• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Dual pickup P basses?

T-Mac

T-Mac

Feb 2, 2005
350
5
Philadelphia, PA
#1
Hey folks,

I've been thinking of new Warmoth project bass. I've never been impressed with the popular P/J configuration, so my plan was to go with a P/P.

Since the bridge PUP usually has lower output, my thought was to put a 1/4 pounder in that spot and go with a Fender '62 PUP in the mid spot. I think that would balance better then the P/Js I've played (the bridge Js are usually weak, IMO).

Has anyone ever played a dual PUP P bass? If so, what where your impressions? Were the PUPs both in "standard" positions, or were they mirror imaged, ala the Warwick Buzzard?

b2.jpg


TIA,

Mac.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PawleeP
#2
I had one built by John Wymore (formerly of Black Rose Customs, now of wymore guitars) several years back with similar specs to what you mention - had a 1/4 pounder in the bridge position and a Duncan vintage in the neck.

The bridge pickup was anything but weak - had a nice throaty growl that complimented the thump of the neck pickup nicely. However, as time wore on I found myself soloing the neck pickup more and more. Not an issue with the sound, just my preferences.

I foolishly sold the bass a few years back, and have been unable to track it down. Would love to have it back again.

Link Removed

Link Removed
 
#3
Before you put a stake through the heart on P/J pups, you should check out a Fralin P/J set. I have them on my Fender Hot Rod P and they sound great.

This is from the Angela site in the Fralin Pickups link:

http://www.angela.com/


5. THE BEST Lindy Fralin Custom P-J Split Coil Pickup Set For Fender Basses. Includes one set of split coil Precision Bass style pickups and one split coil humbucking Jazz Bass style bridge pickup. Lindy's split coil design for the Jazz Bass bridge pickup involves two side by side RW/RP coils. You get all of the tone of a vintage Jazz Bass pickup without the noise! This design overcomes the compatibility problems encountered when trying to mate other P-Bass sets with a Jazz Bass bridge pickup. No matter how you combine the pickups with your volume controls the lowest possible noise floor is maintained with the highest possible output. If you're building or upgrading a P/J Bass this is the best pickup set you can buy. Black fibreboard coil forms, alnico magnets, vintage style magnet wire, black plastic pickup covers. Good mounting hardware is included. Exact replacement for Fender and most othe P/J Basses. NEW! FREE prompt Insured shipping in the continental USA for all orders including Fralin pickups! ONE SET $240! TEN TO NINTEEN SETS $228 EACH. BUY TWENTY OR MORE SETS FOR JUST $216 EACH!

Just my .02
 
#6
Now that I think of it, Lee Sklar was known to use a P-Bass with an extra split-coil in the bridge position. IIRC, Gibson even had a Lee Sklar signature model with the double-P pickup configuration. I've also seen pictures of a production Fender from the 80's that had a double-P configuration. Maybe that was also a Lee Sklar sig model? Not sure.

And I'm wracking my brains to remember who made it...but there was a bass I once saw with two P-bass pickups arranged in a funny way: they were slanted so that one of them had both both coils under the E and A strings, and the other had both coils under the D and G strings. Sort of like 2 mini humbuckers if you know what I mean.

Was it Moon Guitars? I just can't remember!
 
#8
You guys are making the G.A.S. worse! lol.

Lan, the Fender Precision Elite II was the dual model in the early-mid 80s. Everyone I know that has played one said they were fantastic. I was not aware of the Gibson Signature Sklar...thanks for the info.

Tom...I wish I could've taken your bass off your hands....that is almost exactly what I have in mind (2 V/T pots from the looks of it).

The only other thing I'd do is wire in a 3 way toggle PUP selector switch (neck/both/bridge). That way, I could have instant tone/volume change for fills and runs. Blend pots don't work fast enough for my clumsy hands ;)

Cheers!
 
  • Like
Reactions: BroDon
#9
I have been contemplating a dual P for some time now. What I would do -based on my fevered imagination, not experience with a similar precedent- is reverse both pups "bb" rather than "PP".

Link Removed

Compared to this image, I would leave the EA halves of the pups in the same position shown, and move the DG halves forward toward the neck (for both).
 
#13
T-Mac said:
I was not aware of the Gibson Signature Sklar...thanks for the info.
Click to expand...
Bobby King said:
I think that the Gibson Lee Sklar model was actually under the name Valley Arts Guitars.
Click to expand...
Could be. Lee had played and/or endorsed several different basses over the years. First the Fender P, then a Steinberger XL2, then Gibson. Also Yamaha for a while IIRC. He's also been a big promoter of Dingwall basses for at least 10 years now.
 
#14
LanEvo said:
And I'm wracking my brains to remember who made it...but there was a bass I once saw with two P-bass pickups arranged in a funny way: they were slanted so that one of them had both both coils under the E and A strings, and the other had both coils under the D and G strings. Sort of like 2 mini humbuckers if you know what I mean.

Was it Moon Guitars? I just can't remember!
Click to expand...



http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=471433&page=16

Scroll down to post #302. Is that what you mean?
 
#17
bassist4dalord said:
superp.jpg


Is that what you mean?
Click to expand...
That's actually pretty close. The one I saw was a bit different: the pickups were slanted/staggered so that they bunched up a bit closer together.

I should also clarify to say that I saw the bass in person (although I didn't have a chance to play it). It was around 1990 in a music shop in Hiroshima, back when I was living in Japan. I'm pretty sure it was made by Moon Guitars. But it could have been a Fernandez maybe? Hard to say after so many years...
 
#18
LanEvo said:
Now that I think of it, Lee Sklar was known to use a P-Bass with an extra split-coil in the bridge position. IIRC, Gibson even had a Lee Sklar signature model with the double-P pickup configuration. I've also seen pictures of a production Fender from the 80's that had a double-P configuration. Maybe that was also a Lee Sklar sig model? Not sure.

And I'm wracking my brains to remember who made it...but there was a bass I once saw with two P-bass pickups arranged in a funny way: they were slanted so that one of them had both both coils under the E and A strings, and the other had both coils under the D and G strings. Sort of like 2 mini humbuckers if you know what I mean.

Was it Moon Guitars? I just can't remember!
Click to expand...


Something like this?

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o236/ishodunno/loudnessbass2.jpg

You can it in action here:

 
#20
T-Mac said:
Hey folks,
Has anyone ever played a dual PUP P bass? If so, what where your impressions? Were the PUPs both in "standard" positions, or were they mirror imaged, ala the Warwick Buzzard?
Click to expand...

I did the same exact thing to a Precision copy (Cort if I remember) in 1985, with the pups from another Precision (which I broke by accident when the strap in the front got loose and the bass fall hard on the neck -imagine the rest).

I bought a 3-way selector and did that very same setting as on that Warwick, except that the pups were touching each other.

Everybody thought it had an awesome sound. My teacher (who basically taught me how to use my fingers and was it) was in complete awe and loved the sound of it and asked me to do the same to one of his Precisions (somehow I never did it).

Come to think of it, I have no clue what I did with this bass... :confused: (some of my gears I remember when I sold them the others.... biiig mistery).

I am still very attached to the Precision split pickups because I have two completely different sound if I play the same note on the D string or on the A string 5 frets below.

I like P/J setups :)

Note: I would not have done the same setup eventually, I would have kept the EA pickup farther from the bridge than the DG pickup instead.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back