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EMG pickups for 5 string bass

M

metallibass95

Apr 7, 2009
126
2
#1
I am looking to buy EMG humbucker style pickups for a 5 string bass and there are so many different models to choose from. The models I am looking at are the 40P5, 40DC, and 40CS pickups.

Anybody with experience playing those 3 models, testing, and comparing the sounds against each other with controlled or at least very similar variables (same bass, amp, strings, settings, etc.) could you tell me the difference in the sounds of all those?

Also i've heard of alot of people mixing those 3 models putting one model in the neck and a different in the bridge, anybody know what models would sound the best in what places? Thankyou.
 
#2
metallibass95 said:
I am looking to buy EMG humbucker style pickups for a 5 string bass and there are so many different models to choose from. The models I am looking at are the 40P5, 40DC, and 40CS pickups.

Anybody with experience playing those 3 models, testing, and comparing the sounds against each other with controlled or at least very similar variables (same bass, amp, strings, settings, etc.) could you tell me the difference in the sounds of all those?

Also i've heard of alot of people mixing those 3 models putting one model in the neck and a different in the bridge, anybody know what models would sound the best in what places? Thankyou.
Click to expand...

I recently installed a pair of EMG 40P5 p/u's in my Schecter Elite-5. They're a big improvement over the factory installed passive EMG-HZ's, but the tone is still not quite where I want it to be. So i'm about to remove the EMG BTS preamp and replace it with a Aguilar OBP-2 TK preamp.

Before I bought the 40P5's I considered buying one for the neck position and a 40J for the bridge position. But I prefer a fatter tone, so I went with the 40P5's.

Can't comment on the 40DC or 40CS.

TD
 
#3
The thing to keep in mind about the P5 is that the two coils are wired in parallel, so it's not a full sounding as a real P pickup. I used to use P5s and Js in my basses back in the 90s.

The CS might be a fuller sounding pickup, but I've never used any.

The DC is kind of edgy and harsh sounding, and is supposed to sound like a MM pickup.
 
#4
SGD Lutherie said:
The thing to keep in mind about the P5 is that the two coils are wired in parallel, so it's not a full sounding as a real P pickup. I used to use P5s and Js in my basses back in the 90s.

The CS might be a fuller sounding pickup, but I've never used any.

The DC is kind of edgy and harsh sounding, and is supposed to sound like a MM pickup.
Click to expand...

yea i want the fullest sounding pickups I can find, thats why im not considering any J pickups, they seem to not have the fullness I am looking for. And if by MM you mean music man, i figured those to be the fullest warmest sounding pickups seeing as how the stingrays have that real warm smooth low end, at least thats what ive heard from them
 
#5
metallibass95 said:
yea i want the fullest sounding pickups I can find, thats why im not considering any J pickups, they seem to not have the fullness I am looking for. And if by MM you mean music man, i figured those to be the fullest warmest sounding pickups seeing as how the stingrays have that real warm smooth low end, at least thats what ive heard from them
Click to expand...

Yes, MM=Music Man. But the DC only sounds good in the Music Man "sweet spot". It's harsh and plasticy sounding at the bridge position.

They came out with the CS as a result of people wanting a warmer tone.
 
#6
SGD Lutherie said:
Yes, MM=Music Man. But the DC only sounds good in the Music Man "sweet spot". It's harsh and plasticy sounding at the bridge position.

They came out with the CS as a result of people wanting a warmer tone.
Click to expand...

yea the CS sounds like just what I am looking for. just wondering this may sound like a dumb question, but the 40P is that supposed to be a humbucker thats supposed to be close to a P pickup in sound?

and yea thats right the MM sweet spot technically isnt at the bridge its away from it a bit isnt it? but yea basicly im looking for something that might imitate that sweet spot sound, got all the clarity i could want but i need real warm smooth yet powerful lows
 
#7
metallibass95 said:
yea the CS sounds like just what I am looking for. just wondering this may sound like a dumb question, but the 40P is that supposed to be a humbucker thats supposed to be close to a P pickup in sound?
Click to expand...

It's not supposed to sound like a real P bass. What's the point in that? You could just use a P bass. It was supposed to have a cleaner tone with more highs, since that was one reason people replaced their stock P pickups.

It's actually from their old HB pickup as used in Steinberger L series basses. It's based on a P pickup, but different. But the 40P sounds like the regular P model from EMG.

and yea thats right the MM sweet spot technically isnt at the bridge its away from it a bit isnt it? but yea basicly im looking for something that might imitate that sweet spot sound, got all the clarity i could want but i need real warm smooth yet powerful lows
Click to expand...

The sweet spot is kind of between the bridge and middle. The DC does not have powerful lows. I haven't used any CSs, but I stopped using EMGs in my custom basses because they weren't warm and deep enough. They are good sounding pickups, but I was looking for something else.
 
#8
I had bad luck with one of those P style EMG's in the soapbar package - it was rather dead on one of my strings - and it didn't give me much of a "P" vibe when I soloed it. Not familiar with the CS models, but I'd go for their humbuckers (as in two full coils) before trying a pseudo P/J layout again.

I'd say you're probably on the right track with the CS versions.
 

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