Lindy Fralin Pickups!

[Ricky Rioli]

Just wondering from a position of blissful ignorance — is offering all four of -5%, stock, +5% and +10% more important than stocking, say, just stock and +10% for both 4 string and 5 string versions?

If I'm really wanting a pair of -5% underwound 4-string pickups, I'm probably happy to wait. If I want a pair of normal pickups for 5-string, the market is already giving me enough options to make waiting seem unnecessary?

When reading up on the P pickup, I saw plenty of chat about the +10%, but didn't come across any about the -5%

 

[RocketMusic]

Just wondering from a position of blissful ignorance — is offering all four of -5%, stock, +5% and +10% more important than stocking, say, just stock and +10% for both 4 string and 5 string versions?

If I'm really wanting a pair of -5% underwound 4-string pickups, I'm probably happy to wait. If I want a pair of normal pickups for 5-string, the market is already giving me enough options to make waiting seem unnecessary?

When reading up on the P pickup, I saw plenty of chat about the +10%, but didn't come across any about the -5%

Yeah, that's a really good idea. And that's essentially my plan, I'll probably start with the stock winding and then add the 10% later. Then maybe I'll move onto adding some of their guitar pickups to show the 6-string fellas some love.

 

[RocketMusic]

I've got a couple of the stock wind Fralin P-BASS pickups in stock again. I've also got all the other winds in stock (-5%, +5%, +10%).

FWIW - these were ordered on 6/7, and they arrived today (6/19). So just under 2 weeks. That's pretty typical, it's usually a 2-3 week wait depending on how busy they are.

That's certainly not an awful wait, but it's the same wait you can expect if you order directly from Fralin. Which is my not-so-subtle way of suggesting that you buy from me. I'll ship them the say day you order them, assuming I have them in stock at the time of your order.

 

[One Way]

I really like the standard wind Fralin pickup in my MIM p bass. That and LaBella 45-105 flatwounds finally have me reaching for the p bass as a top choice among my 4 basses

 

[RocketMusic]

I just placed an order for some of Fralin's SLIT JAZZ 4-string pickups. They're 3 weeks out.

I've simplified my website listing a bit: it now offers just the stock wind and the 10% overwound.

It still shows the 2 different sizes of sets, though I'm not sure that will continue like that long term:
- Long / Short has a bridge pickup that is longer than the neck pickup
- Short / Short has a bridge pickup that is the same size as the neck pickup

I've started with the Long / Short sets in stock and 10% overwound. I'll probably get the Short / Short sets at some point, though it would be nice to hear some folks chime in if that's actually a thing they'd want. I suspect that's fairly rare.

These are also the sets that DO NOT have the raised center pole pieces, so they'll work better with flatter fingerboards (9.5" or greater). The raised center sets (which I don't yet have on order) are for more round fingerboards (9.5" or less). I'll get those sets on order eventually, but for now I've hidden that item on my website.

I don't intend to stock the 5% overwound and 5% underwound, unless I hear from some folks that that's their flavor.

 

[RocketMusic]

My first order of Fralin SPLIT-JAZZ pickups has arrived!

I've got the Stock and 10% Over windings, and I also grabbed some spare pickup covers so I can change cover colors as customers want. These were ordered with black covers, but I can substitute white or cream if you prefer. These sets also have the bridge pickup that is longer than the neck pickup (so good for most typical jazz bases), and they do NOT have the raised center pole pieces.

 

[RocketMusic]

Shame on me! I'm out of the P-BASS 10% overwind. I just ordered some more, so I should have those again within 2-4 weeks.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I've been looking for something .... more spacious .... with a clean responsive attack .... just found this video .... standard Lindy Fralin .... broken-in 45–100 Chromes

Just realised that I never reported back on this. The Lindy Fralin is wonderful, exactly what I wanted for my Chromes, that video definitely didn’t me a false impression.

Had a .047 cap fitted at the same time, and I've got a good sweep of useful tones from the full range of the knob.

Curiosity has got me trying it with a set of steel Rotosound Swing Bass that need using up, and that's a good, satisfying match too.

