Confused about Single coil P Bass tone

[markdavid]

Hi,

Im thinking about getting a Squier Classic Vibe 51 P bass and replacing the pickup for a Seymour duncan SCPB-1 vintage pickup. I know the single coil P bass tone is brighter than the humbucker P bass tone but ive always thought of vintage tone as being warm with rolled off highs so I was a bit confused when looking at the Seymour duncan website to read there description of the Single coil vintage P bass pickup which reads "Uses the same bobbins, magnets, wire, and black yarn for the same look and same bright tone as the original" , so how does a 51 P Bass sound? warm or bright?

[bassmanrocke]

A single coil p pickup has some very different characteristic than split coils. With the treble rolled off it can be very warm, but can disappear in a mix unless being run through a powerful amp. In my experience, when the treble is rolled up the sound can get thin and clicky. The major reason for the switch to split coils was that the single pole per string had too much attack when the tone was turned up and played hard. The bi-pole split coil eliminated that problem. A single coil p is far more sensitive with respect to tone changes, but that said, it produces a wide variety of tones. While I prefer the overall tone of the later p, it would be easy to argue that the single coil is actually more flexible.

[markdavid]

thanks for the reply , so to summarise from what you've said , a single coil p has a more aggressive cutting tone ?
Would you say the single coil P is close to a Jazz pickup in terms of brightness?

[Jazz Ad]

So-called warm vintage tone has a lot more to do with foam mutes and flatwound strings than pickups. Old Precision basses are gnarly as can be.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by markdavid

thanks for the reply , so to summarise from what you've said , a single coil p has a more aggressive cutting tone ?

With all due respect, I think that's the opposite of what he said.

"...but can disappear in a mix unless being run through a powerful amp."

[markdavid]

Originally Posted by BillMason

With all due respect, I think that's the opposite of what he said.

"...but can disappear in a mix unless being run through a powerful amp."

I think I must have misunderstood there, it was the bit about the single coil having too much attack that confused me , however I suppose cutting through the mix is a different thing to having a strong attack

[SGD Lutherie]

Listen to a song like Mystery Achievement by the Pretenders. That's what a single coil P bass pickup sounds like.

Hollow and gnarly sounding. It will also hum, unlike the split pickup.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Listen to a song like Mystery Achievement by the Pretenders. That's what a single coil P bass pickup sounds like.

Hollow and gnarly sounding. It will also hum, unlike the split pickup.

Isn't a lot of ZZ Top stuff done on a single coil? Listen to Cheap Sunglasses.

[fender_mod]

i had a SD quarter pound single coil right up next to the next on my p/j bass. so it was really like a s/p/j. i thought the extra hot output of the single coil would be enough to add more definition but fell short compared to using just the p or the p and j. i fixed this by adding another single coil to the original and am more satisfied now.

moral of the story is that single coils just aren't going to cut it. too thin and clanky.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by fender_mod

i had a SD quarter pound single coil right up next to the next on my p/j bass. so it was really like a s/p/j. i thought the extra hot output of the single coil would be enough to add more definition but fell short compared to using just the p or the p and j. i fixed this by adding another single coil to the original and am more satisfied now.

moral of the story is that single coils just aren't going to cut it. too thin and clanky.

Aren't quarter pounders known for being thin and clanky? I have no experience with them, other than listening to Steve Harris, who plays split coil quarter pounders.

[SGD Lutherie]

They are loud and midrangy, kind of like a DiMarzio Model P. Steve Harris just uses a very bright tone.... and flatwounds.