Going old school

[depalm]

great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.

With all due respect I have to disagree, I've owned many, many late 70's p basses and I just have never found a good set of pickups.

I know, probably it's just me but what can I do? Late 70's Fender pickups sucks in my opinion. Loose bottom, harsh highs…same old history.

I own two Ps (77/78), replaced original pickups on both (Duncan QPs / Nords NP4). Each one has its own vibe and I'm really happy with them.

Couple of years ago, driven by the "original, classic" vibe I put the original 78 PU back just to find I hate the way it sounds. It is now back on a drawer.

My point is: I think we're living the opposite fashion side of what happened 30 years ago when everybody "had" to mod their instruments.

 

[Boombass76]

With all due respect I have to disagree, I've owned many, many late 70's p basses and I just have never found a good set of pickups.

I know, probably it's just me but what can I do? Late 70's Fender pickups sucks in my opinion. Loose bottom, harsh highs…same old history.

I own two Ps (77/78), replaced original pickups on both (Duncan QPs / Nords NP4). Each one has its own vibe and I'm really happy with them.

Couple of years ago, driven by the "original, classic" vibe I put the original 78 PU back just to find I hate the way it sounds. It is now back on a drawer.

My point is: I think we're living the opposite fashion side of what happened 30 years ago when everybody "had" to mod their instruments.

With all due respect, you just haven't found the right late 70's P yet.

I have had 7-8 of them (77-79), and I agree that some of them doesn't sound amazing. However, the 79 with A-neck that I have kept sounds awesome! It has the fattest and warmest P-sound ever - yet it is tight, defined and cuts through any mix with great authority and grace. Yes, I love my all-stock 79 P

 

[bassbully]

IMO the 70's pups have more warmth in them than say the pups made today. I try to find that tone in Fenders made today and I can get it sometimes but its rare. I normally have to add allot of the tone knob on todays
P pups and EQ it to dial in what 70's pups sound like to me. The 62 RI pups have that warm sound in a reissue. If you like a hotter pup the 70's pups wont do it and I would understand a swap out of them.

 

[depalm]

With all due respect, you just haven't found the right late 70's P yet.

I have had 7-8 of them (77-79), and I agree that some of them doesn't sound amazing. However, the 79 with A-neck that I have kept sounds awesome! It has the fattest and warmest P-sound ever - yet it is tight, defined and cuts through any mix with great authority and grace. Yes, I love my all-stock 79 P

Well, indeed I haven't found the "Holy P Grail".
But the two I kept in my collection plays and sounds good enough. Except for the original PUs they are great.

I'm truly glad you found such great instrument.

 

[oren]

Well I played the P during a practice last night. Guitar player broke his collarbone mountain biking, so it was just sax, bass, drums doing jazz standards. Bass sounded really good. I've still got some setup work to do - the action's a bit low, or might need to add a touch more relief in the neck - getting some fret buzz when I dig in, but I think this is gonna work for a lot of situations.

 

[darkstorm]

I still think those old school basses with the upgraded bridges and pups sound better. Yes as done by the kids of the day taking a good souding bass and making it better sounding via those upgrades.

The reason a lot thought the 70's basses where hit or miss was cause they where. Most of the bad ones probably got destroyed over the yrs or parted out for heavy cash. Back then if they had internet stores etc buying unplayed would have been super risky. The reason old schoolers tried lotsa same model bass till found the best of the lot. Was cause many where dogs and subpar. And it often took trying several to find one without major problems either in construction or tone. Of the 3 major brands fender,gibson and rickenbacker, only ricks had good consistent qaulity control in their making back then imo.

But it seems you have one of the better of the lot fender basses from back then. Congrats. When you again mod it with latter 70's era upgraded pups and bridges, you may again experience the thrill that gave you back then for improved tone etc. LOL

 

[9mmMike]

IMO the 70's pups have more warmth in them than say the pups made today. I try to find that tone in Fenders made today and I can get it sometimes but its rare. I normally have to add allot of the tone knob on todays
P pups and EQ it to dial in what 70's pups sound like to me. The 62 RI pups have that warm sound in a reissue. If you like a hotter pup the 70's pups wont do it and I would understand a swap out of them.

I concur. I really lucked-out with my '72. It is my least favorite color but my "go to" bass. The weight (light) and the sound are perfect (for me). I'd not change a thing on that bass. All the guys in the band love the sound.

 

[oren]

Lightweight? That sounds good - my P is heavier than hell. My '69 Jazz, otoh, is a featherweight!

 

[Boombass76]

Well, indeed I haven't found the "Holy P Grail".
But the two I kept in my collection plays and sounds good enough. Except for the original PUs they are great.

I'm truly glad you found such great instrument.

Yeah, so am I (oh, and did I mention that it is also one of those rare lightweight basses. Not as light as my 64 P, but considering it's a late 70's, it's VERY light

That being said, I do think that it's less than optimal that I had to go through so many late 70's P-basses to find a truly great one...

 

[basmicke]

I think it's good with some balance in this matter.
Of course the older p-basses often are great basses but I still think the "upgrades" those of who are old enough went through is positive in a way.
I can remember putting my first Badass II bridge on my fender and really like it and I still do. On the other hand I've learned to appreciate the old vintage bridge too. They both have their strong and weak sides and it's a matter of adjusting your right hand technique to fit each one of them.
Same thing with the pu's. Anyone who's been on a stage with not so good electricity and got stuck in humchaos really felt like the EMGs was a big improvement with it's big fat, no noice tone. And you don't have to open up the tone knob all the way.
All these different methods of altering your old bass has to be seen in context of the time period the products where presented to. Today we're back in vintage, old school thinking in many ways but that doesn't meen that all the alterations and experimentation was a bad thing. A lot of good has come out of it too.
I love my old fenders with flats and original pu's but at the same time at some gigs I feel just as content with my Sadowsky and all the modern tweaks on it. I would have a real problem if someone told me I had to play one bass all the time.
Part of the fun is balancing the old and the new and always be curious on where bass is going in the future.

 

[depalm]

Yeah, so am I (oh, and did I mention that it is also one of those rare lightweight basses. Not as light as my 64 P, but considering it's a late 70's, it's VERY light

That being said, I do think that it's less than optimal that I had to go through so many late 70's P-basses to find a truly great one...

My 78 is also very light (Swamp Ash).

 

[depalm]

I think it's good with some balance in this matter.
Of course the older p-basses often are great basses but I still think the "upgrades" those of who are old enough went through is positive in a way.
I can remember putting my first Badass II bridge on my fender and really like it and I still do. On the other hand I've learned to appreciate the old vintage bridge too. They both have their strong and weak sides and it's a matter of adjusting your right hand technique to fit each one of them.
Same thing with the pu's. Anyone who's been on a stage with not so good electricity and got stuck in humchaos really felt like the EMGs was a big improvement with it's big fat, no noice tone. And you don't have to open up the tone knob all the way.
All these different methods of altering your old bass has to be seen in context of the time period the products where presented to. Today we're back in vintage, old school thinking in many ways but that doesn't meen that all the alterations and experimentation was a bad thing. A lot of good has come out of it too.
I love my old fenders with flats and original pu's but at the same time at some gigs I feel just as content with my Sadowsky and all the modern tweaks on it. I would have a real problem if someone told me I had to play one bass all the time.
Part of the fun is balancing the old and the new and always be curious on where bass is going in the future.

I like that!

 

[oren]

I agree with basmicke - I don't mean to trash talk modern bass technology - I love my Roscoe and look forward to being able to add a fretless Roscoe to my collection when I can afford it!

But I am also digging rediscovering the vintage sound.

So many sounds, so little time!