- Oct 18, 2012
- 6,683
- 5,538
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- Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
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P Bass Pickups
- Thread starter Louie Cevasco
- Start date
I like the EMG Geezer Butler pickups, they sound great and also come with all the electronics (pots, jack, wire, cap) for a complete overhaul. I have them in my number 1 and 2 working Precision basses.
Next on the list would be DiMarzio Model P's, as they have a nice tone that you can tailor via adjustable pole pieces, and selection of pots/caps. Lots others mentioned here are various flavors of the same thing, it's more of a personal choice.
I would avoid Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounders, as the are very thick and scooped. I'm not calling them bad sounding, but definitely not the direction you want to go, based on what you said.
You can "steer" the sound of a pickup via different values in pots and caps based on what you are looking for. Same regarding string choice, and even how the pickup is set up. For instance, I can very much bring out or pull back the midrange of the geezers by adjusting the pickup height. Drop it down or up off my setting of 3/32" on the E string, and move it into the A/D strings, and you can get a more of a pronounced midrange. Same goes with other pickups. String choice makes a huge difference as well. If this is all stuff you knew already I apologize, I've learned not to assume a posters information level. If it's something you can use, great, if it's old hat, maybe someone else can learn something.
Next on the list would be DiMarzio Model P's, as they have a nice tone that you can tailor via adjustable pole pieces, and selection of pots/caps. Lots others mentioned here are various flavors of the same thing, it's more of a personal choice.
I would avoid Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounders, as the are very thick and scooped. I'm not calling them bad sounding, but definitely not the direction you want to go, based on what you said.
You can "steer" the sound of a pickup via different values in pots and caps based on what you are looking for. Same regarding string choice, and even how the pickup is set up. For instance, I can very much bring out or pull back the midrange of the geezers by adjusting the pickup height. Drop it down or up off my setting of 3/32" on the E string, and move it into the A/D strings, and you can get a more of a pronounced midrange. Same goes with other pickups. String choice makes a huge difference as well. If this is all stuff you knew already I apologize, I've learned not to assume a posters information level. If it's something you can use, great, if it's old hat, maybe someone else can learn something.
The OP asked for P pickups that sound like a jazz bass. This quickly turned into people just posting pickups they like. First of all, you may come close, but just like you are never going to get a J to sound like a P, the opposite is true.
The inherent tone of a p pickup wired in series (std) is such that it will not sound like a J, but wiring in parallel comes close to it.
The dimarzio model P in parallel has enough output to work in that setting. The dimarzio split P in parallel will still sound like a P.
Avoid all the vintage flavored pups people recommended, they sound good, but won’t give you what you are looking for.
Also, it would help if you said what type of jazz bass pickup tone you were going for.
The inherent tone of a p pickup wired in series (std) is such that it will not sound like a J, but wiring in parallel comes close to it.
The dimarzio model P in parallel has enough output to work in that setting. The dimarzio split P in parallel will still sound like a P.
Avoid all the vintage flavored pups people recommended, they sound good, but won’t give you what you are looking for.
Also, it would help if you said what type of jazz bass pickup tone you were going for.
Re read the last part. In addition to wanting a jazz bass he said “ really anything that’s not muddy and has a good range of frequencies.”
I think that’s what most were replying to, as it was said early on you just aren’t going to get a Jazz sound out of a p pickup.
I’m guessing that’s why you are seeing so many posts talking about the different p pickups
JGbassman, you are correct, I missed the last sentence. It all makes sense to me now. In that case the Wilde p-46 would work him as well as the Klein 62 p pick up which is purported to be the most balanced pickup out there, according to a few on here. But the Wilde and the dimarzio will probably present best bang for buck.
I wire all my split coil P pickups with a parallel option. It gets you right in the brighter wheelhouse of the tone of a J neck or single coil P.
I have a set of Wilde P46/J45 in my P/J with a series/parallel push/pull pot on the P46. The pickups (with 500K ohm pots) are inherently wide range with good highs (even the P46 in series). The P46 in parallel is pretty much a J bass. That was my goal with this particular bass, and it does it perfectly.
