Double Precision PUs

[pbgonecrazy99]

So this summer, I plan on getting to making the rest of the basses I have laying around. I have a lot of pu set ups, except for double precision. Anyone know if it would have a decent sound?

 

[kaiuk]

ive seen it done for metal. Apparently,it kind of sounds like a jazz bass with P's so kinda that more even smooth tone with a P feel if that makes sense

 

[pbgonecrazy99]

Are there any specific precision pu's designed for bridge position? Or should I just grab some SD quarters and throw em in poth positions?

 

[walterw]

it looks cool, like giant tires on a truck or something, but the sound never did it for me.

both pickups on is like a P/J or a jazz but cloudier, and the back P by itself is OK, but not very strong.

 

[markanini]

You'd want a hotter P pickup toward the bridge and regular output P pickup in the standard position. Two Q/P sound like a recipe for mud.

 

[dexter.nl]

My fender Precision Elite II, with the double P pu setup, sounds like an enourmous growling beast. The neck-pu sounds like you would expect from a precision neck-pu, the bridge-pu obviously sounds 'thinner' but adds a real nice 'growl' to my sound. They have seperate volume control. It runs on 9V though!

 

[pbgonecrazy99]

You'd want a hotter P pickup toward the bridge and regular output P pickup in the standard position. Two Q/P sound like a recipe for mud.

I am not too familiar with outputs and such in pickups (usually just throw in whatever). Could you point me in the right direction of what I should be looking at in pickup selection?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

It works really well. The two pickups balanced well and the bridge pickup is fatter and smoother than a Jazz.

I had a '74 P bass I did this to. Later I converted it to an 8-string.

(yes, that was a P bass once, but not this neck)

If I were going to do it again I would reverse the P pickups.

 

[pbgonecrazy99]

So if I was going to do the double precision pickups and use seymour duncans, should I do double SB-3's and then install a preamp? Don't know much about pickups and electronics so I don't know if it would work or not. So can some confirm/deny if this would be a good idea? The preamp I would be using is 2 Band Active/Pass Bass Preamp 4 Controls Chrome knobs - eBay (item 370448025315 end time Jun-17-11 19:07:45 PDT) or a seymour duncan preamp.

 

[darkstorm]

Basses with P bridge and neck sets can get excellent sounds. Theyve been standard pup setup for BC Richs american and import since the 1970's.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Someone else who likes double Ps.

 

[walterw]

and reversed at that!

 

[sikamikanico]

I would do something like in that Leland Sklar photo, add a couple of switches (I cannot tell if he has any) to switch from series to parallel and keep it passive...

 

[Bassamatic]

I have a BB400 that I am converting to a Lee Sklar Tribute bass - I got the idea when I saw the reversed P.

I have added the second P pup, but it should be hotter. Maybe a SD SPB2? And then I will move the first one up towards the neck a bit more.

This makes perfect sense to me sonically. You get a deep bottom from the neck and a thick and clear but not trebly sound from the bridge pup. I did this on my old Hagstrom adding 2 mudbuckers, neck and bridge to 1 standard pup and it sounds fantastic.

 

[Tom Howland]

Someone else who likes double Ps.

I always loved Lee's tone from this bass.
Reverse P-Pickups, in 60's Jazz position.
Fender needs to to this bass?

 

[bass_lord_mutha]

I played a Warwick John Entwistle Buzzard LTD with double-p pickups, and it sounded MAGNIFICENT....no bass has ever sounded as good since.

 

[xoloder]

i modified a squier with the double p setup. it has duncan 1/4 pounders in both locations and it sounds heavy, punchy, and aggresive. even the bridge pickup by itself sounds great. i wired it with 500k volumes and a fender no load tone pot. it used to have a push/pull series/parallel switch on the tone pot. it was great, but series mode was so hot and heavy it was ridiculous and unnecessary. i highly recommend a dual p setup if you are curious. mine gives me an array of VERY wonderful and usable sounds.

 

[Big John66]

If you do the double-p thing ala Sklar, you have to have the "producer" switch included.

 

[pbgonecrazy99]

i modified a squier with the double p setup. it has duncan 1/4 pounders in both locations and it sounds heavy, punchy, and aggresive. even the bridge pickup by itself sounds great. i wired it with 500k volumes and a fender no load tone pot. it used to have a push/pull series/parallel switch on the tone pot. it was great, but series mode was so hot and heavy it was ridiculous and unnecessary. i highly recommend a dual p setup if you are curious. mine gives me an array of VERY wonderful and usable sounds.

That is almost exactly what I am going for! Glad to know it is a good set up. Gonna get sum SB-3s and route some room and see how it goes.

 

[pbgonecrazy99]

BTW xoloder, how did you get a black precision pickguard to fit your squier? I once bought a black pickguard for mine, and didn't know it wouldn't fit until I tried it.