Cheap pups that you love the sound of

christobass 416 · #1 08-11-2006, 01:34 AM

I'm sorry, this has probably already been posted, but I couldn't find anything with a search.

Once I get some DOUGH, I'm going to upgrade my Silvertone P-Bass that came in a beginner pack, but I plan on keeping the pickups in it. I absolutely love the tones I can get from my bass. The only thing that kills me about the pups is that when I turn the treble knob all the way down, there is a crackling noise.

Any similar stories?

i_got_a_mohawk · #2 08-11-2006, 01:42 AM

The crackling noise is probably from inadequete shielding.

Unless, is it just when you are turning the knob? If so, its the knob, your pickups are fine!

On my Ibanez TRB50, cheap pickups (i think, i dont actually know, im just assuming they are what came with it), but, it just sounds sooooo good, especially through my SVT and 810, just a practically perfect P bass tone!

Trevorus · #3 08-11-2006, 01:43 AM

You probably just need to put in some higher quality control potentiometers.

As far as cheap pickups that sound great, EMG select P-pickups sound AWESOME!!! Perfect P tone.

darthplagis · #4 08-11-2006, 02:12 AM

i LOVE my epi thunderbirds pickups they are ace nice and fat (the neck is a little thin but thats the nasty bridge height)

ScubaSteve · #5 08-11-2006, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevorus

You probably just need to put in some higher quality control potentiometers.

As far as cheap pickups that sound great, EMG select P-pickups sound AWESOME!!! Perfect P tone.

I saw these on ebay and I couldn't believe the price. Better than a stock MIM precision pickup ?

Searcy · #6 08-11-2006, 07:43 AM

QUOTE=christobass 416] I absolutely love the tones I can get from my bass. The only thing that kills me about the pups is that when I turn the treble knob all the way down, there is a crackling noise.

Any similar stories?[/quote]

If you love the tone that let's look at fixing the bass without changing parts.

If your tone knob is making scratching sounds while you are turning it than is likely that it's just dirty. In other words the carbon disk inside has a build up of oxidation on it. This happens a lot on tone pots because they are seldom used. Most of the time giving the pot a good work out will solve this problem. Just plug in your bass and turn the amp up where you can hear the scratching. Then work the knob back and forth in that spot and see if the scratching starts to fade away as you do. Don't be violent with it. Just give it a good work out. If the scratching starts to go away then the wiper is scrubbing the oxidation off of the carbon disk. 99% of the time this is all that's needed to clean a dirty pot. If this doesn’t work then move on to a spray contact cleaner.

If that also dosn't work then your pot is a mess and needs to be reaplce with one of the same value. But don't change the pickups. There's nothing wrong with them.

Check out this web site about pots to better understand what’s going on in your bass.

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folder...s/potscret.htm

"Somebody say keep on rockin?"

bongomania · #7 08-11-2006, 11:16 AM

The oversized reverse P "Magnabass" pup in my 80's Aria is a killer, louder and more aggressive than some MM pups I've tried. I also dig the tone of the pups in many of the cheap 60's European basses like Egmond, Klira, etc.

Rattman · #8 08-11-2006, 11:28 AM

"..Just plug in your bass and turn the amp up where you can hear the scratching. Then work the knob back and forth in that spot and see if the scratching starts to fade away as you do. Don't be violent with it. Just give it a good work out. If the scratching starts to go away then the wiper is scrubbing the oxidation off of the carbon disk. 99% of the time this is all that's needed to clean a dirty pot. If this doesn’t work then move on to a spray contact cleaner..."

Sure does work.. I always have a can of good-quality contact cleaner I get from "Pep Boys" or other decent places that work with wiring. Contact cleaner will 'float' the dust and oxidation right out..spray and then do some rigorous twisting until you feel the contact cleaner lubricating the contact points inside the pot..

Should just take care of most scratching...don't write pots off too quickly just for scratchiness. One more thing: take the knobs OFF prior to doing any spraying (why?)
More of the product seems to get inside the pot that way.

Sundogue · #9 08-11-2006, 11:29 AM

I actually love the tone from my cheapo, $15, Mighty Mite humbucker.

