Bill Lawrence P-46 Pickup mini review (BEST P Pickup I've EVER tried)!

[fcappi]

Will do!

[jasesng]

hi guys

here are a bunch of J-45 samples i did sometime ago. the bass used is an old yamaha bb350 (70's pickup position) with some new strings. hope this helps!

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...dge_Scale.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...k_Fingers.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...llel_Slap.html

[Rickett Customs]

They DO sound really good! I may have to stock some, when I build myself another bass. But it does not surprise me that Bill has a nice product, I've always known that

[fcappi]

Originally Posted by jasesng

hi guys

here are a bunch of J-45 samples i did sometime ago. the bass used is an old yamaha bb350 (70's pickup position) with some new strings. hope this helps!

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...dge_Scale.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...k_Fingers.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/10656321...llel_Slap.html

Nice Job! Love the parallel slap!

[fcappi]

Originally Posted by Quadzilla

Let us know when you get the pup and tell us what you think!

I have had my P46 for about a month now and did not have a P-Bass to put it in until two weeks ago.

I ran across a really cherry 1993 Squier Precision Korean made 120.00 (don't laugh) Yes plywood body white on white with a maple neck. Really a nice bass.

I finished it last night!!! Sheilded the cavity in copper tape, new 25K audio taper pots, switchcraft 1/4 jack .1 orange drop cap, new wiring complete! threw on a gotoh grooved base plate bridge and played it last night and it sounds fantastic!!! Total cost 239.00!

Sound is classic precision with plenty of tone adjustment. the Lows are not muddy at all! Great slap tone with the tone knob cut. I will gig it soon then I will know how it really is....Seems to be what I was looking for!

Thanks Bill!

[fcappi]

Forgot to mention with the extra pole pieces create a magnetic field that string to string is perfectly even volume! like a blade pickup.

[Quadzilla]

Originally Posted by fcappi

Forgot to mention with the extra pole pieces create a magnetic field that string to string is perfectly even volume! like a blade pickup.

Must agree here. Best string to string volume and clarity of any P pup I've tried!

[fcappi]

Originally Posted by Quadzilla

Must agree here. Best string to string volume and clarity of any P pup I've tried!

Dead quiet as well even with the tone rolled off at full treble!

Outrageous deal really. Hand made USA pickup by a legend. You even get a picture and bio in the package! Classy

[Quadzilla]

Originally Posted by fcappi

Dead quiet as well even with the tone rolled off at full treble!

Outrageous deal really. Hand made USA pickup by a legend. You even get a picture and bio in the package! Classy

That's why I started this thread. I've tried MANY P pups and this one is "da bomb"! Cost less, made by hand by "THE" pickup guru, best string to string balance and far less hum & noise than most P pups. It's truly exceptional!

[fcappi]

+100 I am a believer Thanks Quad!
I would not have ordered one without your thread!

[JFN]

Originally Posted by fcappi

I would not have ordered one without your thread!

Same goes for me. I am really digging mine. I love the clarity I get on the lower notes with flats.

John

[62bass]

Thanks for the review cappi and thanks quadzilla for starting the thread. I'm going to have to order a P46 for myself now. There's no excuse not to for such a reasonable price and I'd better get one while Bill is still able to make them.

I should order some of their low capacitance cable and connectors while I'm at it too.

Let us know more about your experiences with the P46 when you get more playing in on it.

[ThumbyAche]

I'm just curious if any of the Bill Lawrence lover's have tried or compared the EB-60 (p-bass pickup) to his other model P-46? Also (maybe a question for Quadzilla), have you compared the P-46 to Stan Hinesley's "Mojo" p-bass pickup? I'm curious to get some feedback before ordering a pickup for my Yamaha BB1000.

[Jim C]

Have been meaning to write a review of the J pups and will this week.
They are the greatest:
The pole pieces do stick up pretty high and am wondering if:
* they will make some with lower pole pieces for A & D string
* if it will affect the tone balance that much
Punchy, no mud, clear, well defined, deep soundstage, and mosy importanly sit very well in the mix; actualy like the sound of Lace Sensors slightly better when playing alone but in the mix Lawrence is my current fave also beating out 2 sets of 70's Fender and Dimarzio Model J's

[greenboy]

You can get them with a flat radius setting. But I just tapped on the ones I wanted lower with a chunk of hardwood and a small hammer and moved them lower. Worked fine.

[kraigo]

I had just been thinking that I have to change out the pickups on my old Yamaha BB300. I've had very good luck with Duncan (Antiquities II and SPB-1), but if I shopped hard for an SPB-1, it'd be about this price. I think I'll be contacting Bill Lawrence!

Thanks - I think I'll give it a try.

