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Another P pickup review thread

#21
Airy high end and balanced mids defines the Area P really well actually. It's a warm sounding pickup that has a lot more high end than the SD Antiquity II. For the money, I can't think of another pickup that sound as good. Even regardless of the money it's a pickup that can compete with Lollar and Aguilar. Lollar has a bit more high end and sounds a little bit more correct and stern but it's a beautiful sounding pickup. The Aguilar does not have a lot of high end but it has a really nice woolly tone and it punches nicely. The Aguilar has more bass than the Lollar and the DiMarzio Area P.

Going back to the original post, the EMG is my least favorite pickup of this group. I know it receives raves review but I don't like its tone, the high mids sound artificial and harsh to my ears. Nothing wrong with it, it's just not my cup of tea. The SD Antiquity II is vintage sounding and really warm but it could use a bit more high end to my current taste. It sounds big however and has lots of tone. The DiMarzio Model P is a ceramic pickup so it hits hard and fast with tons of highs and lows; it capture that 70's tone well and it never sounds harsh. Note however that it does not sound vintage at all. For that tone it's a great value. I have never tried the DiMarzio split P but I understand it's a bigger sounding version of the Model P which is already pretty big sounding to start with.

Hopes this helps. I think you will be happy with the Area P, particularly if you have been satisfied with the same model for Jazz.
 
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#22
Late to this party but really interested.
For the sake of sanity my recommendations are to just play tone on full; dulling it down is easily manipulated.
Play to a drum machine instead of a backing track.
We get to hear it in the mix more upfront than with guitars and vocals.
If you have to choose, chose fingers as I believe that pups are more tone sensitive to skin than plastic.
.02
 
#23
I'm using the Area PJ set in a Warmoth build.

The set sounds great, versatile, and "vintagey" IMO.

The Area P nails it for me when solo as well.

I also like the Area J set in an Ash body Warmoth JJ, as well as the Fender Super 55 J set in a Warmoth JJ.

No plans to swap out pickups in these basses!

IMG_0881.JPG
 
#24
M.J.F. said:
I too have tried many P pups, over 30 years.Here is what I found.Fender late 50's p pickups , some Fender re issues included (and are available)are hands down, the best..They have it all.The Fender 62's are too bass heavy.Dimarzio P 122, too loud, too much of every thing.pass, Emg, artificial, too polite and clean,pass.Barts are low-mid, I'll call them dark, but decent.The Wilde P, excellent, punch and phat.SD Antiquity and the Lindy Frahlin about a tie.Still prefer the early Fender.Both okay, but pricey.And here is curve ball.I got a Jag Squier for parts a few years ago, and threw those cheap P pups into a customers P bass , just to get it going.We were floored at how good that sucker sounded.I told him if he ever wanted to part with the bass or pups, call me.Go figure.These are what I have had in my hands to evaluate.Depends on the neck and body wood ect..I prefer the stock threaded bridge, more TONE.Hi mass bridges do not transmit wood tone.I know there are others,forgot.my 2 cents
Click to expand...

I totally agree that highmass bridge block the wood tone.
My Squier CV 60p come with highmass bridge.after I swap to fender vintage thread bridge, the G string get fuller sound, the A string won't get louder than other string anymore, and the E string lower note more focus and clear.
Overall tone become more organic to my ear.

The sustain still maintain with the vintage bridge.
 

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