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P bass pickup suggestions

Beardsley

Beardsley

Sep 5, 2016
54
23
#1
Hey folks, as the title says, I'm in the market for some pbass pickups. I know there's a million and a half threads on this but they're all tailored towards specific tastes.
Down to the details. I currently have a set of fender original pickups (I've attached a pic to this post)
To me they seem to lack any real oomph and the mids sounds "boxy" if that makes sense. I like to keep my volume on full and tone at about 50-75%
What I need is thick and round. Punch is good but when I say punch I'm talking a punch from a big fist rather than a jab like punch. Not a fan of boomy lows.

I do have two requirements:
1. Passive
2. They must either come in cream colored or have removable covers so I can put cream covers on them
 

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#2
SPB2?

But again, might go in your hypothetical definition of "verging towards muddy" in the lowest mids, so I really don't know.

However, are the SPB3 going in the "boomy low" category? Are you looking for good presence in the top-end too or just smooth, fat, round, thick tone? For the latter, the Fender PV '63 here are often described as a good choice, someone having them might chime in.

If you want a wider spectrum with good, well defined bottom end and hi-fi clarity on top, too bad an EMG or a quality active one can't be the choice.

Anyway, an SPB1 is often a nice "neutral" starting point, but I'm really shooting in the dark here.

Could a nice graphic EQ (or a parametric one to seek the annoying freqs and tame them) and compressor be something to consider?
 
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#3
EmaTheMirror said:
SPB2?

But again, might go in your hypothetical definition of "verging towards muddy" in the lowest mids, so I really don't know.

However, are the SPB3 going in the "boomy low" category? Are you looking for good presence in the top-end too or just smooth, fat, round, thick tone? For the latter, the Fender PV '63 here are often described as a good choice, someone having them might chime in.

If you want a wider spectrum with good, well defined bottom end and hi-fi clarity on top, too bad an EMG or a quality active one can't be the choice.

Anyway, an SPB1 is often a nice "neutral" starting point, but I'm really shooting in the dark here.

Could a nice graphic EQ (or a parametric one to seek the annoying freqs and tame them) and compressor be something to consider?
Click to expand...

If I can get thick all around that would be golden. Preferably with enough definition to keep the mud away.
I've considered the eq/compressor route but I figured I'd start with the pickups and move on from there
 
#8
All suggestions seem valid to me, perhaps the model P has a "hot growl" which might not be the smoothest one.

Roughly and generally speaking, I think you'll probably (not sure, though) settle on something overwound to varying degrees (the PV '63 being one) for a "thick all around", but the advice to contact Fralin, Lollar, (Novak...) and ask for suggestions directly is a good idea, as they definitely know more than I and many here I guess. They'll most probably highlight one of their own options as a suggestion (and that's totally fine) but at least you get a better consultation and you might be happy with the offer too.

If you're based in the UK, Bare Knuckle is a famous likewise "boutique" brand.

Re. the pickup vs. EQ option: pickups are very important and many times they're equally good but voiced differently according to taste and timbrical needs, as you rightly guessed. However, in my own personal experience, it's rather easy to shape or drive a versatile one rather than trying to counteract the effects of a very hot one with a very specific frequency response.
If you are going for basically one style/main tone and stick with it, go for your favourite flavour/overwound coil or whatever they suggest. It's probably best to know your whole rig too, as you'll have a different response (and might risk undesired results) if you're, say, plugging in an Orange and 1x15" rather than a SWR and a 4x10 + tweeter and aluminium ("a-luh-miiii-nium" :smug:) cones.
 
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#10
NoiseNinja said:
I recommend the DiMarzio Model P :


Comes with cream colored covers as well, and think they are removable too:
View attachment 4196433

DiMarzio Model P® | DiMarzio
Click to expand...


I forgot to mention, if that maters to you, that this pickup comes with either black, as on the picture, gold or nickle colored pole pieces as well.

I also need to add that the imbalance the guy in the video demoing the pickups mentions at the end of the video I haven't encountered at all, quite on the contrary, the Model P pickup that I have currently installed in my main bass has an incredible even balance between the strings, only minor adjustments, compared to both halves and both sides of each half set completely flat at the same height, was needed to make the output of the strings balance absolutely perfectly (The low E and high G string sides being fairly equal in terms of height and then just ever so slightly raised towards the A and D string, to accommodate the fretboard radius, close to equal height as well. Though might I add the saddle height being adjusted with an arc, approximately matching the fretboard radius, but tilting slightly downwards towards the high G string).
 
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#11
For thick and round, nothing beats Bartolinis, IME, but they don't come in cream covers. I've had a DiMarzio Model P in a P Bass in the past and was happy with it.

I haven't tried BareKnuckle bass pickups, but have had good experiences with their guitar pickups (Mississippi Queens are fantastic), and their P Bass pickup does come with a cream cover.
 
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#12
You have to start by figuring out what kind of PBass sound you're after. Some are mid-scooped, some have really exaggerated mids. Some have bright highs, some are smooth on top. Some have lots of low end, some have less boominess.

Without any idea of what you're after, it's impossible to make any recommendations. People will just be throwing around their favorite pickups, which might not be relevant to you.
 
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#15
Have you experimented with different strings? One of the most over-looked ways to improve a bass' sound.

I'm no expert but for me, most P Bass pickups all pretty much sound about the same. I mean, what's the magic? AlNiCo 5 magnets, 10.5 k ohm to 12 k ohm.

My biggest surprise with a P pickup was a $20 used MIJ Gotoh AlNiCo 5 magnets and a low winding of 9 K ohm! Sounds fantastic!
 
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#18
bassdude51 said:
Have you experimented with different strings? One of the most over-looked ways to improve a bass' sound.

I'm no expert but for me, most P Bass pickups all pretty much sound about the same. I mean, what's the magic? AlNiCo 5 magnets, 10.5 k ohm to 12 k ohm.

My biggest surprise with a P pickup was a $20 used MIJ Gotoh AlNiCo 5 magnets and a low winding of 9 K ohm! Sounds fantastic!
Click to expand...

Try listening to the video I posted comparing a stock Fender P pickup to a DiMarzio Model P, to me that is a huge difference (installed in the very same bass with the very same settings) : P bass pickup suggestions

If you can't hear the big difference then I guess you are right, it wouldn't matter much to you, but for me at least it can makes a quite essential difference on the tone of a bass.

The EMG Geezer Butler I had installed in my main bass previously to the Model P being a huge improvement over the stock P pickup, and the Model P that is currently installed much more to my personal preferences than the Geezer, all 3 being very different sounding P pickups.
 
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#19
NoiseNinja said:
Try listening to the video I posted comparing a stock Fender P pickup to a DiMarzio Model P, to me that is a huge difference (installed in the very same bass with the very same settings) : P bass pickup suggestions

If you can't hear the big difference then I guess you are right, it wouldn't matter much to you, but for me at least it can makes a quite essential difference on a tone of a bass.
Click to expand...

I was generalizing about P Pickups. The DiMarzio, if I am correct is ceramic magnet and not AlNiCo 5 like what about 90% of P pickups are made of.

There are P Pickups with AlNiCo 2, 3, 8 type magnets. Quarter inch magnets. Hot windings There are bar magnets. And other variations. But the #5 are most common and to me, they all sound about the same.

I was generalizing. I'm sorry.

Good luck on your quest.
 

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