Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Relentless
- Thread starter Pbasslovernyc
- Start date
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,013
- 1
- 31,725
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Welllll......... I just installed this Relentless P into a new Gretsch CVT bass and it totally brought it to life. Big lows, full mids, but still with some nice top end "sizzle". I routed this to where it sits in just about the same position as a P bass (although this is a 32" bass - I used the same placement dimension as on a Medium scale MIJ P bass). I think it sounds most excellent. However, I'm not 100% convinced it sounds better than the tried-n-true DiMarzio DP122. Nonetheless, it's staying and I am totally digging the way it made this bass come alive. I find myself just running this pickup without the bridge pickup. I say.... GO FOR IT !
I found it to be insanely hot in output and kind of of mushy mess actually. I say that as a fan of overwound pickups generally. It was just “blah” and LOUD. Louder than any of my active basses. Yes I tried lowering it, etc.
They have quite a radius, don’t they? Does it affect volume with flatter fingerboard instruments?
I have them and their predecessor(DiMarzio will power) in 3 of my basses. As others have said, they're very high output. Tons of mids. I play mostly rock and metal, and they're great for it. Extremely punchy clear tone. They're my favorite pickup along with the G&L mfd humbucker. Love the metal covers too. Finally basses are getting some cool looking pickups!
I much prefer the DiMarzio Sixties to the Relentless in that same line.
I have listened to several YouTube demos of them while wearing headphones and thought they should be renamed Meh-lentless.
I picked up a set with the smooth metal covers, I like that look.
Installed in a Schecter C4, stainless steel frets, bright roundwound stainless strings, just volume and tone controls. Very hot, and very forward in the high-mids. I was able to get some solid metal tones, but not much pleasing outside of that.
Moved it to a parts bass, no idea what the body is, the neck is a Lakland with nickel frets, a less bright roundwound set, volume/tone setup. Of course still hot, but I was able to get a wider range of style tones.
Not for me - even when I got a tone dialed in there was just something off.
Installed in a Schecter C4, stainless steel frets, bright roundwound stainless strings, just volume and tone controls. Very hot, and very forward in the high-mids. I was able to get some solid metal tones, but not much pleasing outside of that.
Moved it to a parts bass, no idea what the body is, the neck is a Lakland with nickel frets, a less bright roundwound set, volume/tone setup. Of course still hot, but I was able to get a wider range of style tones.
Not for me - even when I got a tone dialed in there was just something off.
To be fair, if the Relentless P style pickup actually was designed with / for Sheehan it probably sounds its best paired with a “woofer” neck pickup.
The only problem is that they won’t relent. No matter how hard you try, they just won’t do it.
Looks like opinions are focused on the relentless p-bass pickups, is there a different opinion towards the jazz bass relentless pickups? Thought about trying them in my medium scale jazz vs the EMG Geezer jazz pickups(JVHZ set)…
One thing I don’t think has been discussed in this thread is that there’s two different Relentless P pickups. There’s the one with exposed poles, and there’s also what I think DM calls “Relentless Middle” with a smooth top cover. I don’t have experience with those. DMs tone guide is about the same between them though.
I think the Relentless Middle is a great modern pickup—much more mid-forward than a traditional P pickup and noticeably louder. I still prefer the DiMarzio 60s P, though. It has a similar character to the Relentless Middle but delivers a more natural, classic P-bass tone. It’s still aggressive, very articulate, and full-sounding.
