'80s Ibanez Super P-4 Precision Pickups.

[Floridabwoy]

Why no love for these? I have 2 pairs. One pair installed in an MIM Precision (pictured in sig) and one pair on the way. They are fantastic. They growl and punch. I searched the forum and only one thread mentioning them. Are they my hidden gem?

 

[T. Brookins]

because they are very rare.

 

[T-34]

Aren't they just licensed Dimarzio Model P's?

 

[Meddle]

Had a look on Google and they appear to be OEM Dimarzio clones by the looks of it. Same hex-nut adjustable pole pieces. Do you have photos of the backs of these pickups?

 

[Cadfael]

The Ibanez Super P4 (and the Super T4 Jazz Bass PU) were at least DiMarzio copies in many ways. They also had the hex head screws and the creme coloured housing.

I don't think they were OEM pickups ...
This would have been mentioned in the catalogues of the 1980s but I have never found a single word. Even the naming "Super P4" has nothing to do with DiMarzio. If they were real licensed OEM pickups, Ibanez would shurely have done the same as Squier does with the Duncan Desiged PUs ...

And even it the DiMarzios had the pantent - I don't think the could pantent the creme colour or the hex screws - as adjustable pole pieces were there long before DiMarzio.

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The Ibanez Blazer and Roadster basses had an excellent reputation in the 1980s!
They were known as the first basses you needn't to replace the PUs to sound as good (or better) as Fender basses!

That's why the Super P4 appears twice in my wiring collection. One time in the creme version (Roadster bass). Ibanez Blazer basses were also equipped with Super P4s but most had black housings.

 

[Vene]

I got an rs824, getting annoyed with the hum of the bridge jazz pickup. I am planning on adding shielding to the cavities hoping to alleviate the problem. As a plan b I am also looking into swapping the bridge pickup with a dimarzio dp123l and leaving the P4 in the neck. Sounds like a good plan? Any experience doing similar swaps?

 

[lesliegl]

Hi I had a Ibanez RS924 back in the mid 80's and I did the upgrade with Dimazio PJ and there wasn't a difference in sound at all..so they must have been designed pretty close to the Dimarzio in constructin..

Leslie

 

[Vene]

Hi ther,
Don't have the bass around. Are the bridge pickup dimensions the same as a typical jazz bass bridge pickup (3.735"), slightly longer than the neck?

 

[lesliegl]

Yes.. same as the Fender Jazz bass pick up sizes..

 

[activa44]

How does the Super P4 compare to the DP122 of DiMarzio?

Is the DP122 the one they cloned? Does anybody know?

 

[Sinest]

The P4 on my 1986 Roadstar II measures around 10.5K compared to the 11.5K of the Dimarzio DP122 or Schaller PBX (Dimarzio copy).
They are very similar in sound.
I thought the J4 would be hum-cancelling just like the Dimarzio Model J but nope. It sounds really punchy but rather noisy..