How to get more treble from the Pbass..

[xnewyorka]

Thanks-Fingers used for sure and looks like the rounds may be the option without sacrificing too much. I have a MTD Beast with Daddario rounds so maybe a switch of strings couldn't hurt...

I think that when he said "use your fingers", he didn't mean "use your fingers instead of a pick". I think he meant "use a more crisp/rapid plucking motion, and move the attack point closer to the bridge".

But remember - the sound starts with the strings. Switching from flats to rounds will make a massive difference. Everything else after that is just shaping the sound. You can shape the tone with EQ, but you can't add something that just isn't there. There are coated roundwounds available if you want the roundwound brightness with the feel of flats. For example DR makes some (the K3 series), and others I'm sure.

Listen on this page to the difference between the K3 coated vs. the Legend flatwound:
https://www.drstrings.com/sound-samples

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Use the EQ on your amps....that's what it is there for.
Use a pedal, such as a Zoom MS 60b and edit the tone you want.
Failing all that just change the sound pot and loom for one with more sweep in the range you are looking for....and the pup if you want to.

 

[Sparkl]

Ok so I absolutely love my Squier CV 60s Pbass(Fiesta Red/Tort) which I recently acquired. I have been trying to coax a bit more treble out of the G string area but it doesn't seem to have that burp treble of the jazz bass, which makes sense of course and many would agree with. I have thought of a few options and yes- I have raised the pickup closer to the G and have messed with the Eq on the amp, and have boosted the tone on the bass itself. So have any of you managed to be successful with this? Possible options:
-Change the pickup to a Fender 60s/vintage
-Change to maybe TI Jazz flats(currently strung with Labella Low tension flats)
-Add a J pickup(which would destroy the originality of the bass)
-Just get a Jazz bass..(not an immediate option but will be at some point)
What are your thoughts and/or personal success stories?

The needs you describe are the main reason a PJ bass was developed. Think about it eventually, especially if you love the split coil tone, the j bridge addition really makes for a big tight burpy sound.

 

[DavC]

an interesting alternative to Flats ... i like something kinda in the middle for feel / sound ...

GHS Pressurewounds ... !! or any other high pressure Rollerwound string ...

the outer wrap is installed under enough Pressure to give it an Oval shape ... = less finger/fret noise , smoother feel , not as bright as rounds / not as dull as flats ...

i've had the low tension & Ti's ... cool sound for those mids ... but i always come back to Pressurewounds have a set of Smith Compression wounds also ( very similar to the GHS w/ slightly different gauges in the set )

and they are cheap ... compared to Ti's ... !! mine last a very long time

 

[Dub56]

I left a comment earlier in this thread mentioning that you may want to try rounds instead of flats, but wanted to give a quick follow-up/caveat to that:

While P w/ rounds and P w/ flats are certainly 2 different flavors, and using one or the other may make a difference to you.... neither are going to emulate a Jazz Bass very well. A P with rounds will have some more of that grindy/zingy character that you might also find on a jazz with rounds, but a J is still going to be your best bet to actually sound like a J.

I personally find it much easier to emulate a rough P sound through a J neck pickup than to emulate a J sound through a P pickup. Though, the J neck pickup method still doesn't quite check all the boxes I associate with classic P-Bass goodness. It'll do a respectable enough job though, if you don't have a P available.

 

[Dub56]

One last thought--

Testing a bunch of different strings (especially certain flats) to get to this certain sound may end up adding up $$ wise. At that point, you may consider putting that string money etc. toward a jazz bass to go with your P Bass instead! For example, a set of TI flats alone would be a nice little 'down payment' on a Squier Jazz to go with your P.

 

[carsbybigd]

Maybe add a White Dimarzio J and make it a T-bone/Pino combo....Just kidding, I would start serious flame wars with this idea lol

Put 1 of these in it

 

[Afc70]

Generally i dont use an amp, i go direct & iem’s..
Whenever i use my P bass (62 Fullerton reissue), i use roundwounds (gonna try nickel soon), with tone & volume knobs wide open, i get plenty of trebly sparkle & P bass grind, love the tone.

 

[pappabass]

2 things, 1- tort pickguard, 2- preamp or pedal.

 

[Two-Spirit]

Equalizer Pedal

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

The needs you describe are the main reason a PJ bass was developed. Think about it eventually, especially if you love the split coil tone, the j bridge addition really makes for a big tight burpy sound.

