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Better string-to-string balance p-bass PU?

W

williamk

Apr 2, 2008
871
28
#1
hi all,
so we all know that best/better/amazing pickups is a subjective thing and that there is no 1 good answer, but I have very specific things I need and I'm sure someone here can help, as I have read of people around who seem to have virtually tested and tried all brands/models. I have searched for an answer with the search engine and have found some info but would like a more "recent" input as well.

I recently acquired a AVRI '57 p-bass and it is a fantastic instrument; good looking, light, sounds amazing, well crafted...def a keeper! Unfortunately I think I'm going to have to change the PU's; they sound fantastic, but have a very bad string balance of volume/punch because of those damn high A poles. It's hard for me to tell if the A is louder or if the E is less so, one thing is for sure all strings are not equal and it's completely unacceptable for an instrument of this value. I wrote a thread yesterday about this; (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/avri-raised-pu-poles-help-914131/ )
I've tried lowering the PU's but it barely changed anything; I really want to keep this bass so I'm going to try new PU's.
I guess I'm on the look-out for PU's that are very similar to the ones already installed but with better string to string balance. I've done a few home recordings and they sit very well in the mix; I bought this bass because I like a good vintage p-bass sound. I play pop/funk (nothing very heavy with distorted guitars) fingerstyle only (and some slap) and I use rounds mostly.

What I'd love to have is
1-better string to string balance
2-the same mid-heavy vintage p-bass sounding PU

I don't care for muddy/scooped PU that might sound good on their own but disappear in a band. Actually I couldn't care less what my bass sounds like on its own.
Other criteria like company/price/power of output/color/etc are secondary, as long as it fits in the bass. What would the experts recommend? I heard the Bill Lawrence PU's had the best string to string balance but I've never seen them around here...are they hard to find?
Thanks a bunch!
 
#2
I put a P/J set of Bill Lawrence (Wilde) pickups in my Squier VM Jaguar and I was surprised how sensitive they were to height adjustments. When I first installed them, the P pickup was much louder than the J pickup, but with a few turns of the screws, they evened out very nicely, both string-to-string and pickup-to-pickup.

I'm hesitant to talk to the tone of the P pickup because this is my first bass with a P pickup. I can say that compared to the "Duncan Designed" pickups that came with the bass these sound fuller (a bit deeper lows, and more articulate highs) and more neutral sounding (they don't have an obvious peak, at least to my ear). I really like the J pickup in the bridge position. It doesn't sound as "honky" as most J bridge pickups sound to me (which also included the pup that came with it).

I am inclined to think the P-46 would address your concerns. It's a great value, as well.
 
#4
Hi Williamk

I replaced my Fender original pickup (the one you get in the AVRI '62 Precision) with a Lindy Fralin P-bass pickup and I am completely blown away by the quality of the tone. There was nothing wrong with the Fender pup but I was just curious after reading so much about them.
I am so happy I did change to the Fralin. It does all you are asking here, and more. It's hard to descibe in words really, pretty futile but if you can afford one just get it, have it installed and never look back. I seriously cannot walk past my bass without having a quick go these days. It sounds and responds that well. Vintage, clear, articulate and that single tone knob has more effect now from open to fully closed it is all usable. There are many P pickups available but I would buy a Fralin again in a heartbeat.
 
#6
You might try something with blades or adjustable pole pieces. I know dimarzio has both, though I can't comment on tone as I have neither. My schaller p pup (almost identical to dimarzio with adjustable poles) has an excellent, even response. I've also had excellent experiences with duncans, especially the antiquity series for vintage tone, though I've only tried their j's.
 
#7
williamk said:
ok, thanks, I'll check into those. is it the kind of PU you can only buy online? I'm pretty sure I've never seen them in a music store...
Click to expand...

I ordered mine online. If you go to the Lindy Fralin website you should find a dealer there.
If you search here on Talkbass you will find a lot of love for them.
I would personally say that the above mentioned pickups by others are very good at what they do but they are not vintage sounding. More hot and modern. (Bill Lawrence pickup excluded but I have no personal experience there. I do believe they don't look trad though as they have more pole pieces than a normal P?)

Seeing as you have a very nice '57 reissue and not any old P-bass I would defo go for the best quality vintage pickup I could find.

See also: Lollar,Nordstrand, and Basslines Antiquity II (although the Antiquitys come pre-reliced specifically to suit old looking basses so if your bass looks new they may not suit it aesthetically)

8ut after installing the Fralin in my P, I am done, set and happy!
 
