Fender Precision MIM bass - how many are still using stock pickups?

[The_Meatwagon]

I have a 2002 MIM P bass with the original pickup. I don't love it and think about swapping it out all the time. But it's mostly for home playing and the 19' Pro P gets the live/band/studio work anyway.

 

[One Way]

I have a 2015 MIM Fender P and for some reason it never sounded right to me. It is my first P Bass and I really couldn't understand why their sound is so popular. I changed to a different pickup and the tone was different but still not right to my ears.
Last month I replaced the wiring, pots, and output jack with the premium wiring kit from StewMac (250k CTS pots, .47uf Orange Drop capacitor, cloth insulation wiring) and Lindy Fralin standard wind pickup. Now I understand what everyone is talking about! This bass is now a keeper!

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Around 1989, I thought the output was getting a little thin from my 78 P.
I had em rewound by a local guy and they came back boomin.
Thats the one and only time I've fiddled around with the pups in any of my instruments.

 

[Eekum]

SD Quarter Pounders. Done.

 

[BobDeRosa]

I believe my '94 MIM has stock pickups and I love that bass. Bought it used, so I'm not sure.

 

[BobDeRosa]

Original pickups still in my 1963 P.

I don't change pickups unless there is a shortcoming I think I can correct. I have never understood the compulsion to change pickups. I have only done that to three basses in the past 56 years.

Manufacturers design basses to sound a certain way. I would rather leave them as the manufacturer designed them, and just add my preferred strings.

I'll drink to that! I've never understood the "gotta mod" compulsion, either. If they think manufacturers want their basses to sound crappy from the factory, why do they buy those basses? Same goes for stock strings. I assume the people who design the bass spec stock strings for a reason other than profitability.

 

[bozha]

$50 alnico Fender original P pickup is a night/day difference compared to stock ceramic MIM pickup. All the upgrade you'll need untill you are ready for some true 60s vintage piece.

 

[antfarm]

I have a 2019 Player Precision, replaced the pickups with Fender Pure Vintage 63 Precision Pickups [1] and the electronics with a solderless wiring harness with a 0,1uF capacitor by Arty's from Austria [2] to get closer to the sound of a 60's P Bass. Strings are La Bella 760FL flatwounds and I couldn't resist to change the bridge saddles to threaded ones.

[1] Invalid Link Removed
[2] Invalid Link Removed

 

[BradH]

I like the stock pups in my 2002 MIM.
And they are still in there.

 

[Briton]

I changed my stock pups on my 2019 Mexican Player P Bass to Seymour Duncan SPB-3 Quarter pounders as I just prefer the sound of them. The stock pups where ok but just a bit thin sounding to my ears

 

[Fender_Bender]

As far as I know these are the stock pups in this bass, but I did buy it used. Sounds good to me. What I don't know is whether the stock pups in the Classic 50's were the same as other mim's.

 

[filwitheneff]

I have a 2013 MIM Standard P, and kept the stock pickup in it. It sounds good to me, so no need to change anything.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Also: consider adding a poll to your post.

And if you do, replace the carrot option by a parsnip.

they are underrated... Thanks

 

[Bassdirty]

I changed my stock pups on my 2019 Mexican Player P Bass to Seymour Duncan SPB-3 Quarter pounders as I just prefer the sound of them. The stock pups where ok but just a bit thin sounding to my ears

View attachment 4035973

I love em. some people hate them, not me though. I think they got too popular years ago, so it was "cool" to hate what was popular. But with so many "dislikers" around, It might be cool to have them again.

I know Im getting a set for my squire PJ. Don't care what others think.


T$

 

[JOME77]

I have a 50's precision and although I changed out the bridge (Hipshot Kickass), pick guard (Tort WD Products) and tuners (Hipshot) I left the stock pickup alone. IMO it sounds great with the La Bella DTF's loaded.

 

[ElectricBass72]

I have a 2018 Fender P with stock pickups. I don't see the point in wasting money on an upgrade that is not really an improvement.

 

[HardNHeavy]

my 2000' MIM J stock pups were "thin sounding", swapped out for Dimarzio ultras, and my 83 P, i left stock...its got that nice "woodsy ballsy growl" we all love...2 other "fenderstiens" are fit with Barts and SD1/4's. Another build in the oven might be fitted with Fender 62' originals or Antiquities..

 

[TNCreature]

I liked my stock pickups, but I didn't love them. It was a pawn shop purchase.
I had Geezers installed and I am never going back.
No Regerts!

 

[DJ Bebop]

While I don't currently own one, I've been happy with the pickups on every Mexican Fender I've owned. I think a lot of people waste money on new parts when all they need is new strings and a set up. People order pickups before a new bass is even delivered. Electronics and bridges and nuts as if new parts are necessarily upgrades.

I dig this!
Although, I have swapped pickups on SX P basses just because I wanted a different tone. The ceramic pickups were fine, I just wanted a less aggressive tone.

In one, used a Fender 62 P pickup with a Rosewood board with flats and in another, I used a DiMarzio Model P with a Maple board with rounds. My Classic 60s MIM Jazz was fine the way it was to my ear.

To me, if the pickups are in the traditional locations, they all sound about the same, to me

 

[ToneMonkey]

The Player P pickup is outstanding. Mine is very recent. I just assumed that I would have to upgrade mine. No way. It's fantastic. As is the Tone control. Great range of tones.