best vintage sounding p-bass pup's

[1dreday]

looking for the fat deep 60's sound with lower output, I was intrested in possible Alnico 3 magnet pickups,
but looking for suggestions

 

[PawleeP]

i think lollar weakens their alnico magnets, and may suit you, but their are probably many other brands too.. p

 

[Slaphound]

I dont know what pickups are in the Fender 50's MIM P bass but I believe that they sound just like the tone you hear on Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign".

 

[sikamikanico]

I like my Fralin that came in the Glaub... I'm pretty sure it's the normal wound one. I guess once you get into boutique territory, we all have our favorites for whatever reason. I'm sure Nordstrand, Lollar, Novak, et al. all make fine pickups. But I also think a good ol' SPB-1 could do the job.

That said, in samples/shootouts I've heard, I can barely distinguish most "vintage spec'ed" P bass pickups - just different flavors of the same. I could be tone-deaf, but I think that once you're in the general tonal area, it's easier to fine-tune the sound with string choice (+ setup and technique, of course).

But of course, it all depends also on your bass, and on your ears...

 

[Gavin220168]

looking for the fat deep 60's sound with lower output, I was intrested in possible Alnico 3 magnet pickups,
but looking for suggestions

Nordstrand NP4 alnico III or Nordstrand NP4V for vintage alnico III, I can't hear much difference.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Seymour Duncan SPB-1.

For $75 you really cannot go wrong with this pickup. I have one in my Classic 50's Precision and love it. It's Alnico 5, but still is an awesome "vintage" sounding P Bass pickup. I'm sure the Antiquities are even closer to what you're looking for, but they're Alnico 2 and Alnico 5.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

I dont know what pickups are in the Fender 50's MIM P bass but I believe that they sound just like the tone you hear on Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign".

It's the "older" American Standard pickup they used to use in the, well, American Standards!

I agree, they are great sounding pickups. Just personal preference, but I prefer the SD SPB-1, so I put that in my Classic 50's P and put the Classic 50's stock pickup in my buddy's P Bass and he loves it.