American Deluxe Precision.. can I swap that humbucker for a Bartolini?

quadrogong · #1 03-20-2007, 08:29 PM

The extra "pseudo-MM" humbucker in the bridge position,
It's okay, I guess.
..I find it a little honk-y, or nasal at times,
I find I'm using the regular "P" pup 99% of the time,
It'd be nice to have something better in that spot..
but if it requires too much work, I'd just leave it.

it seems like an unusual size,
Is this a standard MM size or "soapbar"(EMG-35) size?

is there a Bartolini or another high end replacement pup that'll fit in there nicely?
any suggestions?

bongomania · #2 03-20-2007, 09:16 PM

I gotta say, I had a boutique bass with a Bartolini pseudo-MM humbucker in that same position, and it was FAR honkier and more nasal than the one in my Deluxe P. I'm not saying you couldn't improve that pup, but I am saying I think a Bart would be a bad choice. Also, FWIW, I don't think there are any aftermarket pups in the same shape as the one on the Fender- you might have to do some routing or make a "surround plate" out of pickguard material.

BassoP · #3 03-20-2007, 09:19 PM

It 'might' fit a riogrande powerbucker.

**SoComSurfing** · #4 03-20-2007, 09:26 PM

The Rio was going to be my suggestion, as well.

Stupid Jerk · #5 03-20-2007, 09:30 PM

Rio Grande Powerbucker, as someone here once said, is two of their steroided-out jazz pickups stuck together. It's much more messy than precise, but it doesn't just cut through the mix like an active MM, it cleaves it like a log maul. Think not of Sly & the Family Stone, but of Motorhead.

quadrogong · #6 03-20-2007, 09:46 PM

i've only had Bartolini j's..which are working out well,

glad someone agrees with me on the honkiness thing,
well, I'd check out the Rio Grande Powerbucker, but I'd like to get something not for it's size and shape alone,but more on the reccomendation of some players..
I've tried the Bart 'soapbar" size,or emg35 size, they seem fine,kinda dark,i guess.
I know there's some nice Lane Poor things,older pu's,Nordies,all sorts of things to check out..
it would be nice to have a cool Jaco "J" pu there,
or a punchy MM or thumb type thing..
i know people have done this..

or maybe i'll just continue ignoring it,the other pu's really super-fine.

BassoP · #7 03-20-2007, 10:13 PM

the rub is, that is a weird route, so not much, save the powerbucker, will fit right.

I used to have a powerbucker in one of my basses, and it sounded good, but it was an odd axe (maple bodied fretless) and I can't say for sure what the pickup would sound like in something else

quadrogong · #8 03-21-2007, 09:28 AM

I'd like to get the dimensions of the space and explore all my options,
see what's out there..
as long as it's not too big, it's fine, even a "J" can work there..
any suggestions ?

Nedmundo · #9 03-21-2007, 11:03 AM

Nordstrand Fat Stacks or Dual Coils might fit, but they don't have the protruding screw tabs like the stock pickup so they might look a little funny. I wouldn't care though, if the tone improved dramatically. I had a 1999 Am. Dlx. Precision, and I agree that pickup is "honky." I found it pretty useless, which is one reason I sold the bass. I considered the Rio Grande Powerbucker, which at the time seemed like the only option.

quadrogong · #10 03-21-2007, 08:56 PM

thank you..
Does anyone happen to know the measurement of this pu?
or where that infomation may be listed?

I'm never sure if I should measure the pu or the space itself.

Nedmundo · #11 03-22-2007, 09:37 AM

Nordstrand's site has the dimensions:

http://www.nordstrandpickups.com/bass_sig.html

centralharbor · #12 03-22-2007, 09:11 PM

arent those called double j's or something? I'm pretty sure delano makes pickups those size. This looks about right:

http://www.delano.de/english/4-string/djc4hem2.html

PilbaraBass · #13 03-22-2007, 10:06 PM

the rio grande power bucker is said to be quite heavy and dark , so it may be perfect in a position so close to the bridge...as anything weak will definitely sound nasal back there...

may be worth a try...

