Fender Precision Deluxe 5 string

[68doghouse]

Hi,
I recently purchased an American Fender Precision Deluxe 5 string with the standard P bass pup and an active humbucker bridge pup. I don't know if it's normal, but this bass seems to have a really weak pup signal. I normally have to turn my amp way up to get the same volume I normally get out of my other basses. Is this normal for this bass, or do I maybe have a problem? I love the tone of the bass, but the weak signal is pretty aggravating. I have a Geddy Lee jazz bass that just crushes the P bass as far as signal strength goes and the jazz is passive, so what gives? Any ideas? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks.

 

[Nedmundo]

I had a 1999 four string Am. Deluxe P, and it was fairly low output too, as was my 2004 American Series P. IMO the stock Fender split-coil is the culprit. It has good tone, but modest output. My passive Jazz was hotter than both.

Fender seems to have changed this with the new American Deluxe P. I played one, and it had loads of punch, similar to the Lindy Fralin pickup that now resides in my 2004. The new Am. Deluxe P seemed hotter than the new Am. Deluxe J.

There still might be something else wrong with your bass, depending on how low the output is (dying battery?), but I suspect you're just experiencing the same thing I did with that pickup.

 

[68doghouse]

I had a 1999 four string Am. Deluxe P, and it was fairly low output too, as was my 2004 American Series P. IMO the stock Fender split-coil is the culprit. It has good tone, but modest output. My passive Jazz was hotter than both.

Fender seems to have changed this with the new American Deluxe P. I played one, and it had loads of punch, similar to the Lindy Fralin pickup that now resides in my 2004. The new Am. Deluxe P seemed hotter than the new Am. Deluxe J.

There still might be something else wrong with your bass, depending on how low the output is (dying battery?), but I suspect you're just experiencing the same thing I did with that pickup.

I have a brand new battery in the bass, so I'd say you are right with the low output from the split-coil. How difficult was it to change the pickup from the stock to the Lindy Fralin? Do they make one for 5 string? Are they expensive?

 

[testing1two]

If you like the tone, I would suggest changing the preamp to something with an adjustable preamp output (like Nordstrand) which will allow you raise the overall output. And as a bonus you would get active/passive switching, something that Fender has overlooked on all their active basses until this year.

 

[Nedmundo]

I have a brand new battery in the bass, so I'd say you are right with the low output from the split-coil. How difficult was it to change the pickup from the stock to the Lindy Fralin? Do they make one for 5 string? Are they expensive?

I had a local tech do the pickup swap, because I don't do the soldering thing. Unfortunately Fralin doesn't make pickups for a five string P, but Nordstrand does, and that would probably be a good option. It goes for $135 at bestbassgear.com, which is expensive, but the Fralin is easily worth the $120 I paid for it IMO.

 

[68doghouse]

Thanks for the info guys, that helps alot.