I tried it with LaBella DTFs, momentarily, but I was too busy with my ongoing internal psychodrama over these strings (I desperately want to love them, but they won't let me ) to make a useful estimation of the combination.

I'm very happy to have gone for the stock wind for what I wanted, but the general enthusiasm for the +10% overwind makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Lammchop93]

One of the things I love about my +10% P is that from an input level standpoint, it is on par with my other main bass, which has the MFD pickup. So less tweaking when swapping basses mid-gig.

 

[RocketMusic]

And the Fralin P-BASS 10% overwind is back in stock now!

 

[Geogio]

Lindy Fralin is kind of local and a lot of people around here have installed his pickups. They sound good but my ears have been put through the paces over time...

I went to passive EMG's because I like the Plug and Play Jet Fighter connectors. But I'm also lazy and for me it's a quicker install.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

My tech installs my pickups, so the Fralins were as quick and easy as they come

 

[RocketMusic]

Fralin just announced that they will increase their prices on August 1, 2024.

A couple examples:
- the P-BASS pickup will go from $150 to $160
- the Split Jazz Bass pickup set will go from $280 to $300

I'll leave the pickups that I have in stock at their current prices until sometime late on July 31, so get 'em while you can at today's prices!

 

[RocketMusic]

BTW - I'll be placing a Fralin order sometime this week to get more stuff in here at the current prices. I'll most likely stick to the things that I already stock, but I'd be happy to order any of their products if you'd like to get something else. Just let me know what you're after, and I'll get you a quote and then we can take it from there.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

The Lindy Fralin is wonderful, exactly what I wanted for my Chromes

Curiosity has got me trying it with a set of steel Rotosound Swing Bass that need using up, and that's a good, satisfying match too.

in between one set of Chromes and the next, I just tried some 50-65-85-110 Daddario Pro Steels with the Fralin — another very happy match. First time that I've ever listened to the noise I've been making with a bass and thought: yes that's the classic guttural P-bass tone. Strong, but cavernous rather than thick.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Couple of years ago I wrote this about my combination of a stock wind Fralin P and 45-105 Chromes:

Just realised that I never reported back on this. The Lindy Fralin is wonderful, exactly what I wanted for my Chromes, that video definitely didn’t me a false impression.

I've now paired a 40-100 set of Chromes with a Fralin Split Jazz and again it's a great combination. Strings and pickup are singing from the same hymnsheet without it all becoming too much of a good thing. The pickup has the clarity to let the responsiveness of the strings shine.

 

[RocketMusic]

Couple of years ago I wrote this about my combination of a stock wind Fralin P and 45-105 Chromes:



I've now paired a 40-100 set of Chromes with a Fralin Split Jazz and again it's a great combination. Strings and pickup are singing from the same hymnsheet without it all becoming too much of a good thing. The pickup has the clarity to let the responsiveness of the strings shine.

Nice, thanks for the report!

I recently found myself sitting here with my 4 personal P-basses all strung with LaBella 760FL strings. I decided one day out of the blue that at least one of those basses should have rounds, so I installed a set of NYXL45105 on my fretted G&L LB-100. It's taken me some time to get used to them. At first, there was just a lot more happening as far as overtones goes (compared to flats). And finger noise, of course. And the texture is rougher on the fingertips.

I don't know if the strings have calmed down with use or if I've just gotten used to the sound, but I'm digging the NYXL's now. I'm anxious to try them in a band context to see if I'm more easily heard or if I'm just polluting more of the band's midrange.

I still consider myself a flats guy, but I like having the rounds ready to go now in case the mood strikes or the situation demands it.

 

[RocketMusic]

Boy, I really let my Fralin pickup inventory dwindle down to almost nothing. That was a casualty of some software difficulties I've had over the past few months with a software piece of my inventory management system. That's all been resolved with a new software vendor, so I've got a much better handle on my inventory needs now.

The good news is that Fralin just shipped me a pretty big order today, so I should be back to normal inventory levels later this week.

Money, my constant nemesis, should now be the only reason something like this happens in the future. At least until some other piece of software decides to sh*t the bed.

Lindy Fralin Pickups - All Products

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[One Way]

Excellent news! The standard wind Fralin pickup in my MIM Fender P bass consistently provides great tones