Best P Bass pickup of all time?

[Slackerprince]

Originally Posted by 4bassguitar

if i send you the bass do you want to set it up? New Orleans does not have a good guitar tech

There's not ONE good guitar tech in New Orleans???!!!
If you want vintage P bass, get a '62 Fender Original, if you want something different, get a different pickup.
I'm pretty sure passive, vinage pickups should have 250K pots.
Good luck.

S

[catfishplatter]

EMG-Active will give you everything you want and more!

[sikamikanico]

get a jazz bass!

[bertbassplayer]

My fav pickups are the Ibanez Super P-4s.

[spaz21387]

my favorite vintage pickups are nordstrand np4. They sound like the vintage pickups with alittle cleaner highs. The 62 p bass isnt bad but gets alittle dirty sounding on highs. The lindy frailin is great no complaints with it. My favorite modern p bass pickup has the be the delano one with the 9 mm pole pieces. It sounds almost like a stingray.

[Metal Mitch]

Originally Posted by 4bassguitar

I want an ass kicking vintage P Bass on steroids

Vintage + steroids is a contradiction. You get one or the other.

Vintage = Duncan Vintage SPB-1 (50's tone) or Fender Original 62.

Steroids = Duncan Quarter Pounder SPB-3 or DiMarzio Will Power Middle. Of those two, the QP is more hifi (extended frequency range) while the WPM has thicker midrange and more aggressive snarl when digging in.

Originally Posted by 4bassguitar

P.S. do you think I can send Dimarzio my Model P and they will exchange it?

Yes. They'll test it and either repair or replace it. Call them.

[4bassguitar]

Any Love for the Bill Lawrence Wilde P46?

[DwaynieAD]

Originally Posted by Ric5

My favorite is the Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounder.

+1

and around 60 bucks brand new..

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by catfishplatter

EMG-Active will give you everything you want and more!

Except for warmth and mids. They sound very nice, but are wired in parallel, so they are light on the mids and lows. Those are my favorite EMGs, but they are a little thin sounding.

[melt]

Well my favorite is.... DiMarzio!

If trying David's suggestions doesn't work for you (I'd do that first) then send it back & get it checked out before you spend any money. That way you can eliminate the problem being the pickup itself. If the pickup doesn't work properly, get it fixed or get a replacement. If it does, then change it.

[maturanesa]

Bartolini P is my fav

[southpawpa]

Originally Posted by 4bassguitar

Any Love for the Bill Lawrence Wilde P46?

I have a P-46 in my 5 string P & I'm quite fond of it.

[Nedmundo]

I'm with David (SGD) and Smallmouth_Bass on this one. I used the DiMarzio for awhile, and got all kinds of distortion and clipping until I lowered the bass side of the pickup pretty far and learned how to manage the output with proper gain adjustments. It provided a good hard rock tone on stage, but ultimately I didn't like the lack of vintage warmth and texture.

So I ditched it, and after a brief stint with a Duncan SPB-2 Hot, I got a Lindy Fralin stock wind. For a gritty, hard-hitting take on vintage tone, it rules. The only split-coil I might prefer is the mighty G&L MFD, which has more output and lows, and yet maintains some classic texture. It was designed by Leo Himself, and the lineage is readily apparent.

[4bassguitar]

Originally Posted by southpawpa

I have a P-46 in my 5 string P & I'm quite fond of it.

how is the vintage vs modern tone? I have heard some great things and with it being the least expensive it looks like something to invest in.

[depalm]

+ 1 on Nords NP4, also like Duncan SPB-1 and Quarter Pound and Lollar.

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Metal Mitch

Vintage + steroids is a contradiction. You get one or the other.

Vintage = Duncan Vintage SPB-1 (50's tone) or Fender Original 62.

Steroids = Duncan Quarter Pounder SPB-3 or DiMarzio Will Power Middle. Of those two, the QP is more hifi (extended frequency range) while the WPM has thicker midrange and more aggressive snarl when digging in.

Agreed on all of the above - I currently have an SPB-1 in my '76 P Bass, and it sounds very good, but I also know from experience that the Fender Original '62 sounds great, too...


- georgestrings

[4bassguitar]

Originally Posted by melt

Well my favorite is.... DiMarzio!

If trying David's suggestions doesn't work for you (I'd do that first) then send it back & get it checked out before you spend any money. That way you can eliminate the problem being the pickup itself. If the pickup doesn't work properly, get it fixed or get a replacement. If it does, then change it.

Yeah I'm in a love/ hate relationship with my Model P. I don't need active electronics to cut through the mix and the tone is THUNDEROUS. However, the constant raising and lowering of the pickup, lowering the Hex magnets as low as possible, and changing my playing style just for this bass is not my thing. I was a P bass that I can plug in and not worry about it clipping. It's too hot and too modern for flatwounds. Its a good sound, just not the old school Meters bass sound.

[fourstringdrums]

Originally Posted by TC2112

I have a Lindy Fralin in my number one right now and have had a few other P's with Fralins. For me - they are the definition of P bass thump.

+1 I've played the Fender 62, the standard Fender, Aero and NP4, and none of them compare to the Fralin in my Bob Glaub.

[Stiggs]

Originally Posted by 4bassguitar

if i send you the bass do you want to set it up? New Orleans does not have a good guitar tech

I find that hard to believe. In a town that is known for their live music

[lonote]

I'm a big fan of the Fender Original '62...great vintage tone!