pickup choice dilemma, you only get to route once

K-Frog · #1 12-19-2011, 09:53 PM

This is my first build and seriously, i don't know what type of pickup I want to use.

Since I only get to route once (no pick guard), i want to be happy with my choice.

I figure I'll start passive and simple since I'm trying to get it together on the cheap, at least initially. I can always upgrade the pickups and go active later as well if desired (if the build comes out alright)

Choices:

2 j pickups? standard size gives lots of options for upgrading or whatever.

P/J? - I like a Pbass sound to some degree, but i think I like the reverse P better, plus the added growl of a J pickup, again lots of options.

a pair of standard shape humbuckers?

I do own a P bass, a jazz, and a lakland 55-01 ('buckers) and I like them all. If I could only have one bass though, it would be a passive jazz, for the tone and simplicity of passive. Maybe that helps me decide?

Suggestions?

Stilettoprefer · #2 12-20-2011, 12:00 AM

P with a MM style humbucker in the bridge has been on my future pup configurations list. How do you feel about MM style pickups?

And passive PJ's never really work too well unless it's a stacked (humbucking) J in the bridge. Or a single coil P pickup with the regular J, but that would just sound like a jazz:P

gitlvr · #3 12-20-2011, 01:19 AM

I think you've answered your own question. You like the J pups the best.
However, my advice is this: Buy the lowest priced quality pickup you can afford for your first build.Save the high dollar(or even mid range) stuff for the 3rd or 4th build.
I learned that the hard way. Get your building skills down first, and then spend the money on quality. For your first build there are plenty of lower priced, quality options to choose from. Don't worry about the style of the pickup. In fact, I'd probably go with a single pickup design, and the cheapest decent hardware I could find. What you need to focus on for the first few builds is getting the build process down so that you can start getting consistently good results.

K-Frog · #4 12-20-2011, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

P with a MM style humbucker in the bridge has been on my future pup configurations list. How do you feel about MM style pickups?

And passive PJ's never really work too well unless it's a stacked (humbucking) J in the bridge. Or a single coil P pickup with the regular J, but that would just sound like a jazz:P

I even considered a single MM pickup, so the P+MM is an option, perhaps a little costly on this low-buck build.

K-Frog · #5 12-20-2011, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitlvr

I think you've answered your own question. You like the J pups the best.

I would probably be easily satisfied with the J pups at least.
The advantage of that is also the fact that I have a pair lying around, so that option is zero cost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitlvr

.
However, my advice is this: Buy the lowest priced quality pickup you can afford for your first build.Save the high dollar(or even mid range) stuff for the 3rd or 4th build.
I learned that the hard way. Get your building skills down first, and then spend the money on quality. For your first build there are plenty of lower priced, quality options to choose from. Don't worry about the style of the pickup. In fact, I'd probably go with a single pickup design, and the cheapest decent hardware I could find. What you need to focus on for the first few builds is getting the build process down so that you can start getting consistently good results.

That's exactly my line of thinking. I can get just about any standard shape pickup off eBay for cheap though, leaving my options wide open.
The pickups are about the only thing left to figure out.
I'll have to re-draw my plans with the J pups and see how it looks. I've been assuming soapbars until now, so I don't even know what it will look like with the J pups, but I'm about to find out.

NKBassman · #6 12-20-2011, 02:30 PM

If you're really worried about routing only once, but unsure what type of pickups you want, go with EMG. They offer P, J, and humbuckers all in the same size/shape.

I've never actually tried EMGs myself, but if I would, I'd start with two of their P pickups in the middle and bridge positions.

SGD Lutherie · #7 12-21-2011, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKBassman

If you're really worried about routing only once, but unsure what type of pickups you want, go with EMG. They offer P, J, and humbuckers all in the same size/shape.

I've never actually tried EMGs myself, but if I would, I'd start with two of their P pickups in the middle and bridge positions.

I was just going to say soapbars. If you use the EMG size soapbars, you can get many options in tone in the same size package, from many pickup makers besides EMG.

So you can have a P/J or J/J or humbuckers, etc., all in the same shells.

GMSweet · #8 12-21-2011, 06:29 AM

I would vote for a standard sized soapbar shell and leave the internals up to your choice. As was already mentioned, EMG puts a bunch of different pickup types into those same sized shells. If you choose the right size, you could also put other manufacturers pickups in the same route (Barts, Delanos, SGDs,etc). I haven't used the EMGs either, but there is a nice post on here where a bunch of different EMGs are tried out in a Spector' a search should turn it up.

Matt

K-Frog · #9 12-21-2011, 06:51 AM

That's why I've always had standard sized humbuckers of unknown make on my sketch. So many options there.
At the same time, my body thickness is only 1-1/2", so I was concerned anyway about pickup height with the jazz pickups. The are somewhat tall as compared to other types of pickups a I recall.