A more defined sounding P-bass. HOW?

[FaithNoMan]

I highly recommend D'Addario Prosteels > Lo Riders.

As a Lo-Rider user for years I recently switched to Prosteels and they are much more aggressive. Lo-Riders had great low-mids, but that is the first frequency I slightly cut when looking for cut-through and definition.

 

[Eric66]

I experienced exactly the same with one of my precisions. At home it sounded very good, deep down low. In the band it did not cut through and sounded muddy. I tried everything, but it did not work. My advise and answer to your question: get rid of it.

 

[Kelpie]

Thank you everyone for replying, you've all been really really helpful. I've been searching for solutions for days now and I guess I'll risk it and get a PJ set up done, get rid of the Fender Original and then see what to put. I used to have EMGs in my Lakland ages a go and really liked them but I find really hard how to decide what to do with this bass as it sounds way different from any other p-bass i've ever heard. For those who told me to just get rid of my p-bass, unfortunately i don't have enough money and all i can afford is just a different set up.

 

[Mvilmany]

the first thing I will mention is that I had EB 45-100 strings on my P bass and it disappeared in the mix; the stock fender strings were way better on it.
better yet were TI flats.
EB are great strings but work best on EBMM instruments.

I have an American standard 2012 P bass with the CS PU's and it is just glorious in tone. I would start with a PU swap.
I tried some other basses just the other day in a store and they were nothing like mine. no two instruments are identical.

I've used EB strings before as well. I liked them at first but they went dead very quickly.

 

[Mushroo]

Try plucking/picking a little closer to the bridge for increased definition.

 

[David Jayne]

Pickup. Get a hotter, somewhat overwound pickup. That'll provide more midrange and less low end and treble. Makes for a punchier P.

 

[L. L. Elwood]

Best sounding P pickups i've hear for clarity and warmth all at once.... Bill Lawrence P pickup and the Jason Lollar P pickup. Both of those pickups will greatly improve the sound of your bass.

 

[Bongolation]

Any solutions?

Signal processing. Or strings.

the sound and the bass (live and especially in studio) doesn't cut right through the mix.

Fire your engineer, effective immediately. Any "engineer" who, in a modern digital studio, cannot make nearly any functioning bass work right in nearly any mix needs to be beat up and thrown out in the street, enda story.

 

[bigmoosepi]

I use 62 ri pickups in my pbasses with rotosound rs66 strings and it cuts as well as a jazz bass.

 

[Munjibunga]

Dude, OP, I had this exact problem. Granite I have active EMG's ...

As a geologist, I can say it was more likely a quartz monzonite porphyry or granodiorite, but hey, why quibble about details?

 

[Stranger Danger]

Before doing anything drastic, change the strings. I really love D'Addario's.

I use these on my p bass and I have no complaints:
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[Laurent]

Get some fresh strings that cut through. DR Hi-Beams for example.

Get some new pickups: depending on your taste: Dimarzio Model P, Seymour SPB-3 quarter Pounders or Lindy Fralin's Precision.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I have a '78 P bass as well and I have active EMG's in it and have none of the issues you are talking about and the battery fits in the cavity with no routing, I really like the EMG's in it. In fact I have a set identical to them not being used so if you go that route let me know.

I would play around with pickup height, string choices and EQ first though.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I use rotosound swing bass strings on my Lull P, and love the sound. Brighter top end, but still solid.

 

[Stranger Danger]

What about your amp, signal chain and eq settings?

 

[Mudfuzz]

A pbass doesn't need to be defined, it defines it's self.

 

[gregmon79]

As a geologist, I can say it was more likely a quartz monzonite porphyry or granodiorite, but hey, why quibble about details?

Thanks, glad someone caught that


Killing gods

 

[gregmon79]

I highly recommend D'Addario Prosteels > Lo Riders.

As a Lo-Rider user for years I recently switched to Prosteels and they are much more aggressive. Lo-Riders had great low-mids, but that is the first frequency I slightly cut when looking for cut-through and definition.

Seriously? I've been using low riders for a while now. I love them. I've recently started digging the roto swing bass strings a lot. Maybe I'll have to give the pro steels a shot. How's their zing life?


Killing gods

 

[David Jayne]

Hi again. Well, different strokes and all that. I've played nothing but P basses for several years and have found that I get the best results by playing to its strength, which is the low mids. The P bass's low mids let it punch into and sit in any mix perfectly. To enhance this I prefer nickel rounds or sometimes nickel flats with a somewhat hot pickup. I like the DiMarzio Model P but there are many options. My favorite P bass is my 80's G&L SB - 1, which has a very high output, and very mid - present yet very clear and smooth sound. Our guitarist tonight thought I must have a bridge pickup, the notes are that focused and defined . When I showed him it was a straight - up P he was surprised. I like it so much I've bought another G&L MFD pickup for one of my other P's.
As has been said , P basses generally just 'work.' But there are exceptions - cheap imported pickups may not have enough wire on them which will make them thin and bright sounding. They may also have weak magnets, contributing to low output. Even some otherwise high quality USA Standard P basses from around 2006 to 2010? (somebody help me here) have iffy pickups, lacking in mid punch causing you to get lost in a live mix(but they can work really well in the studio). All of this is easily fixed. Whatever your issue is you'll find it. It's not rocket surgery. : D

 

[Mudfuzz]

I going to totally go against everything in this thread and what y'all are is say'n! Have you tried bright flats Like Chomes or GHS? They have a snap [if you don't use the tone control] and clank to them you can't get with putting guitar strings on your bass with a bit of dirt you can get a huge roar which again you really can't get as easily with those guitar strings