Poll: Fender Bass Pickups: Mod or Original?

[WoodyG3]

I'm just wondering how many TBers are using the stock pickups in their Fender basses. Who likes the originals, and who has to put their own special touch on the sound?

I searched and it doesn't look like this has been a poll question before. Comments are welcome and encouraged.

 

[sean.1986]

Mine have stock pickups, but if they broke then I'd probably replace them with 3rd party ones.

 

[mongo2]

I have a mix of OEM, Barts, and SD on my various Fenders.

So I chose Carrots.

 

[Nedmundo]

Maybe the poll should include middle ground answers, because I've replaced some and kept others, and I suspect it will be the same for many on TB.

My four string Jazz and Precision both have Lindy Fralins, but my 2008 Jazz V has the stock pickups, which sound fantastic. My single coil Strat has Lace Sensors, but my dual humbucker Strat has the original pickups, which happen to be Seymour Duncans.

 

[SlingBass4]

Very subjective topic IMO, Woody. It really depends on the instrument. They vary through years and models - so I didn't vote. I've done both. The music one plays or performs would have something to do with one's choice. Me? I have 2 hybrid Fender/Warmoth basses with the original passive Fender pups. They work for me and the music I perform...

 

[WoodyG3]

Yeah, I should have had a "some of both" option. Dopey me!

Well, let's use carrots as some of both.

 

[Darkstrike]

My Fender has stock pickups, but I'd be crazy to pull Roscoe Beck pickups.......

 

[CPplaysBASS]

Answers will likely vary between MIA and MIM ... I have owned and loved both generally. Never replaced the MIA pickups though, replaced the MIM ...

The P MIA pickups that I have in my Standard P and 50's P Classic are pure heaven. Also love the Jazz MIA pickups, just a tiny less than the P (although the Jazz overall is my #1 bass for playability).

 

[krustwell]

i put Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounders and a BadAssII bridge on my 62 RI to make it a poor man's Steve Harris bass. my jazz bass has stock pickups, though.

 

[ahjoyc2]

Stock for me.

Jag bass.

If I were to replace anything, it'd be the bridge, and I'd but a BadAss bridge on it.

 

[Helluvatim]

replaced my MIM's & CIJ's w/ SD's. Left the MIA's alone

 

[bryan bailey]

I don't own a fender so I went with carrots...

However my squier vintage modern still has its stock duncan designs. Good pickups.
And my squier affinity 5 is getting some quarter pounders in a week or so.

 

[RickenBoogie]

I only have 1 Fender bass, an Am Dlx P, and quite happy with the pups it came with.

 

[sedan_dad]

I put Nord's in my 57 AVI and took the RAISED "a" avi's and put them in a MIM.

 

[fenderphil]

i replaced my MIA pickups with fender vintage pickups...

 

[steamthief]

My MIA P/J sounds great with stock. My Classic Jazz got Custom Shop, still Fender though. My "big Fender, little Squier" P got a $20 Reverend to place the Korean mud.

 

[HMZ]

My mia jazz has Seymour Duncans and my mia P bass has the original Fender pickups.

 

[vinxbass]

Last year I bought a 2008 MIA Fender Jazz V and swapped out the pickups for Bartolini 57J1's, it was a short lived swap. I like the sound of the originals better. The Bart bridge pup sounded better than the Fender bridge, but with the Fender neck pup they didn't sound good together, so I went back to both Fender neck and bridge.

 

[Punk Rock Jason]

I've got the stock pickups in my Fender P-Bass. I might replace them at some point, but I think I'll change the bridge first. The stocks aren't bad overall.

 

[bigfatbass]

Early 90s american jazz deluxe, the Fralins I put in there blow the stock fenders off the map.