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Fender Pure Vintage 63 Precision Bass Pickups

drewphishesp

drewphishesp

Feb 14, 2017
3,831
2,997
#1
Just wanted to let you all know I dropped a set of these in my 08 american standard P bass and they are the Real Deal.

Round bottom end, enough highs but not too much to make you have to roll the tone knob back to much.

Theres not alot of samples online so maybe I will make a video but if you were on the fence I would def recommend them.

Easily my favorite pickups ever in a P bass.
 
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#3
drewphishesp said:
Just wanted to let you all know I dropped a set of these in my 08 american standard P bass and they are the Real Deal.

Round bottom end, enough highs but not too much to make you have to roll the tone knob back to much.

Theres not alot of samples online so maybe I will make a video but if you were on the fence I would def recommend them.

Easily my favorite pickups ever in a P bass.
Click to expand...
I'd like to see that video for sure!
The post 2012 am stds have 60's custom pickups... do you think that these vintage 63 pups would sound so different?
 
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#5
I have a PV'63 in each of my two Precision basses. My favorite pickup of the few I've tried (OEM '08 AM. Std. stock pickup, EMG GZR, Fender Original '62) and sounds great with any strings you decide to use, flats, rounds, etc.

Update: see post #17. Ended up falling-out of love with the PV'63.
 
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#7
drewphishesp said:
Just wanted to let you all know I dropped a set of these in my 08 american standard P bass and they are the Real Deal.

Round bottom end, enough highs but not too much to make you have to roll the tone knob back to much.

Theres not alot of samples online so maybe I will make a video but if you were on the fence I would def recommend them.

Easily my favorite pickups ever in a P bass.
Click to expand...
Was a video ever made?
 
#15
I used to love the PV'63 pickup, but what I've found is it sounds incredible by itself, but once it's in the mix with the rest of the band it gets a bit lost and buried, and even more if you use a more traditional flat wound string. In a few I'm going to drop in an SD SPB-1 and see how that goes...
 
#16
Vinnie Boombatz said:
I used to love the PV'63 pickup, but what I've found is it sounds incredible by itself, but once it's in the mix with the rest of the band it gets a bit lost and buried, and even more if you use a more traditional flat wound string. In a few I'm going to drop in an SD SPB-1 and see how that goes...
Click to expand...

I played mine at church yesterday and, although with just an acoustic guitar and drummer, it sounded good with the Labellas through the PA. To me, maybe not a cutting as the GZR since I think that one has a bump in the mids.

I would be curious what your thoughts are on the SPB-1 once you have it installed.
 
#17
epoxo57 said:
I played mine at church yesterday and, although with just an acoustic guitar and drummer, it sounded good with the Labellas through the PA. To me, maybe not a cutting as the GZR since I think that one has a bump in the mids.

I would be curious what your thoughts are on the SPB-1 once you have it installed.
Click to expand...

I installed the SPB-1 yesterday. So far I'm preferring it over the PV'63 and GZR. Still has plenty of low end, but a punchier, tighter low end than the SPB-1 and GZR, and smoother, less harsh highs than the stock Classic 50's / older American Standard pickup and Fender "Original" pickup. SPB-1 takes EQ really well, and can add more lows if I need to without making it muddy. Pairs really well with the LaBella flats and the Fender Rumble 500 V3.

There are also other factors that go into the equation though along with each person's personal preference, so I don't doubt you sounded great! I used to think the fattest, warmest, biggest low end was the way to go, but maybe my tastes are changing, as I'm more into a good, solid thumpy, classic tone, and less into mud and thud, which is what I was getting with the PV'63 and flats. Also have to take into considering the amp being used and amp settings, style of the player, pick or fingers, etc...
 
#18
Vinnie Boombatz said:
I installed the SPB-1 yesterday. So far I'm preferring it over the PV'63 and GZR. Still has plenty of low end, but a punchier, tighter low end than the SPB-1 and GZR, and smoother, less harsh highs than the stock Classic 50's / older American Standard pickup and Fender "Original" pickup. SPB-1 takes EQ really well, and can add more lows if I need to without making it muddy. Pairs really well with the LaBella flats and the Fender Rumble 500 V3.

There are also other factors that go into the equation though along with each person's personal preference, so I don't doubt you sounded great! I used to think the fattest, warmest, biggest low end was the way to go, but maybe my tastes are changing, as I'm more into a good, solid thumpy, classic tone, and less into mud and thud, which is what I was getting with the PV'63 and flats. Also have to take into considering the amp being used and amp settings, style of the player, pick or fingers, etc...
Click to expand...

I have heard good things about the Duncan so I may give that a try down the road. Curious, what didn't you like about the GZR?
 
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#19
epoxo57 said:
I have heard good things about the Duncan so I may give that a try down the road. Curious, what didn't you like about the GZR?
Click to expand...

Just didnt live up to all the hype it gets around here for me. Sounded muddy, I hated the way the tone pot sounded/sweep of the pot. Almost sounded like a comb filtering effect to my ear, and the pots had pretty much no resistance to them and turned way too freely. It also was a stupid tight fit in a Classic 50's P with the anodized pickguards.

I found that a lot of the pickups that seem to be popular currently have a pretty hyped low end, which sounds great by themselves, but once mixed in with the rest of the band live it kind of disappears and gets lost. Sure, there's a fatter low end, but at the loss of definition and articulation.

I will say though that the PV'63 was great for recording. But for playing live it left me wanting something else.
 
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