Is a Kiloton more P, or more MM?

[LowendG]

What say ye, Kiloton players? I might need a new fiver, and I'm thinking a Kiloton V with Labella flats could be a pretty cool axe, but I tend to favor the P side of the spectrum vs the MM side, tone-wise. Which is this beast more of? If it's "half way" then it might be the ticket.
Note: I only wanna discuss the Kiloton--I've owned L2500s, Dingwalls, Sadowskys, Fender P and J fivers, you name it, etc etc. I don't need other suggestions, thank ya kindly.

 

[Killing Floor]

Kiloton is a cool bass.
Stingray is a cool bass.

Straight answer to your question is Not a P Bass ≠ a P Bass.

 

[LowendG]

Kiloton is a cool bass.
Stingray is a cool bass.

Straight answer to your question is Not a P Bass ≠ a P Bass.

Huh? What does that even mean?

Let me perhaps clarify my curiosity: is the Kiloton pickup a little more forward from the bridge compared to a 'Ray? Looks like it to me. I've never encountered one in the wild so I dunno.
I have plenty of MFD experience FWIW with my now long gone L2500s. But I like simple, and the Kiloton is intriguing...

 

[Lowendchamp]

My Kiloton is very articulate across all strings and super hot in OMG mode, but does NOT sound like a P at all. I would say it closely resembles a Stingray but only the passive ones. Definitely a cool bass though!

 

[LowendG]

My Kiloton is very articulate across all strings and super hot in OMG mode, but does NOT sound like a P at all. I would say it closely resembles a Stingray but only the passive ones. Definitely a cool bass though!

Thank you. I don't own any Ray-ish bass currently so it might be really cool for me to have. My impression is that it's a little less "pointed" sounding than a Ray, in that the pickup is a little more forward (towards the neck). Is that accurate in your opinion?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

What say ye, Kiloton players? I might need a new fiver, and I'm thinking a Kiloton V with Labella flats could be a pretty cool axe, but I tend to favor the P side of the spectrum vs the MM side, tone-wise. Which is this beast more of? If it's "half way" then it might be the ticket.
Note: I only wanna discuss the Kiloton--I've owned L2500s, Dingwalls, Sadowskys, Fender P and J fivers, you name it, etc etc. I don't need other suggestions, thank ya kindly.

It's further back than a sting ray. It's very tight, but a much thinner sound than a P bass.

G&L makes a bass that has a single MM pickup in it, but it's actually in the P spot.

 

[LowendG]

It's further back than a sting ray. It's very tight, but a much thinner sound than a P bass.

G&L makes a bass that has a single MM pickup in it, but it's actually in the P spot.

You mean further back towards the bridge than a Ray? It doesn't look it, but I can't tell really.
Yes the L1000. As I say I've owned several L2500s (the front pickup is in the same spot as the lone MFD in the L1000). I know the G&L thing pretty well, except for the Kiloton. Was wondering if that MFD in the Kiloton was kinda in-between the MM spot, and the P spot. That would be interesting. Not looking for a P fiver or similar at all--I've had a few of those. Not looking for a Ray fiver sound either. Curious about the Kiloton as its own voice.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

The centre of the Kiloton pickup is very slightly nearer the bridge than the centre of the Stingray pickup. Its pole pieces are slightly closer together.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

The centre of the Kiloton pickup is very slightly nearer the bridge than the centre of the Stingray pickup. Its pole pieces are slightly closer together.

A very rough and approximate illustration:

 

[Git]

I used to own a Tribute Kiloton 4 string. As has been mentioned above, the sound is more Ray than P. There is a honkyness to the tone that comes with a pick up nearer the bridge than the neck.

It was a good bass, the pick up was hot and I liked the three variations available from the switch but it was a bit heavy and the neck shape-narrow and deep-wasn't ideal for me. Ultimately, I had better basses and the lack of versatility from not having a pup nearer the neck meant it got sold.

The G&L Wunkay has a pick up closer to the bridge and that would probably have suited me better but I doubt I will buy another G&L.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I've owned and played Kilotons for three years, a fretless and a fretted.

Series is powerful, mid and bass heavy, thick tone. The money setting.

Single coil cuts, has rick-like quality, to me, but needs eq help to match series. With bass boost from outboard preamp, it's like the j bridge pu I always wanted.

Parallel is sorta generic, safe tone. Usable but not notable, maybe needs help from your bass amp/outboard preamp too.

One thing I'd say is the pickup is so hot, that when dimed series "sounds" seriously louder than single coil or parallel. You can manage this with your master volume but it's real - series is kinda overwhelming.

Also, on the fretted, I really miss having a neck pickup, but not with the fretless: series gets to some deep dark places. Fretted with flats? That could be great.

But - neither P nor ray sounding to me. If I had to choose, more Ray.

 

[lomo]

Thank you. I don't own any Ray-ish bass currently so it might be really cool for me to have. My impression is that it's a little less "pointed" sounding than a Ray, in that the pickup is a little more forward (towards the neck). Is that accurate in your opinion?

The K-Ton pup is a hair closer to the bridge than a 'ray....hence it sounds at least as "pointy" as a 'ray....possibly more so....which I suspect is why many love it as a fretless. I do not like the sound of any bass with a single pup in that particular zone, because I want "round yet defined" as opposed to "pointy". YMMV.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

A humbucker is not gonna sound like a split coil P regardless of placement.

 

[InhumanResource]

A humbucker is not gonna sound like a split coil P regardless of placement.

I mean, a split coil is a humbucker. I’d bet the majority of players couldn’t tell the difference in a blind test.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

You mean further back towards the bridge than a Ray? It doesn't look it, but I can't tell really.
Yes the L1000. As I say I've owned several L2500s (the front pickup is in the same spot as the lone MFD in the L1000). I know the G&L thing pretty well, except for the Kiloton. Was wondering if that MFD in the Kiloton was kinda in-between the MM spot, and the P spot. That would be interesting. Not looking for a P fiver or similar at all--I've had a few of those. Not looking for a Ray fiver sound either. Curious about the Kiloton as its own voice.

Yes, it's further back toward the bridge than a Stingray.
Not by much though.

 

[MegaSwing]

I don’t have much experience with Stingrays, but a Kiloton is nothing like a Precision. Even at its milder settings, it is way more aggressive than a P. I have discovered that my Kiloton is most in its element in high-volume situations. Honestly, I’m still working it out. It’s probably my most beguiling instrument.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I mean, a split coil is a humbucker. I’d bet the majority of players couldn’t tell the difference in a blind test.

Maybe if Humbucker was setup like EBMM Old Smoothie

 

[Rick Penrose]

I’ve always liked the way the Kiloton looks. Do they have a five string?

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I’ve always liked the way the Kiloton looks. Do they have a five string?

Plenty of 'em.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I don’t have much experience with Stingrays, but a Kiloton is nothing like a Precision. Even at its milder settings, it is way more aggressive than a P. I have discovered that my Kiloton is most in its element in high-volume situations. Honestly, I’m still working it out. It’s probably my most beguiling instrument.

The only time I got a tone I liked out of it, was with drive engaged.

I got rid of mine because I couldn't get a clean tone out of it. That, and the single coil option was the only tone that was usable. Series is stupid powerful and muddy (far too much low mid), and paralell is just bland. With it being a proprietary shape, you can't swap out the pickup either. I guess you could have a manufacturer make you a pickup to fit in the case, but I figured getting rid of it was just better for me. So, I did.