recommendations for pickups that are good/known for slap bass

[highway]

currently own a jbass with bartolini dualcoil deeps (9CBJD1), and was thinking about putting together another one for brighter/slappier/rockier types of stuff . . .

current bass has the deeps and is strung with flats. i was looking to do another with alder (same), maple/maple (instead of the current maple/rosewood), and string it with roundwounds.

I was thinking:

if pure jazz bass:

1) bartolini dualcoils - bright pair (9CBJD3)
2) seymour duncan QP jazz pair
3) CS 60s?
4) ???

also investigating a warmoth custom jazz body with either:

1) seymour duncan basslines QP SPB-3 (neck) [original hoppus clone]
2) emg 35dc (not sure about neck or bridge, possibly neck / claypool emulation)
3) MM (either bart, duncan, or another brand that does pre-ernieball designs like nordstrand)

i'm trying to investigate these types of pickups in search of a sound, and would like to hear your thoughts!

i like playing slap bass, just because it's fast and fun. i have my current jazz, and a fretless as well, so the other spectrums are kinda covered for me. i guess i'm just looking for something modern and fun . . .

 

[Mystic Michael]

If you opt for a J-style instrument, take a serious look at the Delano JMVC 4 FEs. I have a set of the five-string version installed in my Carvin SB5000, and I have to tell you, they are very impressive for slap!

MM

 

[DrSpunkwater]

Bill Lawrence's Wilde P46 + J45 PJ set is pretty sick for slap. I'm willing to bet the J45 neck and bridge together aren't too shabby either.

 

[highway]

If you opt for a J-style instrument, take a serious look at the Delano JMVC 4 FEs. I have a set of the five-string version installed in my Carvin SB5000, and I have to tell you, they are very impressive for slap!

MM

awesome, dude! tyvm!

this is the kind of stuff i am looking for, because i've NEVER heard of those before!

 

[dtraxe]

I have used Alembic pickups in my '73 Jazz. And I love the slap sound ad well as the rock type of style. Every recording engineer raves about the sound.

 

[highway]

I have used Alembic pickups in my '73 Jazz. And I love the slap sound ad well as the rock type of style. Every recording engineer raves about the sound.

these sound awesome, but look a little pricy!

 

[highway]

Bill Lawrence's Wilde P46 + J45 PJ set is pretty sick for slap. I'm willing to bet the J45 neck and bridge together aren't too shabby either.

checked these out, thanks!

 

[cfsporn]

EMGs have a natural scoop that lends itself perfectly for slap playing.

 

[Clark Dark]

Bill Lawrence's Wilde P46 + J45 PJ set is pretty sick for slap. I'm willing to bet the J45 neck and bridge together aren't too shabby either.

If you have that setup, is the P-46 wired series or parallel?

 

[cfsporn]

these sound awesome, but look a little pricy!

Try to find a used set. While they are worth the 1k asking price, it doesn't mean you should pay it.

 

[DrSpunkwater]

If you have that setup, is the P-46 wired series or parallel?

I'd recommend series. It doesn't have the power of parallel, but it has a better slap tone.

 

[DrSpunkwater]

$1000 for pups? Screw that noise. No pickup is worth $1000. I'll drop $120 on a P46/J45 set all day every day before I ever drop a grand on pickups.

No use searching when you've already found the pot of gold, I say.

 

[highway]

$1000 for pups? Screw that noise. No pickup is worth $1000. I'll drop $120 on a P46/J45 set all day every day before I ever drop a grand on pickups.

No use searching when you've already found the pot of gold, I say.

Yeah, that is 10x out of budget . . . even a used set will be 8-9x and that is still too much. Christ, for that kind of cash I could just go buy a 2013 Am. Std and be done with it.

I've been searching the youtube, and surprisingly my front runner seems to be the CS60s . . . they just sound so grizzly!

(starts at 0:30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lg2m08LEQc

I'm going to go through all of the recs again, and am still looking to play a SD QP SPB-3 in person . . . I gotta get some time on the 60s too. My main music shop only has 2011 and 2012 jbasses, nothing from 2013 with the new pickups.

I like EMGs for the fact that everything is solderless (and because I kinda want white covers lol), but I'm having trouble liking any of the samples / sounds that I've heard from them. Lots of clarity, not enough grizzle and dirt

 

[bongostealth]

If you opt for a J-style instrument, take a serious look at the Delano JMVC 4 FEs. I have a set of the five-string version installed in my Carvin SB5000, and I have to tell you, they are very impressive for slap!

MM

+1

 

[highway]

+1

I need to take a ride out to guitar center, and see what all they have. Their instruments are ****, but the selection is great . . .

 

[Mystic Michael]

I'd recommend series. It doesn't have the power of parallel, but it has a better slap tone.

In my experience, I've found just the opposite to be true. And I'd bet the vast majority of players have found the same.

Series mode increases the overall gain while generating a fatter, more aggressive, more "wooly" midrange, while attenuating the highs & lows somewhat, and blunting the perceived attack. Parallel mode achieves just the opposite: Less gain, with relatively more pronounced lows & highs, a cleaner, leaner, more polite midrange, and crisper, sharper attack overall.

I don't know a single slap player who's looking for a wooly midrange, and attenuated highs & lows. They are looking for more of a "scooped" frequency response, with lots of clarity & crispness in the attack.

MM

 

[bassistjoe93]

I personally like Nordstrand Big Splits. Beefy single coils. They kill in the slap/finger funk/jazz arena. That and an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp is a deadly combination.

 

[DrSpunkwater]

In my experience, I've found just the opposite to be true. And I'd bet the vast majority of players have found the same.

Series mode increases the overall gain while generating a fatter, more aggressive, more "wooly" midrange, while attenuating the highs & lows somewhat, and blunting the perceived attack. Parallel mode achieves just the opposite: Less gain, with relatively more pronounced lows & highs, a cleaner, leaner, more polite midrange, and crisper, sharper attack overall.

I don't know a single slap player who's looking for a wooly midrange, and attenuated highs & lows. They are looking for more of a "scooped" frequency response, with lots of clarity & crispness in the attack.

MM

Err, other way around then. Don't know why I confused the two.

 

[Nephilymbass]

If your considering building your own bass I would honestly look at musicman style or pj and formats other than a traditional jazz setup. The reason being is a single in the bridge position will provide the snap a "middle" position pickup will provide enough low end and girth while a neck pickups just tend to get in the way.