Fender Pure Vintage 63 Precision Bass Pickups

[Gervais Cote]

Thread resurrection.

I bought a used MIA Fender PJ (Hot Rod) that has the PV63 and a PV64 installed as stock. Played it out last night for the first time, in a garage with six acoustic guitar players, and a drummer using a Roland kit, they were all through a PA and I was using a MarkBass gen 1 CMD121P, with master set at about 2.

Normally, I'm not a fan of passive PJs because the J output is usually much lower than the P output, so why bother.

The PV64 seems to match the output of the split coil really well, I could definitely hear a very pleasing difference dialing it up, dialing it back, or even soloing it. What a great choice for a PJ! Adds some brightness but also adds some punch.

The PV63 I thought was incredible. Super strong and clear lows and low mids. Lots of punch with or without the bridge pickup. Lots of response throughout the tone knob. Only with the tone knob all the way down does it approach the wet blanket tone, and that's often where I need my tone knob set on other P basses.

I've used a lot of different Fender and non-Fender split coils over the years, with ash, alder, maple, rosewood, laurel, etc. I've owned and used the American Standard that was stock in the pre-2012 MIA Fenders, the Original 62, VMod I and II, AVRI 57, and CS62. Normally a SPB-1 would be my go-to replacement, with differing results on different basses, but I also have and love a Nordstrand NP5F I put in a P5.

I'm really, really loving the PV63 though, wow, such a strong sound, and you can make it aggressive and growly or mellow and smooth, with just a change in your attack.

I was playing finger style with brand new DR Nickel Low Riders. Normally I can't stand brand new rounds, too much zing, but this pickup took to those strings like they were made for each other. Just clear, clean, and fantastic. When I bought the bass (used), it had DR flats on it, and I wasn't too keen on those, I like stuffer feeling flats, but also the tone was definitely more muffled, so I'll be avoiding that particular flatwound in the future.

The PV64 is super interesting - it's opened my ears and eyes to a whole new world of PJ tones, and I can't recommend it enough to be paired with a PV63 in a PJ.

Agree 100% about the PV63 pickups. In my long quest for the best p bass pickup, I always ended with this one.

 

[Gervais Cote]

Fender Pure Vintage 63 Precision Bass Pickups​

IMHO, there's not a whole lot of difference in sound with the Fender Original, Fender Custom Shop and the PV '63.

I had a set of the PV '63 and they were close to the 12k ohm (like 11.80k). So, they are kind of like 10% overwound.

The Originals are mostly in between 10.5k and below 11k.

So, all in all, the PV '63 are a bit on the hotter side. Which can mean a little more output and stronger lows and mids and a little less highs.

Once again, IMHO, not lot a whole lot of difference with the Fender P pickups.

We are glad that you are happy with the '63s!

10% overwound you said? So then, maybe I should try the 10% overwound Lindy Fralins next time…………..they are probably a very close match, I guess.

 

[bassdude51]

I find a huge difference between all three of them. The Original 60s I didn't find to be all that different from the American Standard pickup - kinda polite, indifferent. The C62 I find ranges from a kind of modern P tone with the tone knob fully open to a bit more thumpy as it's closed, not a hugely strong bottom end. The PV63 is a different beast all together.

I guess everyone's got different ears and different gear.

I have to ask though - who is "we"? Do you work for Fender?

Ha ha ha......"we" is the TalkBass members. We here on TB are glad that you are enjoying your Fender PV '63 pickups. (Trying to be polite. )

 

[MtManiac]

Ha ha ha......"we" is the TalkBass members. We here on TB are glad that you are enjoying your Fender PV '63 pickups. (Trying to be polite. )

Ok… I've been here since 2007, I've never encountered anyone using the Royal "we" before, seemed odd so thought I should ask for clarification. Seems presumptuous and pretentious to speak on behalf of a very large community. I'm sure lots of people here don't care about my opinion on any Fender pickup.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Ok… I've been here since 2007, I've never encountered anyone using the Royal "we" before, seemed odd so thought I should ask for clarification. Seems presumptuous and pretentious to speak on behalf of a very large community. I'm sure lots of people here don't care about my opinion on any Fender pickup.

Nothing wrong with hoping for the best out of people.

I'm really, really loving the PV63 though, wow, such a strong sound, and you can make it aggressive and growly or mellow and smooth, with just a change in your attack.

<snip>

The PV64 is super interesting - it's opened my ears and eyes to a whole new world of PJ tones, and I can't recommend it enough to be paired with a PV63 in a PJ.

I just dropped a PV63 into my oldest parts-bass, a Mighty Mite Jazz that's been re-routed into a P/J. The demos I'd seen on YouTube highlighted how beefy and deep it was, so in the hopes of giving it a good match (so very important on a P/J!), I paired it with a high-output DiMarzio Ultra Jazz in the bridge position. After a brief bit o' noodling, so far...so good! The PV63 seems to work well with the Ultra J...nice, thick but balanced and not lacking in some higher-end grind...so, yay!

 

[MovingPitchers]

I have them in my white Player P (in my pfp) and they sound great. Only issue is whenever the G-string makes contact with the magnet closest to the controls, the sound cuts out. Obviously the solution is to raise the G-string or lower the pickup so contact doesn't happen but the action is perfect the way I want it and the G-string pickup side is at a perfect distance as well.

Has anyone encountered this? APPARENTLY it's a common thing with "Vintage-y" pickups which seems mind-boggling to me. If I can't figure out the issue I might just rip out the entire thing and throw in some EMG Geezers.....

 

[Malak the Mad]

I have them in my white Player P (in my pfp) and they sound great. Only issue is whenever the G-string makes contact with the magnet closest to the controls, the sound cuts out. Obviously the solution is to raise the G-string or lower the pickup so contact doesn't happen but the action is perfect the way I want it and the G-string pickup side is at a perfect distance as well.

Has anyone encountered this? APPARENTLY it's a common thing with "Vintage-y" pickups which seems mind-boggling to me. If I can't figure out the issue I might just rip out the entire thing and throw in some EMG Geezers.....

Have you tried placing a small patch of black electrical tape over the G-string pole? Would that not give it some "armor" between the string and the magnet? I'm just asking before you do something drastic. I mean, you say they're great and all, so...

 

[MtManiac]

I

I have them in my white Player P (in my pfp) and they sound great. Only issue is whenever the G-string makes contact with the magnet closest to the controls, the sound cuts out. Obviously the solution is to raise the G-string or lower the pickup so contact doesn't happen but the action is perfect the way I want it and the G-string pickup side is at a perfect distance as well.

Has anyone encountered this? APPARENTLY it's a common thing with "Vintage-y" pickups which seems mind-boggling to me. If I can't figure out the issue I might just rip out the entire thing and throw in some EMG Geezers.....

I've not had this problem, except when I'm excited and hitting the strings on a downward attack, versus a lateral attack across the strings.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I've not had this problem, except when I'm excited and hitting the strings on a downward attack, versus a lateral attack across the strings.

Actual file video...

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I used to refer to the PV63 pickup as the "cannon", that tells it all I guess