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replacement P bass pickup recommendations- seeking warmer tone/subdued treble

Smooth_bass88

Smooth_bass88

vaxx!
Oct 31, 2006
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16,796
Western Hemisphere
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have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
#1
MIJ Fender 57 P bass, alder body, maple fretboard currently running a DiMarzio model P. A little too hot and trebly sounding for my taste. Looking for something warmer, with less output and not as bright sounding. Looking for nice low-mid bump. What ya'll think?
 
#3
I'm curious, what value of capacitor does that have? .1uf is correct for '57, '58, '59, and the first few years of the '60s.

Klein Epic '58 is great but doing business with them--I believe it's a one man operation--is no fun if you expect them ever respond to any questions, such as how long to deliver your order, or have your pickups deliver within a month. Basically you place the order and hope and wait.

Other than that, I'd consider Duncan Antiquity 1 and Bareknuckle '58.
 
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#5
Grinderman said:
I'm curious, what value of capacitor does that have? .1uf is correct for '57, '58, '59, and the first few years of the '60s.

Klein Epic '58 is great but doing business with them--I believe it's a one man operation--is no fun if you expect them ever respond to any questions, such as how long to deliver your order, or have your pickups deliver within a month. Basically you place the order and hope and wait.

Other than that, I'd consider Duncan Antiquity 1 and Bareknuckle '58.
Click to expand...
I've used Antiquity II jazz bass pickups and loved 'em.
 
#11
Smooth_bass88 said:
MIJ Fender 57 P bass, alder body, maple fretboard currently running a DiMarzio model P. A little too hot and trebly sounding for my taste. Looking for something warmer, with less output and not as bright sounding. Looking for nice low-mid bump. What ya'll think?
Click to expand...
Shame you said less output as the Seymour Duncan SPB-2 does the subdued treble thing perfectly, I have a tone pot bypass on mine for a brighter tone but with 250k pots it's all bass and low mids
 
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#12
shoulderpet said:
Shame you said less output as the Seymour Duncan SPB-2 does the subdued treble thing perfectly, I have a tone pot bypass on mine for a brighter tone but with 250k pots it's all bass and low mids
Click to expand...
This is good info. I may consider this pickup as it's a bit less expensive than the others that were mentioned.
 
#13
shoulderpet said:
Shame you said less output as the Seymour Duncan SPB-2 does the subdued treble thing perfectly, I have a tone pot bypass on mine for a brighter tone but with 250k pots it's all bass and low mids
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan (tone bypass pot). When I need another P pickup, I'll try it. I've used the SPB-2 before and liked the deep bass and lower midrange, but not the treble loss. I am currently using a David Allen CSP-1088 and think it's a great pickup (also have a 1966 Precision with original p/u).
 
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#14
Smooth_bass88 said:
This is good info. I may consider this pickup as it's a bit less expensive than the others that were mentioned.
Click to expand...
It's a good pickup, more than most pickups it will give you whatever you put into it, if you run it with stainless rounds, 500k or brighter pots and a moderately aggressive attack it will bark and bite but run it with 250k pots and use a softer attack and nickel strings and it will be fat and warm, I keep my strings fresh as it gets very warm with more broken in strings
 
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#15
5StringBlues said:
Duncan Antiquity 1


It's wound like a '57 would be.


A friend , big P bass guy, played mine and said, "It's like the tone knob is down a third" compared to basses with a '62 style pickup.
Click to expand...

+1 on your recommendation. Only I will amend your description by saying that the sound is determined as much by the Alnico II magnets as by the coils.

Anyone who knows better, please correct me; but I believe that 1957 Precision Bass pickups were made with Alnico V magnets.

Believing that to be true, my further belief of several years has been that Seymour Duncan designed the Antiquity P-Bass pickup (model 101144-11) to sound like something old: based on the original, but as it would be heard through the filters of distant recollection and old recordings. It is an example of what I call a "romantic" sound.

Still, it could be true that 1957 Precision Bass pickups were less bright sounding than ones made in the ensuing few years. I don't know from personal experience.

What I do know, just in case it is representative, is that the Klein 1959 Epic Series Precision Bass pickup, though not a bright pickup, is very articulate and has fantastic "zing".
 
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#16
Yeah yup, total brainfart on the magnets on my part.
Snaxster said:
+1 on your recommendation. Only I will amend your description by saying that the sound is determined as much by the Alnico II magnets as by the coils.

Anyone who knows better, please correct me; but I believe that 1957 Precision Bass pickups were made with Alnico V magnets.

Believing that to be true, my further belief of several years has been that Seymour Duncan designed the Antiquity P-Bass pickup (model 101144-11) to sound like something old: based on the original, but as it would be heard through the filters of distant recollection and old recordings. It is an example of what I call a "romantic" sound.

Still, it could be true that 1957 Precision Bass pickups were less bright sounding than ones made in the ensuing few years. I don't know from personal experience.

What I do know, just in case it is representative, is that the Klein 1959 Epic Series Precision Bass pickup, though not a bright pickup, is very articulate and has fantastic "zing".
Click to expand...
 
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#18
At this point it's a toss up between the Antiquity I and the SBP-1 or 2, although I'm also considering the Fender Custom Shop P pickup because that's what Sean Hurley uses in his signature bass.
 

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