Thinking about a pick up swap for my 78'. The original is long gone. Looking for suggestions to bring it back as close as possible to sounding period correct.
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Aftermarket Precision pickup most like 70's gray back
- Thread starter SturmUndDrang
- Start date
Hmm? I wonder if the lack of feedback on this topic is a reflection of the popularity of Fender pickups from this era? Could have sworn I've heard from a few folks on this forum that think the gray back precision pickups had a distinct and attractive quality to their sound. Maybe I'm mistaken, but it would be interesting to hear from people with this opinion and if they think there are any pickups in production now that share the same hallmarks of the 70s P pickup.
Hello. You could ask The Pickup Wizard to make you a P pickup with plain enamel coil wire.
I review one here:
Mini-review: The Pickup Wizard custom, hand wound, split coil Precision bass pickup
Though I own two mid-1970s Precision Bass pickups, they don't sound the same, and I never compared them directly to that Pickup Wizard pickup.
You could also try Sullivan Music Equipment, who make a 70s style P bass pickup. They do excellent work at a great price.
I own a '78 Precision. White/Maple neck. The stock grey back pickups sound wonderful. Full. woody, polite yet authoritative.
I also have other later Precisions with, Fender Original '62, Duncan SPB-1, and Kent armstrong VPB's. Of those, the SPB-1's are closest to the '78 though not identical sounding. (a bit more high end). Coming in second is the Kent Armstrongs. The Fender originals (although I like them) are least like my '78 P. BTW, I bought the Seymour Dunacan SPB-1's used off of eBay for $35 total, so these can be had inexpensively if you are patient.
I also have other later Precisions with, Fender Original '62, Duncan SPB-1, and Kent armstrong VPB's. Of those, the SPB-1's are closest to the '78 though not identical sounding. (a bit more high end). Coming in second is the Kent Armstrongs. The Fender originals (although I like them) are least like my '78 P. BTW, I bought the Seymour Dunacan SPB-1's used off of eBay for $35 total, so these can be had inexpensively if you are patient.
Thanks for the replies. Some more opinions here. What is best to replicate a 70s p bass pick up?
Tempting to see what someone like Lollar or Fralin could do but if an SPB-1 can get me in the ballpark that would be more practical.
Tempting to see what someone like Lollar or Fralin could do but if an SPB-1 can get me in the ballpark that would be more practical.
In my case, it absolutely is. I have a 76 Precision that I thought sounded great till I played a pre-CBS Precision. Out went the pickup. And in 2007 I ran across a gorgeous 79 Precision in black/black/maple and I thought it sounded really good in the store and wasn't too expensive so I bought it. I brought it home and AB'd it against the SX P bass I bought a month earlier just to see what kind of bass you could get for $110, and I recorded the results and posted it on here. Most people on here greatly preferred the SX and so did I. But I couldn't bring myself to replace the pickup since the inside hadn't even seen a soldering iron since it was made, and I sold it instead. For a tidy little profit, too, I might add
Interesting. How did the 76 sound after the swap and what did you sub for the pickup? A geezer perhaps?In my case, it absolutely is. I have a 76 Precision that I thought sounded great till I played a pre-CBS Precision. Out went the pickup. And in 2007 I ran across a gorgeous 79 Precision in black/black/maple and I thought it sounded really good in the store and wasn't too expensive so I bought it. I brought it home and AB'd it against the SX P bass I bought a month earlier just to see what kind of bass you could get for $110, and I recorded the results and posted it on here. Most people on here greatly preferred the SX and so did I. But I couldn't bring myself to replace the pickup since the inside hadn't even seen a soldering iron since it was made, and I sold it instead. For a tidy little profit, too, I might add
I'm glad you found a nice SX but I think my Ash Maple Fender can be a tone monster too. I sold it and bought it back after a long time to find the original pickup gone. I remember liking how it sounded and want to correct the half ass mods the best I can. There are some crappy split shaft pots in there that need to go too.
Ultimately, yes. But my first mod to it was in 1982, and I got some old model Duncan J pickups that hummed every time I took my hands off the strings (the shop that did the mods didn't have any P replacements), then EMG J's, then EMG PJ's, then a 62 CS and DiMarzio Ultrajazz, and now the Geezer PJ's.
Well I couldn't stand the blocky feel and bad fretwork of the SX so I sold it. But even though the polepieces stuck way out and I'd always clank them, the pickup sounded pretty darn good. And I agree...my 76 used to be ash/maple, but I put an 83 neck on it a few years ago with rosewood, and it's a tone monster with the Geezers. But I didn't recommend the Geezer to you because you wanted a 70's sounding pickup and the Geezer has more bottom than that mid-late 70's era pickup. It's based on the stock pickup from Bobby Vega's 1960 Precision. Sounds freaking great, though! But I don't know of any pickups that have that mid-late 70's sound unless you find an old one on Ebay.
What I'm really looking for is just a neutral yet articulate vintage voiced pickup that's not too hot or aggressive but lets the precision bass tone through without adding too much color of it's own. My bass already articulates the lower frequencies well due to the northern ash body so any extra bottom from the pickup isn't needed. Jim C says his SPB-1 sounded exactly like the pickup in his 73' so I figure that's a good sign.62' Fender P-Bass pickups? or Seymour Duncan SPB-1 Vintage? I went ahead and got the Seymour Duncan and I think it'll work out fine. I'll check back after I get the bass back.
Interesting side note, when I dropped the bass off, the tech saw the white undercoat visible at the forearm rub and said that it's kilz paint.
Interesting side note, when I dropped the bass off, the tech saw the white undercoat visible at the forearm rub and said that it's kilz paint.