Yeah, cause all I see here is people suggesting different strings, techniques, and gutting the bass. It's a P bass guys. It sounds like a P bass, because it is a P bass. The problem he's facing is that he wants his bass to feel like a P, and sound like a J. It's not going to happen. I don't care you who are, what stings you have on there, how you play, or what your amp settings are. It's still a P. A P sounds like a P. Just like a J sounds like a J. That's why they still make and sell both. If it were possible to have the same sound with both builds, Fender would make Jazzes with fat necks, and Ps with thin ones, and you would get the same sounds from both. Or, they'd just have one bass...the Fender (kinda like The Rickenbacker). The problem with a PJ is that they don't really sound anything like a J. Its basically a P, with options. But, I see adding the bridge J as your best bet. Otherwise you're gonna go buy a Jazz bass, and never play your Precision cause it doesn't have the sound you want. And, like you already said, you love your bass.

 

[MattZilla]

@carsbybigd your tort is broken. Send it to me and I will fix it for you.

 

[BigBasserino]

What are your thoughts and/or personal success stories?

I think consider a jazz or even passive MM style pup. P pickups are kind of meant to have a deliberate, whacking sound; it simulates upright but raises the volume as high as you can stand.

That being said, I like Carvin (Kiesel, whatever their name is). Plenty of top end along with lows. Let's face it, with bass you're already getting low frequencies so you need definition. Trying to EQ your tone via amp compared to buying a "better" (I don't like the standard Fender P pickup as much) pickup really highlights the difference in ease of finding tone.

 

[armyadarkness]

G&L sb-2 pickups?

Pretty bright even with la Bella flats

Plus with sb2 pups, you get adjustable pole pieces like the Dmarzio I mentioned... so you can juice up the G and cut back on the others to balance it.

 

[the yeti]

raise the pickup on the g side? did you try that?

 

[Pbassmanca]

Yeah, cause all I see here is people suggesting different strings, techniques, and gutting the bass. It's a P bass guys. It sounds like a P bass, because it is a P bass. The problem he's facing is that he wants his bass to feel like a P, and sound like a J. It's not going to happen. I don't care you who are, what stings you have on there, how you play, or what your amp settings are. It's still a P. A P sounds like a P. Just like a J sounds like a J. That's why they still make and sell both. If it were possible to have the same sound with both builds, Fender would make Jazzes with fat necks, and Ps with thin ones, and you would get the same sounds from both. Or, they'd just have one bass...the Fender (kinda like The Rickenbacker). The problem with a PJ is that they don't really sound anything like a J. Its basically a P, with options. But, I see adding the bridge J as your best bet. Otherwise you're gonna go buy a Jazz bass, and never play your Precision cause it doesn't have the sound you want. And, like you already said, you love your bass.

I see what you're saying, but I have to disagree that a P bass sounds like a P bass. Depending which pickup and pots as well as capacitor/ preamp/ other mods, that you put in there, it can cause a P bass to have wildly different sounds from one instrument to the next. Some P basses sound hollow, woody, thumpy and dark ; and some have sparkling highs with grinding upper mids and a fat low end. I think it mostly comes down to the pickups. If he needs more high-end, changing out the pickups to something with a lot of treble response will definitely get him there. Of course it won't sound like a jazz bass with both pickups dimed, but it sounds like all he really needs is treble and there's lots of options out there to get you that.

 

[Pbassmanca]

P pickups are kind of meant to have a deliberate, whacking sound

The day one of my P bases has a deliberate whacking sound, it's going immediately on Kijiji......

 

[Mosfed]

Ok so I absolutely love my Squier CV 60s Pbass(Fiesta Red/Tort) which I recently acquired. I have been trying to coax a bit more treble out of the G string area but it doesn't seem to have that burp treble of the jazz bass, which makes sense of course and many would agree with. I have thought of a few options and yes- I have raised the pickup closer to the G and have messed with the Eq on the amp, and have boosted the tone on the bass itself. So have any of you managed to be successful with this? Possible options:
-Change the pickup to a Fender 60s/vintage
-Change to maybe TI Jazz flats(currently strung with Labella Low tension flats)
-Add a J pickup(which would destroy the originality of the bass)
-Just get a Jazz bass..(not an immediate option but will be at some point)
What are your thoughts and/or personal success stories?

Get a good pedal preamp with a good EQ

 

[Dbassmon]

A pbass with flats is going sound kind of dark. You want bright, your options are find different strings. Try half rounds, if that does not do it you want nickel rounds, brighter still? Stainless Steel. Pbass with flats is not bight, if you try and eq brightness, you it will get peaky and nasty. Pbass with flats has a sound, tried and true.

 

[Felken]

If you want the smooth feel of flats but with more brightness, use tapewounds. Tapewounds are mellow and smooth, but have a certain zing to them that flats don't have.