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EMG DC, CS, P5 comparison soundclips

#46
From listening to these more, I understand why people with Tonepumps, but wanting or needing less ultra high sizzle tend to like the CS pickups. Where the tonepump has a ton of high end and sheen, the CS pulls a surprising amount of the sizzle out, smoothing things out to the level of more traditional preamp sounds. Or much more so than the DC's.

I'm anxious to receive my 2nd P5 so I can hear a P5/P5 config. as well as a CS/CS.
 
#50
I was bored tonight and I had a Tonepump Jr. sitting around that was in my 2nd Rebop when I bought it. The wiring on it was horrid, so I rewired it tonight, and put it back in it's own Rebop along with 2 DC's to see how it stacks up against the 'real' Tonepump that was used in the other recordings.
(This is a different bass, and has used roundwounds (either EB Slinkies or SIT Power Nickles) on it rather than the same strings as the other recordings)

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According to Spectors details the Tonepump Jr is the same circuit made by the same person, but with less output than the full Tonepump. Visual comparison shows it to have different numbers of wires coming off the preamp. They seem to come stock on some import Spectors along with EMG Hz pickups. The tonal similarity seems 'viable' and in the same ballpark if not precise... may not have as much sheen and zing on the top end, but some may like that better.

.
 
#54
And... here's what I ended up going with in my 2 Rebops.

Rebop #1 w/ Tonepump = 2 EMG 40P5's
(Meaty, precision'ish type vibe but with a more modern punch and clarity than a straight precision)

Rebop #2 w/ EMG BQC 3-band = EMG 40DC neck & 40CS bridge
(The CS in the bridge tones done a bit of the brittleness that a DC bridge has... a bit warmer on the highs, but still Spector active EMG tone that I want to keep on one of the Rebops)

I think I'll keep 1 DC around so I have the option of a DC/P5 combination, or a DC/DC combination depending on how I swap things around.

So that means after I return the 3 pickups I borrowed for this test I'll have a pair of DC's and a pair of 40J's to sell.
 
#55
stflbn said:
And... here's what I ended up going with in my 2 Rebops.

Rebop #1 w/ Tonehammer = 2 EMG 40P5's
(Meaty, precision'ish type vibe but with a more modern punch and clarity than a straight precision)
Click to expand...

P5/P5 really is a nice combo, isn't it? I'm getting growl on the low end that I never got from my DC's or CS's, combined with that meaty, almost-a-P-bass vibe...
 
#57
Day off work today, so seeing as how I had the EMG passive tone control Pots sitting here I thought I'd Quick Connect together a 2 DC's Vol/Vol/Tone setup to compare. Same Spector bass, same strings as other clips.

So two active EMG DC pickups EMG Vol/Vol pots with the EMG passive tone control pot.

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(This clip is also added in the original post right under the DC/DC Tonepump clip.)

There definitely is less pristine EMG clarity and sizzle... I kind of like it. Kind of curious what the dual P5's would sound like with passive tone.

I have a SDG 2-band Musicman style preamp coming to try in this bass. We'll see how it compares to the Tonepump and passive.
 

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