Best P-bass pickups? Money and age are no issue.

[HassBacker]

Just realized I asked for strings in the pickup forum.
I'll head over there. Thanks for the replies.

[jmpiwonka]

Originally Posted by bassistjoe93

Curtis Novak is the man in my book. I tried the P Bass pickup he winds for the custom shop Pino bass and it was incredible. Novak can wind it anyway you want to get any tone you want. I'm currently having him make me a Hagstrom Bi-Sonic (Darkstar) pickup and a jazz bridge pickup and I'm about ready to poo my pants with excitement.

was it just his regular pb-v pickup?
i told him what i was looking for in a pickup and he sent me the pb-v and also his p90. i ended up keeping the pb-v in the bass and it's nice pickup, perfectly happy with it.

[NKBassman]

Originally Posted by jmpiwonka

was it just his regular pb-v pickup?
i told him what i was looking for in a pickup and he sent me the pb-v and also his p90. i ended up keeping the pb-v in the bass and it's nice pickup, perfectly happy with it.

Did you try the P90?

[bassistjoe93]

Originally Posted by jmpiwonka

was it just his regular pb-v pickup?
i told him what i was looking for in a pickup and he sent me the pb-v and also his p90. i ended up keeping the pb-v in the bass and it's nice pickup, perfectly happy with it.

Yeah it was the pb-v. My P bass came to life when I put it in there! He's super knowledgeable dude as well. Knows his tone!

[bolophonic]

Fender '62 Reissue. Sounds perfect, great price.

[jmpiwonka]

Originally Posted by NKBassman

Did you try the P90?

yeah it sounded huge and powerful
strong fundamental and balanced across all strings

i went with the pb-v because it sounded more complex with a little more clarity in the midrange
it wasn't as thick sounding as the pb90

honestly i'd probably be happy with either one
but since i had to choose...

[micgtr71]

Originally Posted by shrimpflea

Remember that all those "vintage" tones you love from all those classic recordings weren't recorded with vintage pickups...at least not at the time....those were new pickups then....I've heard plenty of old pickups that don't sound so good now.

This is a good point that I always thought about when I would play my friend's 69 jazz. I always thought it sounded weak next to my 95 as did he.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by low2groove

Personally I like the original Bill Lawrence "Wilde" P-46. It sounds like what I think a P should sound like. I'm not really into the over priced boutique pickups.

and another german...Bassclture.

Very good indeed, and quite flexible.

[NKBassman]

Originally Posted by jmpiwonka

yeah it sounded huge and powerful
strong fundamental and balanced across all strings

i went with the pb-v because it sounded more complex with a little more clarity in the midrange
it wasn't as thick sounding as the pb90

honestly i'd probably be happy with either one
but since i had to choose...

Heh, from that description it sounds like I might want the P90. Probably just a different shade of awesome.

[Wiegandbass]

I have the EMG PJx's in mine and they sound amazing. I had to have a space routed for the J pickup, but it was totally worth it.

[pjmuck]

I don't think there's a "best" P PUP. I like several different brands/PUPs depending on the sound I'm going for.

Fralin will rewind your PUP to any spec you require. I had the PUPS in my '73 P rewound by them to vintage P "62 specs. Add a set of LaBella Jamersons to that and my P is now a force to be reckoned with. But I also have always loved the old cream cover Dimarzio PAFs too. Great edgy driving sound.

[Hawkbone]

+1 on the '62 RI

[petrus61]

It's cliche, but switching to a Fralin 10k was like "lifting a blanket from my bass."
I had never experienced more clarity, balance and all encompassing warmth up and down the neck. A close second of comparable but underrated quality is the Fender Original (formerly the '62). That pickup is the perfect precision pickup. But it looks like you found what you want!

[Achille]

Originally Posted by WildBill987

I've had a Velvet Hammer in my 69 Pbass for many years, and I love it to this day. It's like the original, which I still have, but just more. Not sure if you can get that one any more.

just bought onr set on ebay from a guy called Scott, it seems he was given personally from the widow of Red Rodhes a bunch of PU's found somewhere in the workshop of Red. looking at the package they seem really old, hopefully they are the real thing.. by the way he has still few of them available, 100$/set

[bassfart]

Originally Posted by brooklynbassguy

David Allen pickups by far!

+10000

[bassfart]

David Allen pickups are the very best there is.

[droskobass]

I have a set of Benedetti P pickups at home that I've yet to try. I heard an amazing Sandberg with Kloppmann pickups and I'd order a set of his with no hesitation (even at 300$ a pickup ) and whatever Fender puts in the Precision Custom Shop PRO model is great! I don't know if they are special hand wound or what but they were kicking!

I've always liked Duncan SPB-1's as well and Fralins are good too . I currently have those in my Angry Angus P bass but I'd swap them out any day just for curiosity's sake. good luck.
I'm subscribing!

[soflbass]

Originally Posted by Hawkbone

+1 on the '62 RI

+2 Have em' and love em' with the 0.10 mf capacitor swap.