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Best P pup for a round/bluesy tone? (SPB-2 content)

::::BASSIST::::

::::BASSIST::::

Progress Not Perfection.
Sep 2, 2004
12,524
291
Vancouver, BC Canada
#1
I'm think the SPB-2 is what I want but I just want to make sure...

What confuses me is when some have said the SPB-2 has strong mids and others say its round. To me, those are almost polar opposite tones.

The SD site says:

SPB-2

EQ: 5 / 6 / 5 (Treb / Mid / Bass)

How can it be round if the mids are more pronounced?

What I'm looking for is an ultra warm, bluesy, round P pup with diminished highs and mids which are very smooth and not honky at all.

Suggestions?
 
#2
Lawrence P-46 and turn down the hi's at your amp a bit. Very clear, nice and full throughout the spectrum. Takes to EQ really well IMO. I could totally gig that in a blues band setting.

You can ping MaddAnthony59 as he has my old Orange Reverend - that one has the P-46 installed. I gigged that setup in a blues, alt country, surf 'a billy thing for quite a while.
 
#5
To me round is not scooped. In fact I think of round has having a mid presence without too much high end. But that's the problem. Warm, round, growlly, punchy, musical all can mean different things to different people.

If you are looking for a reduction in mids as in more highs and lows, the 1/4 pounder seems to be the one. IME, going with a Nordstrand NP4 I got a reduction in low mids with an increase in high mids and highes. Better note definition all the way around.
 
#6
::::BASSIST:::: said:
While looking into the Lawrence p-46 I found this:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

interesting controversy over who is actually making Bill Lawerence pups.
Click to expand...

not really. You can only purchase Bill Lawrence pickups direct from his company http://www.billlawrence.com/

No controversy really. That other stuff happened a long time ago and involved the XL line of pickups. The guy has gotten screwed around a few times. Enough to make me wonder about his general business sense... It looked like he basically sold the rights to something and got taken to the cleaners on it... It's sad as it looks like he's been taken advantage of more than once. I've had my ear talked off there - trust me - you don't want to bring that stuff up when you order from Becky. You'll never get off the phone ... That he makes some unique and incredibly good pickups has never been question though.

I've got an old set of XL-500's in one of my guitars - they're pretty impressive - I have no idea if they are *real* Lawrences or *fake* Lawrences - but they rock, so they're stayin' put ... I also have a set of his Telecaster pickups . P-90 in a Tele form factor and a medium hot Strat neck again in a Tele form factor. That's just a rippin' cool little Tele... Those pickups came straight from Bill as did a couple of P-46's and several J-45's. Those two remain some of my favorite P & J sets out there ...


and I would still ping Madd Ant and get another opinion of that pickup. at about $60 delivered - it's a steal IMO.
 
#7
DavePlaysBass said:
To me round is not scooped. In fact I think of round has having a mid presence without too much high end. But that's the problem. Warm, round, growlly, punchy, musical all can mean different things to different people.

If you are looking for a reduction in mids as in more highs and lows, the 1/4 pounder seems to be the one. IME, going with a Nordstrand NP4 I got a reduction in low mids with an increase in high mids and highes. Better note definition all the way around.
Click to expand...
I have the NP4s now and I agree there is much more high end stuff going on. Sounds great, but I am not sure its the tone I'm after for my Rockabilly band.

Thanks for that info 4Mal. Interesting stuff.
 
#8
DavePlaysBass said:
To me round is not scooped. In fact I think of round has having a mid presence without too much high end. But that's the problem. Warm, round, growlly, punchy, musical all can mean different things to different people.

If you are looking for a reduction in mids as in more highs and lows, the 1/4 pounder seems to be the one. IME, going with a Nordstrand NP4 I got a reduction in low mids with an increase in high mids and highes. Better note definition all the way around.
Click to expand...
+1

I would figure round to have more focus in the mids.
 
#9
round tone is focused on the low and low-mids...scooped tone is a combination of highs and lows with lack of mids..."bark" tone is a focus on high-mids...

to me, P-pickups when un-EQ'd sound more "hollow" and not really "round"...but when you roll off the high-end a bit (as you can easily on a classic P-bass), that low-end starts to dominate a bit and the tone begins to "round" out...

the problem is that often P-pickups are now voiced to have this sort of tone without EQ...and the result, IMO, is "muddy"...go for the clear, hollow sound...back off your tone control to taste and you have it...

My Recommendations:
Bill Lawrence P-46
Lindy Fralin
or
Nordstrand NP4

For a little more "bark", the DiMarzio is a fine pickup, too at a fine price...


what do I use...I use a stock pickup on a Yamaha RBX170 :) ...it lacks a bit of clarity...but I compensate for that by running my P/J in series (modded) and leaving the tone control wide open.
 
#14
I've had 'em in my P for years and have no complaints whatsoever. I use that bass for 80% of recording jobs as well - usually straight into the board. FWIW I also use flatwounds and have the bridge ashtray with a foam dampener for the Jamerson vibe. Much of my work is in the Blues and R&B genre as well, so I would say give them a shot!
 
#15
::::BASSIST:::: said:
Definitely dont want treble.
Click to expand...

if you don't want treble, one option is to get the cheapest P-bass pickup you can find...like a Wilkinson...

no sense spending money on anything "hi fi"...

I've had good experiences with a $20 Wilkinson pup...the output was even, the tone was round and not very defined...
I replaced it with the original pickup once I had the original repaired as the original had a higher output...I kind of regret selling it.
 
#17
I think you do want the SPB-2. It's very warm, fat, and smooth sounding, and I think it would be great for blues. The treble is reduced compared to a vintage P pickup. I agree with MCM that it's good for trios, because it fills lots of sonic space. I prefer the Fralin I have now, but the SBP-2 is great for certain applications.
 
#19
::::BASSIST:::: said:
I'm think the SPB-2 is what I want but I just want to make sure...

What confuses me is when some have said the SPB-2 has strong mids and others say its round. To me, those are almost polar opposite tones.

The SD site says:

SPB-2

EQ: 5 / 6 / 5 (Treb / Mid / Bass)

How can it be round if the mids are more pronounced?

What I'm looking for is an ultra warm, bluesy, round P pup with diminished highs and mids which are very smooth and not honky at all.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Had the spb-2 very very briefly, hated it and could not wait to take it out, way too much mids and i usually boost the mids, what made it worse is that the lows seemed to be rolled off , contrary to most peoples opinions i found the spb-2 really lacked warmth, in fact i would go so far to say it is the worst sounding pickup i have ever heard.
 
#20
My experience was that spb-1 sounded exactly as your description: warm, bluesy, round. Why web site has them defined as scooped, is beyond me. Maybe Seymour Duncans "mids" are real-life high-mids, and their "bass" is low mids? Because, that is how spb-1 feels, low-mids-focused.
Never tried spb-2, but I think of them something like overwound Schallers I used to own, high output and high-mids focused. That's not what you're looking for!
 

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