Mini-review: Benson Custom Pickups hand wound split coil P bass pickup

[Snaxster]

Overall

The Benson Custom Pickups split coil P pickup's sound is solid, creamy, sonorous, and articulate. Played with roundwound strings, I like this pickup best with the tone pot rolled off any amount. Also, it responds well to dipping the volume pot slightly below full, which is important for me.



Some details

Benson Custom Pickups: eBay, Facebook, website

The basic specs: Alnico 5 magnets, "medium scatter wound" 42 AWG FormVar coil wire, taped coils, cloth covered wire, 11K ohm DCR (per Benson — I forgot to measure this pickup), potted (with wax/paraffin?)

Plastic pickup covers, chrome mounting screws, and foam adjustment pads were included. A nice package.

Originally the helpful labels on this pickup's underside were centered, covering the pole pieces. Since I like to ground pickups' pole pieces when applicable, I removed the labels, trimmed them lengthwise, then re-affixed them next to the pole pieces.

The sound

Today I found myself playing from memory "The Love I Lost", first the chords, then the bass part. The Benson P pickup was like butter for that music, even with me stumbling through it. Mmm… butter.

However at first, just after installing this pickup, in headphones I struggled with it being not so much bright as having a harshness in its high frequencies. But the next day in an amp, then again in headphones, I found my voice through its voice and understood the pickup better. Its high resonant peak is simply different from most of the P pickups I was playing and liking best this past year.

In the end I decided that the brightness in this Benson P pickup's voice lent presence to its subtle midrange wooliness over tight fundamental. Indeed today I noted lovely string-to-string clarity with fingerpicked or strummed chords. And there is a subdued, but good twang with a little spitting when you play it that way with the tone fully or nearly open.

But make no mistake: this is a bass pickup. Warm, planted, solid bass.

Conclusion

John Benson was great to do business with. I like and recommend his split coil P bass pickup. It is a very good pickup and value.

 

[Laurent]

Thanks for the review it sounds like a very interesting pickup.
Bright is not an issue for me as long as there is enough range throughout the spectrum. I also like pickups to be balanced, it becomes a problem for me when pickups have spikes at certain frequencies.
It's hard to make a pickup brighter meanwhile it's easy to roll off the highs if there is too much. At least that's how I experience things.

 

[Snaxster]

Thanks for the review it sounds like a very interesting pickup.
Bright is not an issue for me as long as there is enough range throughout the spectrum. I also like pickups to be balanced, it becomes a problem for me when pickups have spikes at certain frequencies.
It's hard to make a pickup brighter meanwhile it's easy to roll off the highs if there is too much. At least that's how I experience things.

It was my pleasure to post. I agree with you about balance, at least to your point about it being "hard to make a pickup brighter".

For all-around use, I also agree about spectral balance. But I tend to think that most of the pickups we like best for their special voice are not really balanced; rather they are mostly balanced, but they have quirks that give them their character, their specialness. An obvious point, maybe.

 

[Precibass]

Mine is 13k, its about 11% overwound, it has very nice punch, I like how ballsy character it has, on steroids, using it with .022uF cap to maintain as much mids as possible when tone rolling down. Used 59 fender CS pickup before and it has def. more dynamics and clean character, but I like Benson more, because it is FAT and with nice growl when played with a pick through tube amp. Body is nitro lacquered alder with 1-piece maple neck.

edit: 300k Gibson volume pot recommended for liven up the sound clarity

 

[Precibass]

After nearly half a year of use, I must admit, this pickup has some serious mids, because for the first time I actually ´been doing the opposite I´ve had doing till nowadays - I must roll off the mids ! This pickup sings and has definitelly that sound comparable to 70s p basses. Very strong and not really sharp in highs like in case of modern era pickups. I like how it responds and really sings when played with fingers, no ice picky treble, even with a pick. Stainless steel strings recommended, they add to its roundness, very musical pickup, although I miss something of my previous 59 CS split coil. Well maybe there is no pickup that can sound flawless in any situation. For now I found what I needed. I hope my insight might help you to decide.

 

[Snaxster]

After nearly half a year of use, I must admit, this pickup has some serious mids, because for the first time I actually ´been doing the opposite I´ve had doing till nowadays - I must roll off the mids ! This pickup sings and has definitelly that sound comparable to 70s p basses. Very strong and not really sharp in highs like in case of modern era pickups. I like how it responds and really sings when played with fingers, no ice picky treble, even with a pick. Stainless steel strings recommended, they add to its roundness, very musical pickup, although I miss something of my previous 59 CS split coil. Well maybe there is no pickup that can sound flawless in any situation. For now I found what I needed. I hope my insight might help you to decide.

