Fender Vintera It 50's Precision Bass Pickups- WOW!

[ASQTec]

I picked up a used Fender Vintera II 50's Precision from a friend who hated the hefty neck. I was completely taken by surprise after I threw on a set of TI Flats and plugged it in. The tone I get when playing with a pick is the best I've heard in nearly 50 years of playing. The tone almost made me forget how the fat neck aggravated my arthritis.

Does any know for certain if there are any aftermarket pickups that will duplicate the tone of the 50's Vintera? Please don't rattle off a list of your favorite pickups as I probably tried them already and they don't produce the tone I'm looking for. I'm old and don't have time for speculation.

The 19 year old heavy metal kid around the corner says that Duncan Antiquities I's are what I want. He also told me not to buy heating oil last week because the price was going down this week. He nailed it! Do you think he could be 2 for 2?

 

[MrRobert]

The longer I play, the more I become convinced that so much of the sound of an instrument comes from the sum of it’s parts, and putting that same pickup in a different bass will probably sound very different than in the original bass. I played a Fender AVII 60 precision at guitar center a little while ago that sounded so different than the other basses I played that day. It’s hard to describe the tone but I’d say it was ‘woody’, ‘thumpy’, and kind of hollow sounding. Very unique! I then picked up the same model from the classifieds here, and it sounds NOTHING like the one I played at guitar center. Has the same pickup and wiring, yet sounds completely different.

 

[Lowbrow]

The longer I play, the more I become convinced that so much of the sound of an instrument comes from the sum of it’s parts, and putting that same pickup in a different bass will probably sound very different than in the original bass. I played a Fender AVII 60 precision at guitar center a little while ago that sounded so different than the other basses I played that day. It’s hard to describe the tone but I’d say it was ‘woody’, ‘thumpy’, and kind of hollow sounding. Very unique! I then picked up the same model from the classifieds here, and it sounds NOTHING like the one I played at guitar center. Has the same pickup and wiring, yet sounds completely different.

Concur. And I have GZRs in 4 P basses and yeah they aren’t all identical yet a couple could be interchangeable. It is indeed weird and gives a lot of credence to the tone wood emphasis.

 

[tpaul]

If you like the tone of the '50s Vintera pickup, why try to find a different pickup that replicates it?Why not just use that pickup?

 

[Yahboy]

I love my Vintera 50sP stock pickup sound very much with Ti flat loaded. Big thanks to Tim Shaw.

 

[shoulderpet]

I picked up a used Fender Vintera II 50's Precision from a friend who hated the hefty neck. I was completely taken by surprise after I threw on a set of TI Flats and plugged it in. The tone I get when playing with a pick is the best I've heard in nearly 50 years of playing. The tone almost made me forget how the fat neck aggravated my arthritis.

Does any know for certain if there are any aftermarket pickups that will duplicate the tone of the 50's Vintera? Please don't rattle off a list of your favorite pickups as I probably tried them already and they don't produce the tone I'm looking for. I'm old and don't have time for speculation.

The 19 year old heavy metal kid around the corner says that Duncan Antiquities I's are what I want. He also told me not to buy heating oil last week because the price was going down this week. He nailed it! Do you think he could be 2 for 2?

I'm pretty sure there Vintera uses the same pickup as Fenders American p basses however what you may also be hearing is the difference that a maple fretboard brings as they tend to bring out the articulation.

Anyway best bet is to have a look at the pickup, on the underside of the pickups there should be a 5 or 6 digit code, if you look for a used Fender p pickup look for that same code.

 

[el murdoque]

I happen to have a Vintera I 50's P pickup gathering dust in a cupboard because mine is loaded with an Aguilar.
If you're from somewhere within the EU, I'd be willing to part with it. I doubt it makes much sense to send this overseas, though.

 

[ASQTec]

If you like the tone of the '50s Vintera pickup, why try to find a different pickup that replicates it?Why not just use that pickup?

I have another bass that I gig with that I would like to have sound similar to my Vintera. There were some on eBay and Reverb, but I waited too long and missed them

 

[ASQTec]

"I'm pretty sure there Vintera uses the same pickup as Fenders American p basses"

Nope. Not even in the same ballpark.

 

[ASQTec]

I happen to have a Vintera I 50's P pickup gathering dust in a cupboard because mine is loaded with an Aguilar.
If you're from somewhere within the EU, I'd be willing to part with it. I doubt it makes much sense to send this overseas, though.

Thanks for the offer!

I'm in the US. I think I may have just scored a set! Apparently, for every person who loves the Vintera pickups, there is a person who doesn't. I guess that could be said about any pickup .

 

[MrRobert]

If you do score that pickup, let us know how it compares with the one you already have!

 

[DTF]

wonder if the 1s and 2s are the same I like them alot as well I have a vintera 1 and a roadworn vintera 2 im not sure if the 1 , 2 , and roadworn 2 are the same

 

[Yahboy]

wonder if the 1s and 2s are the same I like them alot as well I have a vintera 1 and a roadworn vintera 2 im not sure if the 1 , 2 , and roadworn 2 are the same

I been own the Vintera II 60sP a while , the pickup sound different compare to V1 50sP , it could be cause by the fretboard wood different , the pickup on VII 60sP sound warmer , less focus and slightly lack upper mid.