But, then again, I have it in the bridge position along with my MIM P-Bass pickups in the traditional P-Bass location (but reversed so the D & G strings are beefier).

When blended together it is a very hot, punchy, deep, yet bright sound. When soloed, the MM pickup actually has some great tones for certain songs. Heck, for $15 it's a steal (though I doubt I'd ever play a bass with only one MM pickup on it).

Philbiker · #10 08-11-2006, 11:32 AM

The Reverend P pickup sounds so good that I got two. Look for the discussion on this board.

BaldBass · #11 08-11-2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevorus

You probably just need to put in some higher quality control potentiometers.

As far as cheap pickups that sound great, EMG select P-pickups sound AWESOME!!! Perfect P tone.

+1 on the selects. one of those little easter eggs of life that we stumble upon once in a while. Great tone, great price

ScubaSteve · #12 08-12-2006, 09:38 AM

How does the output of the Mighty Mite music man humbucker compare to that of the P-Bass pickup ? Is it hotter than the P-bass pickup?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

I actually love the tone from my cheapo, $15, Mighty Mite humbucker.

But, then again, I have it in the bridge position along with my MIM P-Bass pickups in the traditional P-Bass location (but reversed so the D & G strings are beefier).

When blended together it is a very hot, punchy, deep, yet bright sound. When soloed, the MM pickup actually has some great tones for certain songs. Heck, for $15 it's a steal (though I doubt I'd ever play a bass with only one MM pickup on it).

markman · #13 08-12-2006, 02:05 PM

+2 on the Reverend P-Bass pickups. Their website has them for only $12 now.

bassist 4 life · #14 08-12-2006, 02:38 PM

Dimarzio pickups are cheap and sound sweet...

christobass 416 · #15 08-12-2006, 07:47 PM

Wow, thanks for all the feedback on the crackling electronics. Looks like I'll have to get new pots....not much of a surprise.

**bassybill** · #16 08-13-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

The oversized reverse P "Magnabass" pup in my 80's Aria is a killer, louder and more aggressive than some MM pups I've tried. I also dig the tone of the pups in many of the cheap 60's European basses like Egmond, Klira, etc.

I have a Stagg SR4 copy that plays like ****, but the tone from the MM style pickup is excellent. I actually prefer the sound of this bass to my Ray!!

Rocinante_x1 · #17 08-13-2006, 03:25 PM

One of my basses had some EMG selects in them. A PJ set. It was an amazing sounding set. Smooth and Warm/fat when tone is all the way down, but Bright and Punchy when you tinkered with the 2 pickups together. the P set sounded like some QTR pounders on their own, and mixed with the J pickup, it sounded just like a Jazz with more of a rounded tone. Theyre amazing. I'd recommend picking some up

PilbaraBass · #18 08-13-2006, 04:43 PM

I'm a cheap bass connisseur...I have a cheapo P-copy (much like a silvertone) that the pickup sounds AWESOME in...recently I through some "pre-loved", alcohol-cleaned, D'Add nickels on her and BLAM!...awesome, AWESOME sound...

I also am reasonably pleased with the sound of my Yamaha RBX-170 pickups...when I drive these a little harder with a gain-only preamp...they really start to shine...I think it is because they benefit a bit from the buffering...

I just threw a brand new set of D'Add nickels on the Yamaha and again...blam!...

Don't get me wrong...some of those high-end basses coupled with some of those high-end pickups are truly jaw-dropping incredible. But I'm a firm believer that on most basses with a decent set-up, and decent strings...you can get at least ONE killer sound out of them...

remember, every magnetic pickup has a peak frequency, the trick is matching the bass, the strings, and the EQ to that naturally sweet sound.

Sundogue · #19 08-14-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

How does the output of the Mighty Mite music man humbucker compare to that of the P-Bass pickup ? Is it hotter than the P-bass pickup?

I wouldn't say it's hotter...about equal to the MIM P-Bass. It's more than adequate as the bridge pickup. I mainly use it to brighten the tone as I've never been a big fan of bridge pickups. I like the thicker tone of the P-Bass and it's location.

But some songs require a brighter tone, so I wanted to add a bridge pickup, and for $15 it was just what I needed.

I'm not sure how it would sound as a neck pickup. I run my bass passive if that matters.