Hello. You know, what really struck me in this latest account of yours was "After nearly half a year of use". Here is a place where players report changing their basses or pickups like shirts, and you're staying put. Impressive! Congratulations on finding a keeper.

Thanks for your detailed review. I'm sure that anyone considering an overwound split P pickup will find it helpful.

 

[Precibass]

Hello. You know, what really struck me in this latest account of yours was "After nearly half a year of use". Here is a place where players report changing their basses or pickups like shirts, and you're staying put. Impressive! Congratulations on finding a keeper.

Thanks for your detailed review. I'm sure that anyone considering an overwound split P pickup will find it helpful.

Well thanks, I mean this is THE forum, or should be, where you find detailed reviews and seeking help if there is any doubt right? I always think about what others might find helpful when deciding about new stuff, so I made a review, I am glad you like the way I made it, really appreciate what you wrote me. Thanks man.

 

[Mama tried]

Have had Benson pickups in my precision over a year now. Used to change pickups like they were socks. No more. I'm a Benson man for life. They just make my p sound like everything I love about a precision bass.

 

[Evanforbass]

Do you (or anyone) have any idea how the Benson compares to a Fender PV63? I have the Pv63 and I really like it, the meaty low end and mids. I'm starting to wonder though if it's a little too shy on the highs. Any idea how the Benson compares?

 

[Pbman]

Do you (or anyone) have any idea how the Benson compares to a Fender PV63? I have the Pv63 and I really like it, the meaty low end and mids. I'm starting to wonder though if it's a little too shy on the highs. Any idea how the Benson compares?

Did you ever get a reply to your question? I'd really like to know. I too am a fan of the PV 63's.

 

[Evanforbass]

Did you ever get a reply to your question? I'd really like to know. I too am a fan of the PV 63's.

not really. But I ended up buying a Benson on ebay ($66!), and I am very pleased with it! I think it may be exactly what i was wanting: a vintage P that's a little more muscular, strong lows but not as bloated as the PV63, some mid complexity, and sweet highs. From my brief time with Benson, as well as the SD SBP-1, it kinda reminds me of the SBP but with a little more going on in the mids. Gets pretty aggressive digging in with a pick, plenty thumpy and soulful with tone rolled back. I've noticed and appreciated how much latitude there is with the tone control, and sometimes I like how it sits rolled back to 75% or so; whereas with the PV63 I always had tone dimed and kept reaching to turn up more.

The PV63 is an awesome pup, i do love the meatiness of it. But the Benson is also meaty and has better balance to my ear, and with rounds or flats i think it is a more usable pickup

 

[Pbman]

not really. But I ended up buying a Benson on ebay ($66!), and I am very pleased with it! I think it may be exactly what i was wanting: a vintage P that's a little more muscular, strong lows but not as bloated as the PV63, some mid complexity, and sweet highs. From my brief time with Benson, as well as the SD SBP-1, it kinda reminds me of the SBP but with a little more going on in the mids. Gets pretty aggressive digging in with a pick, plenty thumpy and soulful with tone rolled back. I've noticed and appreciated how much latitude there is with the tone control, and sometimes I like how it sits rolled back to 75% or so; whereas with the PV63 I always had tone dimed and kept reaching to turn up more.

The PV63 is an awesome pup, i do love the meatiness of it. But the Benson is also meaty and has better balance to my ear, and with rounds or flats i think it is a more usable pickup

Thanks, have you ever compared to a Lindy set? If you take a 10% overground Lindy, resistance wise, it's equal to a PV 63. But I suppose you could reach out to Benson fro a custom wind at a saving compared to Lindy

 

[Evanforbass]

Thanks, have you ever compared to a Lindy set? If you take a 10% overground Lindy, resistance wise, it's equal to a PV 63. But I suppose you could reach out to Benson fro a custom wind at a saving compared to Lindy

i havent played a Fralin. Benson said this pup is wound at 11.5k, whereas the PV63 is at 12k

 

[Pbman]

i havent played a Fralin. Benson said this pup is wound at 11.5k, whereas the PV63 is at 12k

I think companies are rounding them up. The box for the PV shows but it's really under that on a meter

 

[Evanforbass]

here's a quick demo i did

 

[Pbman]

here's a quick demo i did

Nice job!

 

[murphy]

here's a quick demo i did

What a great pickup demo...and fantastic playing!!!

 

[Evanforbass]

What a great pickup demo...and fantastic playing!!!

Hey, thanks very much
Coming up with something that showcases the character of a pickup, and isn't boring to listen to, is a fun and challenging process

 

[Evanforbass]

UPDATE:

I kept the Benson for about a month or so, and decided that my pup was a little unbalanced string to string, with a weaker D-G. I couldn't rectify this with adjustment, and it annoyed me enough to ditch it. I picked up a Fralin 5% overwound, and I have been abundantly satisfied