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Advice on Fender Pbass pickup for reggae-dub & edm

#21
Garagiste said:
Those reggae greats chose the Jazz bass for a good reason. The neck pickup is closer to the fretboard and thus "fatter" and "warmer" than the P bass with its pickup more centrally located between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge. The classic reggae tone is Jazz bass with neck pickup 100 % and bridge pickup probably nil. I've seen some reggae players use a Hofner-type violin bass which also features a neck pickup. The P bass has too much low-mids for a good reggae sound. IMHO.
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I suppose you're right. But I don't think I can get over my Pbass compulsion :rolleyes:
 
#24
I would suggest trying out some different strings. My dubby bass has Labella Low Tension flats on it. I don't particularly enjoy swapping out pickups, so once I finish putting together a bass, I experiment with strings to change up my sound.

I agree with the idea of working on your eq first, but Fender Original '62s are great pickups, especially for the price.
 
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#26
Robbie Shakespeare was the most iconic Steinberger player that I can recall. I saw Taxi Connection a few times last century (ugh) and that little square black bass provided all that boom. For scant more than the price of a new set of pickups you can grab one! He also plays really far away from the bridge, almost on the neck.
 
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#27
Garagiste said:
Those reggae greats chose the Jazz bass for a good reason. The neck pickup is closer to the fretboard and thus "fatter" and "warmer" than the P bass with its pickup more centrally located between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge. The classic reggae tone is Jazz bass with neck pickup 100 % and bridge pickup probably nil. I've seen some reggae players use a Hofner-type violin bass which also features a neck pickup. The P bass has too much low-mids for a good reggae sound. IMHO.
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What a load of bullocks! I saw Robbie playing a P bass thru an SVT when he was backing Peter Tosh and it was the heaviest bass tone I've ever experienced so much so I thought my head was going to implode - seriously. I get a super deep tone out of my P bass by rolling back the tone knob some basic EQ and palm muting. It's not rocket science but it is about intent.
 
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#29
I would think rolling the tone back on a P bass would be enough to get you there. I have a 2010 American Special P bass and I disliked the stock capacitor so I would recommend putting in a 047uF Orange Drop capacitor. I did this and it made the tone knob so much more versatile and just made the bass more alive. I think replace the cap and roll off the tone and you should be good. If that doesn't work try some foam under the strings at the bridge.
 
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#31
bolophonic said:
I would suggest trying out some different strings. My dubby bass has Labella Low Tension flats on it. I don't particularly enjoy swapping out pickups, so once I finish putting together a bass, I experiment with strings to change up my sound.

I agree with the idea of working on your eq first, but Fender Original '62s are great pickups, especially for the price.
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I've tried a number of flatwound strings strings on this Pbass (and a number of roundwounds before dedicating it to dub/edm) and as huge as the differences between these strings are I'm always getting the characteristic mid-aggressive grind of the Original pickup. What makes me think that this is indeed that case, and not just an idea in my head, is that my other Pbass, a 2017 AmPro with V-Mod pickup, never has this harshness or any harshness whatsoever, even when strung with fresh D'Addario Pro Steels. It sounds dry yet full but never grindy, which I really like for some nasty funk and slap tones.
 
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#35
howlin said:
What a load of bullocks! I saw Robbie playing a P bass thru an SVT when he was backing Peter Tosh and it was the heaviest bass tone I've ever experienced so much so I thought my head was going to implode - seriously. I get a super deep tone out of my P bass by rolling back the tone knob some basic EQ and palm muting. It's not rocket science but it is about intent.
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Yes, I can do with some Pbass camaraderie when confronted with Jbass attacks. And yes, reggae bass is all about intent. Ay, mon!
 
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#38
Bloomfield said:
What is your tone capacitor? If it is .047uF you could try a .1uF which will roll off more high mids.
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I'm pretty nerdy on a good day. But every now and then I catch a glimpse of these super nerd individuals. Like nerd unicorns. This is on that level. How the tone knob works on a Pbass is literally it's secret weapon. He's right, and I don't even know why. (I kinda do, but not enough to have pulled that nugget outta the air)
 
#39
Phaidrus said:
Since acquiring a second Fender Pbass some months ago I have dedicated my first Pbass - a 2008 Fender AmStd with maple neck and Fender Original pickup - exclusively to reggae-dub and EDM (electronic dance music, namely a number of house music variants). As an amateur, I play with friends and record stuff at home via Ableton Live. To this purpose this Pbass is currently strung with Dunlop flatwounds 45105 (previously with DR Legend and Fender 9050). I do like the tone but more often than not I have the impression it is somewhat too growly/aggressive for this type of music. Too much funk in that pup! Ideally I'd describe the tone I'm looking for as "round", "fat", "no upper mids", yet with punch and some definition (think of Robbie Shakespeare or Aston Barrett). So the question is, would the Fender Pure Vintage 63 pickup be a better choice than the Original to this end? Or perhaps the Fender Custom Shop 62 pickup? I'd like to stick with Fender, so not considering any other brand. Thanks in advance for your input!
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Phaidrus, have you tried playing with the tone dialed back two thirds/all the way? That's what I do with my CS '59 Precision {strung with flats}. I turn the sucker up and it's perfect for hip hop, dub, reggae, house music etc.
 
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#40
PJ Muzikmansky said:
Phaidrus, have you tried playing with the tone dialed back two thirds/all the way? That's what I do with my CS '59 Precision {strung with flats}. I turn the sucker up and it's perfect for hip hop, dub, reggae, house music etc.
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Hi Muzikmansky, yes I have and it makes a difference, of course. But it won't remove the grind that I assume has to do with the character of the Original pickup. What pickup is your CS '59 fitted with?
 

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