Swapping out 1/4 pounders for something else (P-J bass)

[WhiteNinja]

I'm looking to replace the pickups in my Squier P-J bass. It currently has Seymour Duncan 1/4 Pounders installed (both P and J pup), but I'm not really liking them anymore. They sound a bit too boomy or clanky, and not really defined/precise in the midrange.

I'm looking to get this grindy, low mid pushing sound similar to bands like Kyuss, QOTSA, Fu Manchu, Unida etc. The "P-Bass through a cranked SVT" sound that's full of overdrive and big lows, yet defined.

The 1/4 pounders just don't do it for me. They sound good on their own, but I keep losing them in the mix. I tend to use only the P-Pup.

Should I go for a more vintage voiced, less hotter pickup, like the Fender '62RI? Or stay with a high output, like a DiMarzio Model P? Which Jazz Pup would work best together with the P-Pup?

I changed the pots on my bass from 500k to CTS 250k. I'm not sure what the capacitor is (I think it was a green round one)... should I also consider a different cap?

[AdamR]

swap them for spb-2s

[Warrior_Bass]

DiMarzio Model P/J all the way.

[Colonel Monk]

250K pots bleed off more high frequencies, compared with 500K. That said, I think most p-basses are probably using 250K as stock.

You also said that you are only using the neck pickup and not the bridge - well the neck is the bassier pickup, and the bridge has more treble. You might find in a mix that just blending in some bridge might solve your problem.

CM

[walterw]

Originally Posted by WhiteNinja

I'm looking to get this grindy, low mid pushing sound similar to bands like Kyuss, QOTSA, Fu Manchu, Unida etc. The "P-Bass through a cranked SVT" sound that's full of overdrive and big lows, yet defined.

Should I go for a more vintage voiced, less hotter pickup, like the Fender '62RI?

i think your first instinct is right; get vintage-voiced pickups to get your clarity back.

the fender '62 or even a duncan SPB-1 would be just right, bringing you back to the sound of a "real" P-bass; (the SPB-2 "hot" is even darker than the QP). for the J, a dimarzio area J will sound really close to vintage, and blend nicely with a vintage-type P, without any hum.

Originally Posted by WhiteNinja

I changed the pots on my bass from 500k to CTS 250k. I'm not sure what the capacitor is (I think it was a green round one)... should I also consider a different cap?

that might have been a mistake. for clarity and attack to go with a grindy tone, you want the 500ks back. you might even swap them back before changing pickups, to see if that's the only issue.

as for the cap, it won't matter if the tone knob is all the way up, but .047μF is a normal rating for bass caps.

[Nedmundo]

I think I read somewhere that Nick Oliveri actually used the Quarter Pounder P pickup with QOTSA, but, as always, YMMV. Duncan's SBP-2 is great, but its uber-thickness and relative lack of treble probably don't suit your goals. It was a little too boomy for my purposes. DiMarzio's Model P is probably closer to what you want, and it's great for hard rock, but IMO it lacks the warmth of good vintage-voiced pickups. I'd recommend a G&L MFD split-coil, which you can order from any G&L dealer, or a Lindy Fralin P pickup. The Fralin has more of a vintage tone, but with hot output and a gritty punch that's excellent for old-school heaviness IMO. (Duncan's SPB-1 might be similar, but I've never tried one.) Pair it up with a DiMarzio Area J for noiseless vintage goodness at the bridge position.

[nateynate]

I have Lollar P pickups in my '76 precision and I love them. Good output, great full tone, and the vintage clarity / vibe you speak of. When I swapped them I also put in new cts pots and orange drop caps..

[parsons]

Originally Posted by AdamR

swap them for spb-2s

This. The Quarter Pounders are scooped in the mids, giving a very clanky sound that I dont like. I had QPers in my basses until I tried the SD Hots.
SPB-2s are awesome. SPB-1 sounds so boring to me in comparison. Everyone has their own idea of what a Precision should sound like, to me its the SPB-2 pickup. I think you should watch some of JGR's videos as all of his P/J basses are equipped with SPB-2 pickups. One of my favorites of his is his Warmoth build. SPB-2 and SJB-2, wired straight to the jack, no tone knobs thru his preamp.

Warmoth Koa Dinky P-J & JGR Rock Bass Preamp.MOV - YouTube
and vid of me noodling around aimlessly on it.
Brian(parsons),JGR Preamp, NV610.MOV - YouTube

[bassfart]

Nordstrand makes a great P/J set. Clean even sound across the board.

[Willicious]

i'm about to do a similar swap to a short scale Squier Jag I just picked up. I'm on a budget, so will be trying a P/J config from Guitar Fetish. For my $70, I'm supposed to get pickups made with all the old school materials, and even wound to very similar values. Will chime back in if they turn out to be any good.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by Warrior_Bass

DiMarzio Model P/J all the way.

+1

[Hopkins]

Rio Grande Muy Grandes.

[WhiteNinja]

Thanks for the tips all, so much to choose from. Unfortunately, the only thing I'm sure about now is that the 1/4 pounders will go, but I still don't know what to replace them with.

I might go the vintage route. Fender '62, SPB-1, Fralin, along with an Area J might be the most interesting option atm.

Also, do these pickups have normal sized pole pieces? Can you swap the black standard cover of them with standard cream or white pickup covers? It was difficult for the 1/4 pounder since it has those large pole pieces...

[JGR]

Just about anything will be an improvement, but as Adam and Parsons said, go with the SPB-2's. What you said you are looking for is exactly what they deliver. They are in all the basses I have - check out my YouTube page for an idea of what they sound like.

[Nedmundo]

Since a few are recommending Duncan's SPB-2 Hot, I'll say a little more about it. I had one for awhile, and I think it's an excellent all around pickup, but, because the OP didn't like the "boomy" nature of the Quarter Pounder, I figured he might not like the SPB-2. It is somewhat boomy IMO, and also has reduced treble that some folks might miss. I ditched it mostly because it was so smooth sounding; I like a more gritty texture, which I found with Lindy Fralin.

However, in a P/J configuration, the SBP-2 might be great for the OP. The J pickup could add some high end bite and grit, and reduce the "boom" factor. That could be a great combination.

[WhiteNinja]

Thanks all for the replies.

I did go for the SPB-2/SJB-2 combo in the end, mainly because I got a good deal on this pair. I figured that if I didn't like them, I could always swap them out for other ones, and I really didn't make much of a loss. Also, the posted videos did leave a nice impression!

I will report back once I get them, to see if they do fit the bill. Thanks all!

[JGR]

Cool, good choice. FWIW, I don't find them boomy or lacking in top end. Pickup height makes a big difference too, so make sure you dial it in.

[parsons]

Originally Posted by JGR

Pickup height makes a big difference too, so make sure you dial it in.

This. I cant stress it enough with these pickups. After hearing JGRs setup I decided to throw them into my basses. At first I thought they were ok but after fiddling with pickup height on each bass, they really come alive.

[jschwalls]

Bass

[WhiteNinja]

So, today I got my bass back after having it setup properly (had a new neck installed) and changing the pickups from SPB/SJB-3 to SPB/SJB-2. I won't get a chance to play it on my SVT-VR/810E rig until Wednesday, but I did try it at home with my VT Bass into my Roland Cube 30, and I'm really happy with their sound. They sound much more authentic and Fender-like than the 1/4 pounders, and have a nice vintage voicing. I think I made the right choice here!