I'm ready to upgrade the pups in my MIM fender p-bass, and I'm wanting to get that classic "warm n' woody" p-bass tone. I wanna keep it passive, and price isn't an issue. I'm trying to decide between the Seymour Duncan SPB-1 vintage pickup and the Fender '62 reissue pickup. I've read and heard good things about both, but never been able to hear or play either of em. Anyone have any knowledge about either of these pickups, or does anyone have any other pickup suggestions to help get that old school tone im after?
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SD SPB-1 vs. Fender '62 reissuse
- Thread starter Hotrodredjag
- Start date
Look at the SD Antiquities. They're pretty classic sounding. The SPB I is a good pickup too.
The SPB-1 and the Fender "Original '62" are both very good pickups if you're looking for the warm, old school P-Bass sound. You wouldn't be disappointed with either. I have no experience with Duncan Antiquities.
Yeah, if price isn't an issue, look into Fralin or Nordstrand. I have the Fralin, and it's outstanding IMO. But Duncan makes excellent pickups too, so it's not as though you need to spend for a boutique for great tone.
Im guessing that a lot of those classic rock bands and old school players whose sound im after were playing authentic old school fenders, so thats why im sorta leaning towards their pickup. Im gonna give fralin and nordstrand some consideration and research though, they arent out of my price range. thanks for the input
I swapped out the stock pup in my USA P with a '62RI and couldn't be happier. I spent a lot of time listening to these clips: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...&highlight=np4 before I finally decided on the 62RI's. I love the NJ4's in my jazz and was ready to put a NP4 in the P, but I found I like the RI's a little better. Plus I got it for $40 used.
- Mar 11, 2005
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The antiquitys are really good. i love the antiquity IIs in a couple of jazz basses i've played/heard
SPB-1's in my 60's P copy. They sound great with TI flats. I don't have any clips, but this bass sounded very "authentic" in the stiudio.
I tried the following passive Pbass PUPs: Fender CBS 1971, Fender CBS 1978, Fender Corona '62 reissue, Seymour Duncan SPB-3 Quarter pounder, Seymour Duncan Antiquities.
Of all these, the Antiquities were the most disappointing. Played them for a few minutes and ripped them out.
Then, the 78 plays better than the 71 I got, but that could be up to production tolerances. Quarter pounders play great, but they are not too vintage sounding. The Fender '62 replacements look nothing like a real '62 pickup, but sounds fine. Why introduce the beveled pole pieces and the shiny plastic covers when everyone knows the pole pieces were almost flush, had no beweled, and the plastic covers were a cool satin finish? I guess the Chinese factory that makes them finds it easier to spew them out when they are tacky shiney.
Of all these, the Antiquities were the most disappointing. Played them for a few minutes and ripped them out.
Then, the 78 plays better than the 71 I got, but that could be up to production tolerances. Quarter pounders play great, but they are not too vintage sounding. The Fender '62 replacements look nothing like a real '62 pickup, but sounds fine. Why introduce the beveled pole pieces and the shiny plastic covers when everyone knows the pole pieces were almost flush, had no beweled, and the plastic covers were a cool satin finish? I guess the Chinese factory that makes them finds it easier to spew them out when they are tacky shiney.
Got no clue, but I recently switched to the EMG Geezer Butler P in my Precisions and the polepieces are flush and the plastic cover is a cool satin finish. And it was modeled after the pickup in Bobby Vega's early 60's Precision...a 60, I believe, but I'm not sure.
Just sayin'...
So many choices. To help clarify the Duncan ones; a SPB-1 will give an authentic vintage tone as if you got a new pickup version of a 50's or 60's P. An Antiquity is an aged version of the SPB-1 as if you took it out of an old P bass. The difference is a new pickup has a sharper attack when plucked. An old pickup will give a spongy attack that blooms a bit due to it's weaker magnet. It also has a bit more sustain since an old magnet loses power over the years. There's a reason old 50's and 60's Fender pickups are so expensive and sought after. Antiquity I is honoring the 50's era. Antiquity II is the 60's. Fender in the 60's changed their output and voicing slightly from the 50's.
The Antiquities are a bit brighter, as is the 62 I have (a year 2000 I think).
I think the SPB-1 would be better here.
I think the SPB-1 would be better here.
not sure if you guys noticed how old this thread is
but that's fine, i just swapped in a fender '62 pickup in place of an spb-1
the 62 pup is a little clearer to me, more upper mids and woodier sounding perhaps
our band is very loud and there seems to be stronger low mids with the spb-1 and i think that pup might work better for me
honestly though i don't see how anyone could be extremely unhappy with either. both are nice sounding pickups they just have slightly different voicings.
i also noticed on both sets that they don't have perfectly matching coils, dcr wise, so i'm wondering how much variance there is pickup set to pickup set...
but that's fine, i just swapped in a fender '62 pickup in place of an spb-1
the 62 pup is a little clearer to me, more upper mids and woodier sounding perhaps
our band is very loud and there seems to be stronger low mids with the spb-1 and i think that pup might work better for me
honestly though i don't see how anyone could be extremely unhappy with either. both are nice sounding pickups they just have slightly different voicings.
i also noticed on both sets that they don't have perfectly matching coils, dcr wise, so i'm wondering how much variance there is pickup set to pickup set...
whats the difference in the 50s and 60s fender P pickups?
also would an antiquity II measure around 11.4k like the spb-1?
One major difference is the 50's pickups had raised polepieces on the A string because A strings of the day were quieter than the others.
Hopkins
Commercial User
My personal opinion is that the SPB-1 and Fender 62' are two of the three best p bass pickups on the market, the other being the Rio Grande, Muy Grande. The SPB-1 and Fender 62' are exactly what a vintage P bass are supposed to sound like. The Muy Grande is a hotter pickup that still keeps the vintage vibe, but it is quite a bit more expensive than the other two.