KO

Originally Posted by Quadzilla

I recently bought a brand new Bill Lawrence P-46 P pickup and installed it in my 78 P. I gotta tell you, this is BY FAR the best damn P pickup I've ever owned (and I've owned or tried just about everything out there over the years including Duncan, Nordstrand, Fralin, etc.

Nice even tone across all strings. Fat sounding pickup, but with NO loss of clarity and punch. Incredible!!! NOT one of those thin sounding, whimpy, clanky P pickups that I've tried. Massive and defined low end. Most of all....under $65 shipped BRAND NEW!!! Why so cheap? There is no middleman with Bill. And Bill and his wife are the staff. No employees to pay, no big warehouse or office space, etc.

Bill makes them individually by hand. In case you don't know who Bill Lawrence is, he designed MANY pickup systems for Fender, Gibson and others including the Fender Roscoe Beck Signature model electronics, the Gibby Grabber (or was it the Ripper?) electronics, etc, etc. Bill is THE MAN!

Oh, the pickup is almost dead silent. Less hum than any other P pickup I've used also!!! And Bill provides detail schematics for the install including series/parallel switching options.

Link:
http://wildepickups.com/

http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickup_Window/p46.htm

Info:
Dear Friends,

Welcome to my website -- large size humbuckers, noisefree singles and low capacitance cable with push-on plugs!

My pickups fulfill the five most important things any player is looking for:Output, Dynamics,Transparency,Versatility and Balanced tonal response.

Each coil is carefully wound to precise specifications which insures that the coils are free from any internal shorts to guarantee a consistent sound quality AND all pickups are treated with high temperature resistant wax to reduce micro phonic squealing.

Finally, each pickup has to pass our quality control check.

We measure the DC and the total resistance, the inductance and the Q Factor; but most importantly, I have developed a system that detects minor shorts or semi-shorts in a coil. These shorts will cause eddy currents to flow in the coil. Eddy currents interfere with the signal, alter the sound reproduction and cause severe losses. All coils must be free of internal eddy current interferences to pass our final inspection.

Our extremely low prices may surprise you, but there is a simple explanation. First of all, Becky and I are a small family based company, and we operate on a very low budget. We barely spend any money on advertising, and we don't have any paid endorsers. Also, since my days when I mass produced pickups, I still own an enormous amount of high quality tooling and equipment which makes us independent from expensive, outside suppliers.

We offer a small & well-selected collection of my favorite & original models.

My philosophy is: if the product is right, the price is right and you treat your customers the way you want to be treated, the word-of-mouth is faster than the speed of sound!

Our product is our advertisement.

[Jim C]

You can get them with a flat radius setting. But I just tapped on the ones I wanted lower with a chunk of hardwood and a small hammer and moved them lower. Worked fine.

You sir, are a freaking genius.
Obviously the magnets float in the bobbins but I was afraid that the potting compound would break, short out wires, etc.

Also was thinking that it would mess up the otherwise great string to string balance; did it affect this much?

The problem I'm having is that I like the tone best with the pups medium high out of the cavity but the A (and sometimes) D strings bump the magnets when playing hard.

You pretty sure about the block o' wood and tapping with hammer?
Slight worries bout loosing some magnetisim but probably am just being stupid.

[Derek Kiernan]

Originally Posted by Jim C

Also was thinking that it would mess up the otherwise great string to string balance; did it affect this much?

The problem I'm having is that I like the tone best with the pups medium high out of the cavity but the A (and sometimes) D strings bump the magnets when playing hard.

You pretty sure about the block o' wood and tapping with hammer?
Slight worries bout loosing some magnetisim but probably am just being stupid.

If you set them high to get that tone, I'd be skeptical if it would remain well balanced. What's the radius of your fretboard/strings at the bridge? I might advise calling Bill to hear his thoughts. They might just exchange your set if they think flat would work better.

The poles aren't the source of magnetism, so I wouldn't worry too much about losing magnetism if you decide to do it yourself

[ThumbyAche]

Originally Posted by ThumbyAche

I'm just curious if any of the Bill Lawrence lover's have tried or compared the EB-60 (p-bass pickup) to his other model P-46? Also (maybe a question for Quadzilla), have you compared the P-46 to Stan Hinesley's "Mojo" p-bass pickup? I'm curious to get some feedback before ordering a pickup for my Yamaha BB1000.

Anyone?...

[Quadzilla]

Originally Posted by ThumbyAche

Anyone?...

The EB-60 is not Bill's pickup. Bill and the clown that has those made split ways years ago (not a pretty schene). He won the right to use Bill's name for his products. They are prob made in China.

The P-46 is made by hand by Bill. That is the real deal. I would not give a red cent to that other clown!