In Praise of the Fralin P

scottiwkt · #1 01-21-2008, 07:56 PM

Just got done installing this on my Highway One P Bass. OMG this is the best sounding P pickup I've ever heard! I wanted a pickup that was not too hot and not too weak; something that will sit perfectly in the mix no matter what style I need to play. I decided on the Fralin mainly due to the pickup samples on the Lakland site. With flats or rounds, from jazz to rock, this one sounded perfect in every scenario.

After hearing it in my bass, I'm just blown away by how good it sounds. I just pulled a Fender Original 62 pickup out and expected it to be a subtle, slight difference, but it is a huge difference. The lows and overtones are much more controlled. I can hear the wood even better than with the Fender vintage style pickup. The highs are so sweet with the mids very well voiced especially with TI flats. My GF in the other room, thought I was playing a different bass that she hadn't heard yet. I carefully set the pickup height so I get a strong fundamental, but if I dig in a little, there is cool aggressive edge to the tone that sounds like it would blend really well with guitars.

I don't think you can find a more versatile P pickup than this. Run straight into the board either live or recorded, it's gonna be dead on. Any EQ from that point on is just icing. Is it perfect for everything? No, I still like the punch of a SD 1/4 lb for hard rock and metal, but for everything else this is a winner. Not saying it won't do heavier stuff just fine, it will, just my preference would be round wounds with a 1/4lb pickup.

So, with this bass covering 90% of the my musical territory, I can now set about putting together a beater with rounds and the 1/4 lb'r. Most of my rock gigs in the past have a much higher potential of theft than others I do. So, it makes sense to build a beater $100-$200 bass that I use just for heavier shows. The Highway One will go with me for everything else.

The only thing better than this might be a 5% overwind. I would love to hear one for reference, but I just didn't want to wait to have the pickup custom wound.

-s

Valerus · #2 01-21-2008, 09:20 PM

Nice!

What's the link to the sound clip(s)?

lawndart · #3 01-21-2008, 09:30 PM

put one in my MIA P a couple of years ago after having a SD 1/4 in place of the original one. Just came across the 1/4 in the Fralin box just a minute ago. I love the tone it gives me with Chrome Flats. I never had a chance to try the Fralin with Roundwounds but one day i might.

scottiwkt · #4 01-22-2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerus

Nice!

What's the link to the sound clip(s)?

Lakland Sound Clips

This is a Bob Glaub P with a Fralin, in several styles, with both flats and roundwounds. The pickup sits perfectly in everything!

-s

joelb79 · #5 01-22-2008, 10:02 AM

So this was a highway one bass and not the Vintage RI series. I'm buying a 62' RI MIA and i'm not planning on replacing the pup. Wonder if i'm wrong in my thinking? Just for reference, i heard all the Lakland clips and actually want a more rounded vintage tone than that.

Valerus · #6 01-22-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottiwkt

Lakland Sound Clips

This is a Bob Glaub P with a Fralin, in several styles, with both flats and roundwounds. The pickup sits perfectly in everything!

-s

Thanks man!

DavidRavenMoon · #7 01-22-2008, 10:42 AM

He winds some fine pickups. I haven't tried the bass pickups, but I have installed some tele pickups for a customer, and they sounded great. They were replacing some Duncans, and they were great sounding pickup as well. I liked the Fralin's better.

rummy · #8 01-22-2008, 11:11 AM

Love my Frain P.

scottiwkt · #9 01-23-2008, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelb79

So this was a highway one bass and not the Vintage RI series. I'm buying a 62' RI MIA and i'm not planning on replacing the pup. Wonder if i'm wrong in my thinking? Just for reference, i heard all the Lakland clips and actually want a more rounded vintage tone than that.

Yep, this is on a Highway One. I pulled the stock pups, and put in the Fender Original 62, which is what will be in your MIA 62 RI. Not a bad pickup at all. Definitely a little rounder, warmer, and more vintage.

I was looking for a vintage vibe, but a hair more aggressive to cut through any mix I might throw at it. I got my wish! I'm gonna have a P with rounds and a SD QP or Dimarzio Model P for when I play pickstyle metal/punk/hard rock. For everything else, this is my pickup.

N8116B · #10 01-23-2008, 09:35 AM

Are these the stock Lindy P's or did you go for an overwind? I have been thinking about them for MIM p-bass.

scottiwkt · #11 01-24-2008, 06:52 AM

These are stock. I would love to hear an overwound Fralin...I just didn't want to wait for weeks to get it. I think, for my purposes, a 5% rewind would be perfect.

If anyone ever goes with a 5% overwind from Fralin and doesn't like it, I would trade a stock Fralin for it in a heartbeat.

I may end up ordering a 5% overwind, keep the ones I like, and sell the others.

-s

Quote:

Originally Posted by N8116B

Are these the stock Lindy P's or did you go for an overwind? I have been thinking about them for MIM p-bass.

Nedmundo · #12 01-24-2008, 07:31 AM

Ahh yes, another convert. I agree 100% with your assessment. Try recording direct, palm muting with a pick. Holy $#!+!

I also like a little more heaviness for hard rock, though as you said the Fralin will do just fine -- better, IMO, than some "hot" pickups like Duncan's SPB-2. I go with the MFD split-coil in my G&L SB-2.