Multiple P-Basses: Pickups vs. Strings on Varying Tone?

[oysteivi]

I think strings would be the cheapest and easiest way to get different sounds.

My two p-basses both have fender flats, and while they do sound a bit different, I don't think anyone except the guy playing them would notice any difference, and certainly not in a mix.

 

[Pier_]

Anyone would notice the bass anyway we have to dwell with this truth.
We spend lots of money looking for amps, pickups, strings, cables and everything, but who notices except us playing?

 

[Rich McCoy]

I have two P basses , both with Chromes on them and they sound quite different. I have no idea why. One is a 2000 model mim , the other is a 1998 mim so they should sound the same.... but they don't. I haven't taken anything apart so I don't know if they use very different pups or not but the 98 is much twangier than the 2000. I prefer the more mellow 2000 one.

The pickups may be different.
Measure 5he lengths of the pickups, the 98s pickups are probably the same length, the 2000 maybe not.

 

[sharkbait130]

The pickups may be different.
Measure 5he lengths of the pickups, the 98s pickups are probably the same length, the 2000 maybe not.

Hmm , interesting. I just went down and measured both sets of pups. Size wise , they are all identical. I used a caliper to measure them with so no chance of visible error.
I will add to my original post that the two basses sound different whether amplified or un-amplified so there may be differences in the woods used or some other subtle differences. I also haven't pulled the pups so there may be differences in the internals of them. At any rate it just shows that no one thing will always act the same on different basses.

 

[Rich McCoy]

Hmm , interesting. I just went down and measured both sets of pups. Size wise , they are all identical. I used a caliper to measure them with so no chance of visible error.
I will add to my original post that the two basses sound different whether amplified or un-amplified so there may be differences in the woods used or some other subtle differences. I also haven't pulled the pups so there may be differences in the internals of them. At any rate it just shows that no one thing will always act the same on different basses.

Oh crap, i thought you had Jazz basses.
But yes, the pickups may very well be different anyway.