P pickup with burly punchy mids?

[groovaholic]

The DiMarzio Model P has a great slab of rock and roll mids...their Will Power (Sheehan) P pickup even more so.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hi all, just picked up a sweet little BB300, with a DiMarzio Split P in reverse position. Love the bass, but the tone seems a little too glassy and not growly enough. I like to roll off the highs a bit and play fingerstyle, and the mids aren't super great, and harmonics really don't ring out unless I keep the tone knob at 10. Makes me think the upper mids are super low... I really rarely slap and don't like fret clank so mids and bass > treble for me.

Any suggestions? This is my first P type bass ever. I could try a Model P instead, but looking for alternatives in general as I have no idea. I'd rather not put the most expensive thing out there in it, but it's a super solid instrument so...

NP4A

 

[foolforthecity]

Not saying this because I endorse EMG, but the Geezer Butler P fits what you want to a T. The Model P is good as well, but it's mostly about the low mids while the Geezer is more about the growly mids up a little higher and keeping a good balance of mids overall rather than just exaggerated lows.

+1

 

[Kipp Harrington]

This may be a little pricey for you but it certainly works for me. I am using a Tech 21 VT Bass Deluxe preamp/DI with my P and J bass with stock Squier/Fender pups (P is a Squier CV and J is Fender MIM J) and it makes those basses sound awesome! Plus, you can get so many great tones out of that box and it has 6 presets and 2 inputs.

I was considering new pups for both of those basses but no need to now. Totally satisfied... and then some!

 

[Matthijs]

I think a better low mid oriented pickup might help. But ime with the reverse P on a Yamaha P they are pretty finnicky with strings and setup, especially on the treble side. If the pickup is a tad to low or the strings are not strong on low mids, things tend to get a bit glassy. I use worn in GHS boomers, or other hex wound nickel rounds. The gauge should not be on the heavy side. This might already help and save you the cost of new pickups.

If you want to do the pu thing: my guess is a lot of them will do. I’m happy with my Nordstrands. Just don’t go with anything that’s all about bass.

 

[Matthijs]

And Killed-by-death’s post got me thinking: did you check if the pu isn’t in parallel right now? It looks like Diy job, maybe the wiring is off, and I think parallel would make things worse.

the routing might be right. My 79 bb1200 has a wider route for the p’s. It had a specific pu ring for the original pu’s that would cover the rout.

 

[blastoff]

2nd the Geezer. its a great pickup. nice n growly

 

[Lowbrow]

Not saying this because I endorse EMG, but the Geezer Butler P fits what you want to a T. The Model P is good as well, but it's mostly about the low mids while the Geezer is more about the growly mids up a little higher and keeping a good balance of mids overall rather than just exaggerated lows.

+1 all around

 

[BigBear77]

Geezers
Fralins are great
Arcane 65 experience

 

[bassliner50]

Try Fender Original (62's). About $50. Whhy you ask? Tone and response to touch. I swear by them.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

Yeah, your bass has the wrong Dimarzio for what you want. Use the Model P or Will Power. Another good choice is Seymour Duncan Steve Harris model or Bartolini 8SU.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Not saying this because I endorse EMG, but the Geezer Butler P fits what you want to a T. The Model P is good as well, but it's mostly about the low mids while the Geezer is more about the growly mids up a little higher and keeping a good balance of mids overall rather than just exaggerated lows.

True this. I had a US Lakland 4464 (sold it, UGH) that I dropped a Geezer into. Absolutely loved it. And it could get mellow too. Just a great all around pickup, and not too expensive.

 

[jmlee]

I had a BB300 and put in the split-P pickups from a G&L SB-1. Fantastic growly mids with the volume dimed and a more P-like punch with the volume around 70%. You can buy this pickup set for modest cost from the G&L online store.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Not sure how parallel wiring would fix that.

Pickup coils are Inductors, two Inductors in series will lower the resonant peak, two Inductors in parallel will raise the resonant peak.
If the resonant peak is currently in the low-frequency range (in series), then switching to parallel wiring will raise that resonant peak to the mids.

 

[NKBassman]

+100 Model P

 

[swarfrat]

Isn't that what P's are for?

 

[bolophonic]

Well, I'm not sure how the Split P is meant to do all things for all people. The info I've gathered makes it seem more scooped than others. Not sure how parallel wiring would fix that.

I have never heard anyone describe a split P configuration as inherently “scooped.”

 

[Laurent]

Burly mids!

Hope nobody suggest Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders because they are the opposite. They are scooped.

My suggestion would be the Fender Pure vintage 63. Look at the back of the box and it shows its tonal profile.
Big bass, robust mids, and slightly shy highs. It's also slightly hot and very punchy.

If you only have mids you get nasal tone quick with a P bass so my sense is you're looking for muscular bass as well and strong mids and this is what this pickup delivers. I own it and compared it to the Lollar and Arcane Experience 65 which I also own, regularly. The Pure Vintage 63 is a great pickup and it can be good to set it up a bit lower than normal because it can sound so big and bombastic otherwise.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Agree with Laurent - Burly punchy mids is the Pure Vintage 63.

The Geezer has more upper mids in it. I owned both and recorded with both extensively.

 

[Warpeg]

Geezer or a PV '63