Yankeesfan1115 · #14 03-22-2007, 10:42 PM

play with the mids a little before you go out and buy something,
i find that helps a little on my deluxe P

Jazzin' · #15 03-22-2007, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quadrogong

The extra "pseudo-MM" humbucker in the bridge position,
It's okay, I guess.
..I find it a little honk-y, or nasal at times,
I find I'm using the regular "P" pup 99% of the time,
It'd be nice to have something better in that spot..
but if it requires too much work, I'd just leave it.

it seems like an unusual size,
Is this a standard MM size or "soapbar"(EMG-35) size?

is there a Bartolini or another high end replacement pup that'll fit in there nicely?
any suggestions?

It's not. Ihave the same bass and I also use the P-pup 99% of the time. I also made a thread about this same thing about a year ago, and I found out that an MM pup doesnt fit. Routing work would have to be done. The JJ pup is also longer than the MM pup so it's very complicated.

Warpeg · #16 03-23-2007, 07:09 PM

Perhaps I can add some insight:

I installed a Bartolini BB4CBC, 8CBP, and HR-4.6 preamp on this American Deluxe P-Bass. Note the pickup ring around the BB4. I had www.fretsonthenet.com make this for me. One great thing about this ring is that it does not add new screw holes or other modification to the body. It is attached using the 4 old holes that mounted the OEM humbucker. If I remember correctly, Frets On The Net only charged me about $17+shipping for it. AND it is made out of the same exact material that Bart pickups are made from; it matches perfectly. I have to say, it was the best sounding Fender I ever played after that install. Before that, the OEM crap made it sound noisey and sterile. I'm not a big fan of the Fishman preamps that Fender uses in active basses.

scarekrow · #17 03-23-2007, 08:12 PM

Hey Noisevayne - that looks like one rancid P! Love it!

dmusic148 · #18 03-23-2007, 11:39 PM

You know, you might just wanna try re-wiring that pup. I'll bet if you pop it out you'll find it's got 4 colored wires, and maybe a ground wire. It's almost certainly series wired(one coil feeds the other). Simply changing this to parallel (both hots together and both colds together, then out) might fix it for you. It definitely will reduce midrange-and bring out bass and treble. It also will definitely reduce output, just so you know. Easy thing to try. Or, you could just disconnect one coil, I'd recommend the one closest to the bridge. Be aware you will potentially pick up hum now and then if you do that.

RayO5421 · #19 04-01-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisevayne

Perhaps I can add some insight:

I installed a Bartolini BB4CBC, 8CBP, and HR-4.6 preamp on this American Deluxe P-Bass. Note the pickup ring around the BB4. I had www.fretsonthenet.com make this for me. One great thing about this ring is that it does not add new screw holes or other modification to the body. It is attached using the 4 old holes that mounted the OEM humbucker. If I remember correctly, Frets On The Net only charged me about $17+shipping for it. AND it is made out of the same exact material that Bart pickups are made from; it matches perfectly. I have to say, it was the best sounding Fender I ever played after that install. Before that, the OEM crap made it sound noisey and sterile. I'm not a big fan of the Fishman preamps that Fender uses in active basses.

All together, without installation how much do you think that entire setup was?

Bluesy Soul · #20 04-02-2007, 11:46 AM

Many thanks to Quadrogong and Noisevayne. For months I've wanted to swap out the double-J-humbucker on my Fender MIA Deluxe P for a traditional J-style pickup (Nordstrand, Fralin, etc.). Adding a J-bass would be the logical and simpler solution, but the narrower nut width and thinner profile of a Jazz neck are just too small for my size XXL lunch hooks.

Until Quadrogong started this thread and Noisevayne posted about Frets On The Net, I haven't found a very plausible solution. A pickup surround from Frets On The Net would appear to do the trick. I previously contacted a couple of aftermarket pickguard manufacturers about the idea of making a surround or an insert, but they were either too perplexed by the concept (!) or were uninterested in doing the little bit of design work required. I'm now in the process of providing measurements and other data to Dave at Frets On The Net.

I assume a number of other FMIADP owners, like me, love the playability, the fit and finish and the P-pickup on the bass, and find the double-J-humbucker to be versatile but still lacking in that true J-bass, single-coil bark and bite. I think the P-pickup produces a great warm, deep, "old school" P-bass tone and I actually like many of the tones the double-j-humbucker provides. Unfortunately, that really classic J-bass sound isn't among them.

If this works as well as it appears at this stage, it will literally enable me to keep what has been my favorite bass to play. Now I just need to add a passive/active switch and a true passive tone (treble rolloff) control...

Thanks again, guys. I'll provide progress posts as warranted.

Bluesy Soul