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Pure Vintage 63 precision pickups with flatwounds

Groovy Luca

Groovy Luca

Inactive
Jul 18, 2016
80
82
Italy
#1
So I've read about 30 threads on the subject and I'm still left with this specific question: will the Fender Precision Vintage '63 pickups work well with flatwound strings, maintaining enough note definition and clarity?
About half the opinions I've read said yes they sound perfect, the other half say it's total undistinguishable mud.

My problem is I have this parts bass and I don't like the pickup (Kent Armstrong VPB) because IMO it has way too much mids in the 600-900 hz, they cover everything else and it just sounds too honky and also kinda hollow below that, it's the same through different rigs, recording setups and with different strings.
I find myself dialing in the wildest EQ curves to get closer to the sound I want to hear so I know this pickup ain't cutting it, I'm looking for a thicker sounding pickup and from reading all the threads I'm oriented to the PV63.
This is designed as my flats P and I've already tried La Bella 760FS, chromes, ghs Precision, EB group III and obviously have kept all these sets.

For reference my tonal goals are early 70s Chuck Rainey, Palladino on "Voodoo" and the bassists for the Aggrolites (more of a scooped boomy tone to my ear so that'll need eq anyways).

I'm also open to other pickups suggestions, max budget 150€.

And here's the bass in question :bassist:
FB_IMG_1675988232532.jpg


Thanks in advance
 
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#3
I currently have a p with the 63 pickups strung up with labella flats. I wouldn’t call it mud, but they are darker than the Emg GZRs I had before. The upper midrange bump the GZRs had worked really well with flats, I might switch them out. If you want fender, I thought the fender originals also worked well.
 
#8
Seriously the PV63 sounds super good with flats. I want to try DR Hi Beams which is a good roundwound compliment since the pickup is plenty bass and middy, but still clear from top to bottom. You’ll get plenty of clarity from the stainless rounds, but still have plenty of mids on tap given the nature of the pickup and that it’s a pbass.
 
#9
Killing Floor said:
Not only do the Fender 63 pickups sound clean and punchy with flats but Fralin and many other boutique replacement pickups are modeled after the 63 P. If your pickups are too muddy with flats try a HPF and adjust your EQ. Or move the amp to a different part of the room.
Click to expand...

"Fralin and many other boutique replacement pickups are modeled after the 63 P".
I don't believe this statement is accurate, the P63 was released in 2013. Fralin has been making P pickups since 1989.
 
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#10
Thanks everyone for your opinions.
I found some YouTube demos of the PV63 with la bella's and chromes and it sounds good, but I guess the only way to find out is to try it myself.
I like a dark smooth deep sound, don't really care about a versatile or "cutting" tone honestly, but maybe I should also consider a similar pickup but more "neutral" and fatten it up with eq and pedals?

Btw I've found this comparison with the Custom Shop 62 and hear just a little difference in the mids, from reading some threads here I thought the 62 would be much brighter


I'm also open to non-Fenders but thought I'd start looking at these, I have Fralin in a Jazz bass and they sound killer but I'd like to spend a little less
 
#18
PV63 well match with Ti flat.
I prefer pickups height setting on PV63 lower than 3.5mm, not muddy , just sweet and smooth with flatwound bass string. Raise it up when you want aggry pick tone with roundwound bass string.
 

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