HI-FI sounding pickups, any recommendation?

bassman74 · #1 07-01-2007, 09:11 AM

I have many vintage pickups but i'm now looking for a HI-Fi sounding pickups for a new bass, any recommendation?
Thanks
Francois

A9X · #2 07-01-2007, 02:54 PM

What does hifi mean to you? I know what it means to me.
I've seen a number of contradicting views on that subject here.

luknfur · #3 07-01-2007, 06:23 PM

FWIW:

typically active EMG's and probably most passive Barts fall into that category. But the artist formerly known as Dharmabass has a point. And other factors such as what follows in the signal chain can make that comparatively irrelevant.

A9X · #4 07-01-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luknfur

typically active EMG's and probably most passive Barts fall into that category.

If you'd ever heard me play you wouldn't call me an artist.

Both the pickups you referenced sound very different to me (in equivalent types, eg J vs J) so it goes to show what a spectrum of tonality 'hifi' covers.

By my definition, it's a very flat, even frequency response with little to no inherent colour imparted by the pickup itself, ie if you put it in another bass it would sound different and not be readily identifiable as 'that pickup'. So far the best example I've had is the Villex (mids flat) and my Alembic pickups only. I suspect the Q Tuners and maybe the Darkstars also fall into this, so the OP can take my suggestions as these 4.

To me a P sounds 'mid humpy' for example, and if this is some people's reference of bass tone, I can see where the hifi = mid scooped analogy comes from. No judgement, just opinion.

bassman74 · #5 07-01-2007, 08:35 PM

for me hi-fi means flat and even response. No mid bump. Most vintage pickup have a mid emphasis i.'m looking for a neutral bass sound.

thanks

lbanks · #6 07-01-2007, 08:44 PM

Alembic, IMO.

luknfur · #7 07-01-2007, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A9X

...

If you'd ever heard me play you wouldn't call me an artist.

I suspect that's not so but I'm in no location to debate - so I'll take your word for it

(ie budda bump!)

By my definition, it's a very flat, even frequency response with little to no inherent colour imparted by the pickup itself

I'll take that as an engineer/audiophile perspective

I'm a pretty primitive critter, so more like an enginear. In fact I coudn't remember how to put it in words so I went to the Bass Tone Glossary which I could remember:

1) High Fidelty - clear, refined, controlled, recorded-like quality with no noise

2) historically - having redeeming qualties such as full range frequency response yet tends to be relatively flat, boring, and colorless.

Both the pickups you referenced sound very different to me (in equivalent types, eg J vs J) so it goes to show what a spectrum of tonality 'hifi' covers.

Yep, they sound very different to me too but they meet my hi-fi criteria.

, ie if you put it in another bass it would sound different and not be readily identifiable as 'that pickup'. So far the best example I've had is the Villex (mids flat) and my Alembic pickups only.

Never had that experience. To me the Alembic PJ's I've got are among the most colored pups I've had. I haven't had the Villex (avoided them cause of that mid cause I don't typically do knobs) or the Q tuners so I don't know. The acoustic properties of the bass alter the pup tone but in no way over-ride it. The same pup in an acoustically dark or bright bass to me has sounded like the same pup, just darker or brighter in tone. DS was no different.

12bass · #8 07-01-2007, 10:05 PM

I just got back from playing at the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. CBC recorded the gig for radio broadcast later next month. A number of people mentioned the sound of the bass out front. The CBC engineer gave me some pretty nice compliments regarding my tone.

A good part of that big, open tone is from the Q-Tuner BL-5....

A9X · #9 07-01-2007, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luknfur

To me the Alembic PJ's I've got are among the most colored pups I've had.

I remember reading that in your reviews and thought it was unusual based on my experience with the Series/AXY pickups. I've done my own electronics for both so I'm pretty good at removing the tonality of the pre from the equation.

Should give the Villex a go. It's only one pot for the mid if you run the pickup straight to the jack.

luknfur · #10 07-01-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

I just got back from playing at the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. CBC recorded the gig for radio broadcast later next month. A number of people mentioned the sound of the bass out front. The CBC engineer gave me some pretty nice compliments regarding my tone.

A good part of that big, open tone is from the Q-Tuner BL-5....

Your right, with all due respect I should wait till I get one to express an actual experience.

12bass · #11 07-01-2007, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luknfur

Your right, with all due respect I should wait till I get one to express an actual experience.

If you do try one, I would suggest getting the soapbar rather than the J-type. The soapbar has three rows of polepieces and offers a wider range of adjustment. I like the fact that I've been able to customize the pickup response on a string-by-string basis.

I spent years messing around with various pickups in my Pedulla Rapture 5 before finally ordering a Q-Tuner. It makes my old Bartolini C sound like it's buried deep in Siberian tundra. If you want an open, accurate, extended range sound, IMO, the Q-Tuner should be on your list.

luknfur · #12 07-02-2007, 03:52 AM

You guys made me re-think some stuff I hadn‘t thought of in a LLLLLLLong time..

Actually I’ve had the transparent experience - just not with a mag. My Lightwave (optical) basically sounds like whatever strings I put on it.

I don’t see transparent pups or preamps as desirable, just the opposite. I want my color to come from the front end where, excluding the bass itself, it‘s comparatively inexpensive, small, light, and secure to ship. I definitely want my amp to be transparent and my cabs fairly transparent as well. I don’t want color in the expensive, large, heavy part of my rig cause just paying for shipping to get the tone variety will kill you assuming the shipper doesn’t trash it - not to mention storing, lugging, repairs, and having a bunch of money doing nothing most of the time. The wasted shipping charges would pay for most of the pups/pre’s I’ve bought (some $5K worth) and the room would be stacked to the ceiling to store the tone variety I keep in a drawer.

I'm down to 4 basses and working my way down to one - at least that's the plan.

GlennW · #13 07-02-2007, 07:35 AM

This is interesting. The most Hi-Fi (as in doesn't add anything to the tone) type of pickup I can think of is a microphone. Of course, a nice mic for an electric bass guitar might be hard to find.

For the answer, I'd look here:
http://www.lollarguitars.com/

m.oreilly · #14 07-02-2007, 04:43 PM

yep, the villex are sweet. i'm not sure the qtuners are my cup of tea (atm), i'll have to put them in again, but they are very "modern" sounding. i'm actually thinking of getting another set of the villex for the fretless. and one of their passive boosters...

GlennW · #15 07-03-2007, 11:37 AM

I've been searching pickups a bit and found more than one instance where DiMarzio Ultra J Jazz Bass pickups are said to sound hi-fi. I don't know - never heard one that I know of. But maybe those, a BFM cabinet, and a Crown or MacIntosh amp would give a hi-fi sound.

DavidRavenMoon · #16 07-03-2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennW

This is interesting. The most Hi-Fi (as in doesn't add anything to the tone) type of pickup I can think of is a microphone. Of course, a nice mic for an electric bass guitar might be hard to find.

You have to mic the amp.. then you are hearing the amp, and the pickups.

That's not really hi-fi.

I'd say my pickups are very hi-fi, but then I'd be advertising! (and they don't like that here...)