I found the HBs a bit too pronounced in the low-mid range, but Lane used to say the HBs "moved pants"....

Agreed! I've got the nice combo of a W in the neck position and HB at the bridge ;)