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Gnarliest P pickups (also NBD)

I've tried several P-bass pickups, and the hottest were the DiMarzio Model P and G&L MFD split-coil in my SB-2. Either would be great, but I prefer the G&L because, at least in my SB-2, it has more vintage warmth than the Model P did in my MIA Fender.

But I'll suggest something else for punk: Lindy Fralin. High output, with a gnarly, gritty edge, and yet still captures classic P-bass tone. And to me, that's the key. Old-school punk is all about old-school P-basses, but with a nasty edge.
 
Hope they’re talking about 1000mV and not 1000MV as they wrote in the Ad ... :laugh:;)
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Like other said the Model P is hard to beat for aggressive P-bass. But in my opinion it also flatters to deceive a bit because it's so much louder.

For a more classic P-bass tone with a bit of an edge I really like the Fender Originals. They've got a bit more going in the upper mids than most classic P-bass pickups and they do that snarling thing when you dig in, more so than the Model P in my experience.
 
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Back near the beginning of this thread (post #7) I posted a video of Julie Slick playing with Adrian Belew which got responses like these:

WOW! I love Adrian and this just confirms why!

Holy poopie what a shagging song.

That was great!!

Here she is again, while a boy paints a room....


That is freaking awesome! IMO

Holy Cow. I forgot I came here to geek out on pickups. That was badass!!!!

I'm really glad that so many folks dug the video -- I'm always happy to turn people on to my personal bass hero, the Queen of Shred -- but I fear that my point in posting the video (in this thread) might have gotten lost: The 5-string Julie is playing in the video I posted, and the 4-string she is playing in the video posted later by @Skillet, are both Lakland basses that come stock with their own "Neo-punch" pickups. The vids illustrate the "gnarly" tone I wanted for one of my P-style basses (a D. Lakin Bob Glaub), so on Julie's advice I bought one and, as described in the other thread I linked, it turned the bass into a fire-breathing monster. Anyone else have love for the Lakland Neo-punch pup?
 
Back near the beginning of this thread (post #7) I posted a video of Julie Slick playing with Adrian Belew which got responses like these:













I'm really glad that so many folks dug the video -- I'm always happy to turn people on to my personal bass hero, the Queen of Shred -- but I fear that my point in posting the video (in this thread) might have gotten lost: The 5-string Julie is playing in the video I posted, and the 4-string she is playing in the video posted later by @Skillet, are both Lakland basses that come stock with their own "Neo-punch" pickups. The vids illustrate the "gnarly" tone I wanted for one of my P-style basses (a D. Lakin Bob Glaub), so on Julie's advice I bought one and, as described in the other thread I linked, it turned the bass into a fire-breathing monster. Anyone else have love for the Lakland Neo-punch pup?
Very interesting. I have a very early Lakland Glaub, that has seen a few different pickups in it, including some very aggressive over-wound SD's I had made(very hot but ultimately too murky/low-mid focused). I'm back to the stock Lindys now because I wanted to go more "trad". But the Neo-punch sounds intriguing.
 
Very interesting. I have a very early Lakland Glaub, that has seen a few different pickups in it, including some very aggressive over-wound SD's I had made(very hot but ultimately too murky/low-mid focused). I'm back to the stock Lindys now because I wanted to go more "trad". But the Neo-punch sounds intriguing.
As I understand it, Lakland was putting Fralins into their Bob Glaub's before they started using their own pups -- or, technically, pups made by their sister company Hanson. The "Neo-punch" pups that then became standard on the Glaubs were very different from a traditional P-bass sound: much more aggressive and "gnarly," as illustrated by Julie's tone. I went with the Neo-punch because I love Julie's tone, and putting that pup in my D. Lakin got me a lot closer to her tone than would have thought possible (considering other differences in gear, technique, etc.).
 
I put a Neo-punch in my Fender MIM p bass.
Whether I play it at church or in the classic rock band I am in, every one love the tone & sound of it.
FYI, I still play my USA Sterling & Lakland DJ4 bass's too.;)
I've got a great US Fender Precision (60th Anniversary) that cops the traditional P sound, and which I love (and play) equally. I put the Neo-punch in my D. Lakin specifically to be different (and nastier) when I want that kind of tone instead.
 
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I've tried several P-bass pickups, and the hottest were the DiMarzio Model P and G&L MFD split-coil in my SB-2. Either would be great, but I prefer the G&L because, at least in my SB-2, it has more vintage warmth than the Model P did in my MIA Fender.

But I'll suggest something else for punk: Lindy Fralin. High output, with a gnarly, gritty edge, and yet still captures classic P-bass tone. And to me, that's the key. Old-school punk is all about old-school P-basses, but with a nasty edge.
I came here to say much of the same haha!
I think the G&L MFD is one of the best P pickups for aggressive tones there is, because it doesn’t sacrifice low punch for its strong mid grind. I think it can do everything the Model P does but better (and has the highest output of any passive pickup I’ve used). Both have ceramic magnets unlike most of the others listed here, but the G&L is more balanced and versatile IME

I also love the Fralin P pickup that came stock in my Lakland P, and I feel it can nail aggressive punk tones easily (from Stranglers to the Clash and beyond, etc). It has lots of punch down low and lots of tasty grit in the highs and high mids. I AB’ed it with the GZR in the Lakland and the Fralin is noticeably grindier and punches harder in the bass IMO.

Another great alternative is the stock wind Lollar P pickup- I find it one of the most aggressive alnico P pickups in the midrange, though I felt it lacked the low end of the Fralin. For snarling mids it kills though (I still keep mine around just to have on deck because it is so killer).

I also second the 500K pot suggestion mentioned by a few
 

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