#8
Are you 100% sure it's the pickup and not the strings? Maybe you should change the strings first with a set that you already know has good balance, just to rule out the possibility of it being the strings. Remember that you might also have a bad string.
 
#9
matante said:
Are you 100% sure it's the pickup and not the strings? Maybe you should change the strings first with a set that you already know has good balance, just to rule out the possibility of it being the strings. Remember that you might also have a bad string.
Click to expand...

I could but these strings (DR Sunbeams) have been installed brand new 2 days ago by a professional luthier. I've also had these strings on other basses before and love them...I'm pretty sure it's not a string issue.
 
#10
williamk said:
I could but these strings (DR Sunbeams) have been installed brand new 2 days ago by a professional luthier. I've also had these strings on other basses before and love them...I'm pretty sure it's not a string issue.
Click to expand...

OK, I was under the impression that you had the original strings on the bass. So you're saying you had the same problem when you first got the bass, before you changed strings? And when the luthier installed these strings he didn't mention anything to you about the sound not being balanced?
 
#11
matante said:
OK, I was under the impression that you had the original strings on the bass. So you're saying you had the same problem when you first got the bass, before you changed strings? And when the luthier installed these strings he didn't mention anything to you about the sound not being balanced?
Click to expand...

well it IS hard to judge because when I got the bass it was used and the previous owner had taken little care of it; when I got it, the strings were long-dead and the neck was dirty and all (which also gave me the excuse to lower the price to 900$, and it is in pristine condition, just lacked a little TLC!)...so basically I had it cleaned and setup entirely, with this fresh pack of sunbeams. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is not string-related.
 
#12
williamk said:
well it IS hard to judge because when I got the bass it was used and the previous owner had taken little care of it; when I got it, the strings were long-dead and the neck was dirty and all (which also gave me the excuse to lower the price to 900$, and it is in pristine condition, just lacked a little TLC!)...so basically I had it cleaned and setup entirely, with this fresh pack of sunbeams. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is not string-related.
Click to expand...

That's what I mean. If a pro luthier did a set-up for you, including a string change, he should have told you the balance was off, why it was off, and what to do about it. He should not have been satisfied with giving you back your bass and charging you for a set-up when the sound balance is off. That's a big part of why people get set-ups to begin with.
 
#13
matante said:
That's what I mean. If a pro luthier did a set-up for you, including a string change, he should have told you the balance was off, why it was off, and what to do about it. He should not have been satisfied with giving you back your bass and charging you for a set-up when the sound balance is off. That's a big part of why people get set-ups to begin with.
Click to expand...

you're right. first of all, it's not drastic; just enough to annoy me. secondly, that's why I'm pretty sure it's not a string issue; I have read here on TB, since the discovery of my problem, that these specific pickups have the raised A poles to compensate for some weak A strings back in the days...but others seem to just deal with it while I personally find it to be a pain in the a$$...I'm pretty sure the luthier just knew this was the way the bass is supposed to sound.
 
#14
In that case pretty much any P pick up can give you a balanced sound. It's a matter of finding that middy vintage tone you're after. I say look at pickups with lower output. You might want to just start another thread asking 'which P pickups for a vintage sound with lots of mids'. You may get more replies that way.
 
#15
matante said:
In that case pretty much any P pick up can give you a balanced sound. It's a matter of finding that middy vintage tone you're after. I say look at pickups with lower output. You might want to just start another thread asking 'which P pickups for a vintage sound with lots of mids'. You may get more replies that way.
Click to expand...

yeah I guess...I feel a bit like I'm polluting this forum though!:ninja:
 
#16
williamk said:
you're right. first of all, it's not drastic; just enough to annoy me. secondly, that's why I'm pretty sure it's not a string issue; I have read here on TB, since the discovery of my problem, that these specific pickups have the raised A poles to compensate for some weak A strings back in the days...but others seem to just deal with it while I personally find it to be a pain in the a$$...I'm pretty sure the luthier just knew this was the way the bass is supposed to sound.
Click to expand...

Your bass is not meant to sound unbalanced. It has a period correct design quirk to make it sound balanced in 1957.
So, you like the sound of your bass except for the annoying balancing issue?
The simple and more cost effective solution is just buy yourself a Fender original pickup which is the same as what you already have but with balanced pole pieces. It's what comes in the '62 AVRI Precision and is half the price of the Fralin.
You don't need to go for a boutique hand wound pickup to get a good tone. The Fender Original is very nice sounding anyway.
 
#17
... Sounds like my above post should have been my first response doesn't it? My apologies, I'm just so stoked with this Fralin I have that I thought you have an opportunity to be the same.
Good luck and I hope you get the problem solved soon.
 

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