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EMG for slap

S

softscrubmonkey

Nov 19, 2004
136
0
St. Louis
#1
ok ive searched for three days now, and cant find what im looking for. I need a real good pickup for a clear, defined, with great highs, and plenty of lows, for slap. Its going in a olp mm2, so it will be the only pickup with 3 knob config. Im willing to spend a decent amount ($250-300?)

Ive been looking at EMGs but im not sure which ones would suit me best. I need a decent amount of flexibility, close to wooten-like tone but also a good hard rock slap type (early incubus)

Preamps suggestions are also welcome, possibly a EMG with a BTQ?

Any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
 
#2
Can't help you with the MM pickup...I have a 5 string J-Type bass with EMG J pups.

They are, in my opinion, great for slapping.

Electronics wise, you could get a BTC (bass/treble concentric) and fill the third hole with the EMG-EXB Bass expander module. It's like having an on-board contour control...turning it up boosts the lows and highs while rolling back the mids...a very powerful knob!!!

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I don't slap much, but the combination of the units I described is flexible, simple and sounds great!!!
 
#4
FWIW:

I don't slap except for goofing off but in my recall from experience and reading previous posts, Active EMG J's and PJ's are good slap pups. And I've had several sets of used EMG J's that had slap burns. Anything that is clear, with a full bottom and good top end (especially with a fair amount of presence to it) that you can cut mids out will produce a decent slap tone. Amp factors in as well and some of the newer GK's seem to be the choice for slap.

Never had any of their active soaps but I would speculate their probably signature EMG in tone.

Also to my knowledge, there is no BTQ. There's a BTC/S and BQC/S.

I've had the BTC and it takes the active EMG's to another level. I've also had the BQC and I personally wouldn't have another variable mid - and unlike the Aggie, you don't have a choice. Too hard/slow to find a tone and too hard/slow to get back to it. Two band is good enough for Sadowsky and there's some merit to that. I haven't had the EXB but it looks like it would fit the bill and it doesn't look to be a stacked knob so you won't have to spend all day tweaking to get tone. But I would think the BTC/S would be all the control you would need. I don't know if there's like a flat setting so you could kick the EXB out when you didn't want slap tone or not. However, it may be very useful in general, not just for slap.
 
#5
Yeah, thanks, i like the idea of the BTC with the EXB, and this bass is gonna be soley for slap. because believe it or not, i LOVE the sound i get out of my stock olp for everything but slap, so im just gonna buy another one, and deck it out with the EMGs and make that my slap bass. and then ill always have a backup bass because the olp is all i got right now.
 
#6
softscrubmonkey said:
because believe it or not, i LOVE the sound i get out of my stock olp for everything but slap, so im just gonna buy another one, and deck it out with the EMGs and make that my slap bass. and then ill always have a backup bass because the olp is all i got right now.
Click to expand...

FWIW:

Not only do I believe it, I know it as well. A headstock does not make a bass. There are plenty of low end pieces that par Boutique stuff comfort wise, playability wise, and tonewise. And those are my personal top 3 priorities.

Nobody's likely to steal your beater from the looks of it or seeing a name on the case/gig bag.
 
#7
yeah i have alot of friends and people that tell me my bass sucks and to get a fender or something, but then i plug it into my amp and they just kinda go oh... and they stop making suggestions. by simply turning a knob and picking in the right spot i can get an AMAZING p bass sound, then crank the knob back up and pluck more towards the neck and i can get a j bass sound bettre than all of my friends that paid 4-500 for theirs. alot of it is my amp which i took forever amounts of time in picking out. but its worth it when your 16 and dont have the money to be buying and selling gear left and right.
 

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