But…but…but why would you cover up all that natural loveliness?! I mean, sure, it's yours to do with as you please, and the end results are very nice, but still…
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But…but…but why would you cover up all that natural loveliness?! I mean, sure, it's yours to do with as you please, and the end results are very nice, but still…
I really liked the look as well, but it weighed almost 10lbs. So I planed off the back, chambered the body, then put a veneer over the chambering. It wasn't a perfect job and the visible flaws bugged me too much, so I had it all covered up!
Yes, those are G&L P MFDs that I bought from the factory. The P MFDs work really well with the L-2000 electronics and controls.
There are actually a bunch of Matadors out there with P MFDs, and I just ordered a Matador with MFDs, so it can be done. Here's a couple of images from the net.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,015
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- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Gorgeous bass, the Dimarzio Split P looks awesome, how does it sound? i've had gas for one for ages but I get the sense it may be a bit dark sounding for my taste
I don’t have a dual P setup yet, but I’m going to make one.
I keep going around and around what I might want out of a dual P setup. The variability of where everyone places the pickups contributes to the difficulty in deciding. I’ve done a lot of work with photos to try and work out pickup placements as best as I can, and listened to a lot of YouTube examples where I could find them. Maybe this will help others if I share it.
For me, it boils down to a few choices - all centered around the fact that I really want the original Precision pickup in its original location. Not many makers keep this - many seem to move the Precision EA coil to the front 60’s Jazz Bass location. (Alien Audio do this, for instance.)
Turns out the old BC Rich Basses - the Eagle and Mockingbird - kept the P pickup in its original location, though they sometimes changed the orientation of the coils. And the rear pickup, from what I can tell, either has the centerline between the halves on the 60’s Jazz Bass rest pickup position, or the coil of the front part of the P pickup on that line. So finding audio of those basses is helpful, at least to some degree. I’ve gone looking for Precisions and others as well when I can find them.
Here’s what I think the sonic choices end up being, depending on pickup orientation.
1. Dual P, non- reversed.
Front pickup sounds familiar on its own. Rear pickup sounds a little thinner on DG strings, but absolutely magnificent mixed in with the front. IMO
(This video flips between Eagle and Mockingbird - different P orientations)
2. Dual P, reversed.
The front pickup sounds Precision-ish, and perhaps better balanced between strings, but it sounds to me more like a modern humbucker overall at the front and also the rear position. The rear pickup sounds more balanced on its own as well. It’s a great sound, and I like it, but it kind of stops having a Precision character in some ways, at least to me. More like a modern double humbucker bass. Others I’m certain will disagree. But that’s my take.
https://youtu.be/H9V8E7X7QQg
3. Front P pickup non-reversed, rear P pickup reversed.
Not a lot of these out there. Mainly Warwicks. Alien Audio as well, but I haven’t included video from them as the P pickup is shifted forwards a bit into Jazz coil position. This I thought was my solution, but I’m less sure now than I was. The front pickup on its own sounds typical Precision, the rear pickup on its own sounds balanced, but the blend is interesting. Jazzish on the EA strings and Stingray-esque on the DG strings.
https://youtu.be/cosmaeHQSsQ
I’m still making up my own mind. If anyone has other audio samples to add, WITH the front P pickup still in the usual position (either reversed or non reversed), I’d love to hear them.
I keep going around and around what I might want out of a dual P setup. The variability of where everyone places the pickups contributes to the difficulty in deciding. I’ve done a lot of work with photos to try and work out pickup placements as best as I can, and listened to a lot of YouTube examples where I could find them. Maybe this will help others if I share it.
For me, it boils down to a few choices - all centered around the fact that I really want the original Precision pickup in its original location. Not many makers keep this - many seem to move the Precision EA coil to the front 60’s Jazz Bass location. (Alien Audio do this, for instance.)
Turns out the old BC Rich Basses - the Eagle and Mockingbird - kept the P pickup in its original location, though they sometimes changed the orientation of the coils. And the rear pickup, from what I can tell, either has the centerline between the halves on the 60’s Jazz Bass rest pickup position, or the coil of the front part of the P pickup on that line. So finding audio of those basses is helpful, at least to some degree. I’ve gone looking for Precisions and others as well when I can find them.
Here’s what I think the sonic choices end up being, depending on pickup orientation.
1. Dual P, non- reversed.
Front pickup sounds familiar on its own. Rear pickup sounds a little thinner on DG strings, but absolutely magnificent mixed in with the front. IMO
(This video flips between Eagle and Mockingbird - different P orientations)
2. Dual P, reversed.
The front pickup sounds Precision-ish, and perhaps better balanced between strings, but it sounds to me more like a modern humbucker overall at the front and also the rear position. The rear pickup sounds more balanced on its own as well. It’s a great sound, and I like it, but it kind of stops having a Precision character in some ways, at least to me. More like a modern double humbucker bass. Others I’m certain will disagree. But that’s my take.
https://youtu.be/H9V8E7X7QQg
3. Front P pickup non-reversed, rear P pickup reversed.
Not a lot of these out there. Mainly Warwicks. Alien Audio as well, but I haven’t included video from them as the P pickup is shifted forwards a bit into Jazz coil position. This I thought was my solution, but I’m less sure now than I was. The front pickup on its own sounds typical Precision, the rear pickup on its own sounds balanced, but the blend is interesting. Jazzish on the EA strings and Stingray-esque on the DG strings.
https://youtu.be/cosmaeHQSsQ
I’m still making up my own mind. If anyone has other audio samples to add, WITH the front P pickup still in the usual position (either reversed or non reversed), I’d love to hear them.
Dual reverse P.
A non-reversed bridge P pickup alone sounds absolutely horrible on the D and G strings. Too thin. Waaaaaaaay too thin.
A reversed bridge P pickup alone sounds absolutely incredible. Vowel-like muah attack on the E and A strings while the D and G strings are sensed at a position that gives them enough heft and grunt to be actually usable without being thin.
A non-reversed bridge P pickup alone sounds absolutely horrible on the D and G strings. Too thin. Waaaaaaaay too thin.
A reversed bridge P pickup alone sounds absolutely incredible. Vowel-like muah attack on the E and A strings while the D and G strings are sensed at a position that gives them enough heft and grunt to be actually usable without being thin.
- Bought this 70s Goya from a TBR as neck/body/bridge. For 100.00
One piece mahogany body
With the 1.75 " nut it was a good candidate for a 5 string conversion.
Added the tuner. Filed a nut. Added a string module to a 4 string Kahler fixed bridge. 15.5 mm spaced. Since the neck heel is only 2.5"
2x EMG P5a (alnico) pickups.
Man this thing is great . Seriously a killer B.
Installed cheapo gold tuners, and double sided taped the gold ashtrays.
Also Black Pearl block inlay stickers
After 16 pages, I still can't find a pic of what I want to see.
Does anyone have a picture of a standard Precision, with dual reverse P pickups, with the neck pickup in the exact same position as stock but just reversed, with both pickups the same color?
Exactly like this picture, exactly like the bass on the left, but with both pickups the same color?
If anyone has such a picture, please post it. Exactly the same pickup placement as the bass above on the left (no repositioned neck pickups) but with both pickups the same color.
Thanks!
Does anyone have a picture of a standard Precision, with dual reverse P pickups, with the neck pickup in the exact same position as stock but just reversed, with both pickups the same color?
Exactly like this picture, exactly like the bass on the left, but with both pickups the same color?
If anyone has such a picture, please post it. Exactly the same pickup placement as the bass above on the left (no repositioned neck pickups) but with both pickups the same color.
Thanks!
Ah, but if you never use the rear P pickup on its own, does it matter?
If the goal is to have a typical P bass but with ‘a little extra’ to add spice, the non-reverse P in the rear position sounds good to me.
The mix of the 2 non-reverse pickups sounds better to me than the 2 reversed ones together, and I can see it working like a PJ setup - you mix in a little rear pickup to taste, but the front pickup is the primary.
I also suspect a bridge P pickup (Whether reversed or not) needs to be very heavy on the lows and mids, and not so much treble. Perhaps like a DiMarzio Model P...
I was specifically referring to using the bridge pickup alone; I personally never mix pickups as it doesn't work with my distorted tone. I absolutely hate any sort of scoop.
It is a good idea to use a pickup that is heavier in the lows and low mids in the bridge position (like the Dimarzio Model P or J for a jazz pickup; or Bartolini 9S) however it isn't completely necessary. The closer to the bridge the warmer the pickup should be. However, the P pickup on its own is usually less likely to be as thin and nasally as a jazz pickup at the bridge, reversed or not.
I’ll echo this request. The BC Rich Eagle is as close as I’ve seen online, but it’s completely differently constructed, plus the preamp...
I'm not saying the above Precision with the two different colored pics looks bad, I actually really think it looks great!
I just want to see a plain old Precision with two reverse position P pickups in the proper positions.
You really should just play a PJ. Or listen to the owners here, and not so much the YouTube clips. YouTube clips have way too many variables. Johnny Long, for instance, sounds like Johnny Long no matter what bass he plays, or what pickup he solos.
By not reversing the bridge pickup, you’re basically saying that you don’t care that the tone of the D&G are useless, from that pickup. I use my bridge P pickup to add flavor to the neck pickup, which is always at 100%. Bridge pickup is between 50 and 80% usually. But, I can solo my bridge pup, if I choose, and still get a usable tone: a Stringray sound out of my Goblin Flake green bass, and a fatter jazz bass Jaco type sound out of my Orange Carlo.
Just my opinions based on experience.
I was sent a pic like I requested above, but it's a 5'er. Still get the idea though. Dual reverse P on a Precision with the neck pickup in the standard position looks great.
I'd STILL love to see a 4 string Precision with the pickups in the exact same positions as the red bass above. I'm surprised in 16 pages no one has done this. BTW, turns out that Precision with the two different color pickups has the neck pickup placed about 1/4" forward from the standard position.
Very true. Johnny Long sounds great on everything.
I own 2 different PJ’s already. They’re great. A dual PP for me is about trying a new flavour.
You’re right. I don’t really mind if the bridge pickup sounds terrible on its own. In my opinion the bridge pickup solo is not a sound I very much like on any Jazz either, or a PJ. I like both Jazz pickups on full in a Jazz. If I can’t hear myself in a mix, I’ll roll off the neck a bit and shift my hand position towards the bridge. But bridge on its own (100%) is not that great IMO. Yes, I know, Jaco....
Many PJ setups do exactly this shift in the front pickup - it moves the EA precision coil into the same space as the front Jazz pickup coil on a Jazz. I think a lot of PP setups do as well - though you’ll have to examine photos closely.
I’m of the camp though that thinks this shift does make a difference to the tone of a Precision pickup. It sounds Precision-like, but not quite the real deal. Same for coil reversal.
I’ll see if I can find any dual PP clips that meet your request.
